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Josephine's Point of View

I am Josephine Scvalse, living in a slum is the hardest thing, maybe because my parents were not that good and they were just working for one of the generals in the town where rich people belong. Their income is not enough to sustain my needs like my studies. Because of it, I have grown into a woman who doesn't even know how to read and write which makes the kids laugh at me when they see me and that's fine.

I don't want to live this way forever. That's why when my mother was looking for a maid who can work where they work, I volunteered myself to be one of them.

“Bread is our food for today. I don't want to hear any complaints. If you want to eat some roasted chicken, then go outside and ask some Viscount to give you a portion of food. Well, now wash your hands and dig the garlic bread we brought,” my mother said which made me sad. Our food was always empty, and sometimes, we were lucky to have food on our plate even if it's bread or sometimes bacon that only came from the leftover where they work.

“What are you waiting for, Josephine? All of your brothers and sisters have their slices of bread, don't you want to eat?” she asked while holding a knife to slice the bread into 10 pieces. 

The eight is for us siblings, while the two are for them. It's like being born in a slum is a bad thing in this era because they just underestimate us, and now, we were just lucky to have a house even if it is small.

I don't want to live this way because I know that it will be better for us if I will work, too. Five of my siblings are children, they're too young to work yet they go to the streets to sell candles they made with their bare hands.

“I will eat later. I don't have any appetite for some reason,” I said while holding a doll that was thrown out by a girl who wants to have a balloon, but her parents didn't give it to her.

I am just looking by the window, trying to clean the doll to sell it for tomorrow. Maybe someone will buy it for two pennies. Our window has some cracks on the top, it is full of dust and dirt. We cleaned this several times, but because it's old, there is moss on it that we can't remove.

“Stop acting that you're rich because this is the last one and if you won't get it, then go out and try to find food in the trash bin of high-class restaurants there!” my father shouted and started to pull my hair to drag me to the wooden table we use as our bed, too.

“Father, I'm hurting, please don't drag me. I will eat now!” I said while begging him, but he didn't listen to me and just threw me to the ground.

My body became like clay that cracked because of it, but I hope it didn't. I didn't feel the pain, maybe I'm used to it because they always do this when I do something that they don't like.

They were just working for us to have food in our stomachs not because they are treating us like their children. What they only love is my brother, Axon, and sister Nicole who always help them. Even a glimpse of attention is not given to me even though I try my best to work every day to sell some candles or shine the shoes of the noble. Why is it hard to be one of their children?

As I tried to stand up, my body didn't want to follow what I wanted and ended up falling. It's like some of my bones have cracked, but I need to stand if I want to live because my father will probably end up choking me if I won't follow what he wants.

“Stand up and eat the bread, stop acting like you are suffering a sprain!” he shouted while my siblings were scared to approach me. That's why I tried my best to stand up and suddenly, I did it slowly.

I ate the bread for myself while stopping myself to cry because there are no tears that are now falling. I just want to shout to all of them, for treating me like I'm the curse in our family.

“We were assigned to look for someone to work with General Guerrero, now Axon and Nicole, you two will go with us so you will have some income that can help our family to eat some fancy food,” my mother said while happily looking to the both of them. Axon nodded and Nicole was furious because of what my mother said. I know her, she doesn't want to work because of her laziness.

She is always like that; her tasks were passed down to me because she doesn't want to get dirty by selling candles and looking for some things in the trash bin. 

“But I don't want to work in that place because I deserve to be just here. And besides, Josephine can help you with that,” she replied while pointing her fingers at me when Mom went to her side and brushed her hair.

“But, my dear, this is the right time to be close with the son of the general and spy on him because it was assigned to us by the Viscount. The money that they will give to us is huge and we will be a millionaire because of that. If I assigned Josephine who is so ugly, how can he fall for her?” she explained to my sister. My dad agreed. Oh, they hate me because of what I am. How can I achieve some skin and perfect beauty ideals if they only buy Nicole things that can make her beautiful?

“I want to work with you, Mom, even if I'm just a sweeper,” I said, but a slap was given to me by my mom that shocked me. What did I say wrong?

“You're not deserving to work in the mansion. Did you look at yourself? They will think of you as trash!” she yelled and started to walk to her bag to get something.

“Here, wipe your face with this toner. That was given by Lady Tilla to make you beautiful. Always watch your manner because we shouldn't waste our chance,” she said happily and started to get cotton and wipe it on my sibling's face.

I'm hoping that they will be close to the general's son to make my parents happy. But why did the Viscount choose them?

“And the six of you will work tomorrow. Have you got some things to sell tomorrow? I want to have an egg for our dinner. Now, go sleep all of you, and Nicole, you should sleep peacefully with the cucumber under your eyes that I sliced only for you,” my mother mumbled while getting the cucumber on the table.

They look so happy today and I wish it will continue, but the only thing that I want to achieve is their happiness.

All of them fell asleep and I couldn't sleep

 While I'm staring at Nicole, she snored loudly and the cucumber fell to the ground. I decided to go outside to see some stars that could help me sleep. We live in a street that the government can take away from us if they want. Many people live like us. I started to walk to go to the outside of the streets and go to my favorite place where I can sit and stare above.

I ran swiftly and it's past midnight. There is a mansion near the trees where I usually go when I'm sad or don't want someone to interrupt while I'm thinking when suddenly, I saw someone lying there which made me curious. Who is he?

“What are you doing in my favorite spot?” I asked and by judging his appearance, he was the same age as me because of his height. But he is much taller than me because I was born with a height this small. “Who are you to interrupt my sight-seeing?” he said while standing up because he was lying down under the tree.