Chapter Text
How long has it been? Hours? Days? She can't even see the sun if her head was tilted that way, trembling as she shuffles slowly across the street. Her belly grumbles as she searches for anyone who can offer support, desperate for even a glass of milk; she doesn't care if it's not ideal, anything's better than starving to death. She isn't even sure if the next building will be a barbershop, police station, or even a school, but she's learned to never be picky. She knows she should be grateful to be alive, that what happened wasn't her fault, but all the same, she doesn't feel lucky in the slightest.
Murmurs from all around her only make tracking her next meal harder, the words more harming than a knife to the chest.
"Filthy freak," one man balks, his footsteps audible as he backs away. "Stay away from me!"
"Don't stare at her, just walk away," a mother warns at least one child, trying to protect them. "We don't help her. Never her."
"What did she do?" the child asks innocently, not understanding. "She looks normal."
"She knows what she did," the mother states firmly, refusing to elaborate. "And never associate her with normal, look at her eyes!"
It's the one thing she doesn't understand. What did she do? If it really was bad, hasn't she suffered enough? How much more must she pay until her supposed debt can be paid off? Is it even possible to earn approval? What could be so horrible even the shelters turn her away without a hint of hesitation? Even as tears stream down her cheeks, unable to tell when or where she's going, she can't stop trying to smell and feel her way, her cane the only thing she can say is truly hers. She knows she hasn't made much money, but she'll pay for whatever's available; even working labor, in spite of her issue, will prove she's not worthless.
Only then does she smell it. Meat, fresh meat. Not spoiled, not dirty, fresh. Someone's making something delicious, possibly a steak, maybe a burger, perhaps ribs. Whatever it is, the scent lures Luz toward the source, her slow steps speeding up, her cane quickly coming across a door. She pushes with all her might, desperate for even bitter coffee, anything to fill her stomach. She's sure days have passed since she's eaten last, stumbling inside as her basket rustles, the smells finer than she could possibly imagine.
She never thought her sense of smell would be so important, and now she's able to appreciate it more by the day. Salty potatoes, probably fries. Sweet, fizzy drinks, most likely soda. The meat smell's mixed with a pickle scent and cheese, confirming the meat to be for a burger. A small speck of drool escapes her lips, carefully stepping to the bar, or at least what she thinks is the bar, so hungry. She reaches into her pockets and pulls out what little cash she's gathered; she knows it's not a lot, but anything will do, anything to prove she's not a waste of resources. The steps of an employee, possibly the chef, catches her ears, and it's then she hears a tsking sound.
"Oh yeah, no this isn't gonna work," he groans, disgusted with what he sees. "Out! Now!"
"B-But I have money! How much is it?" she pleads, genuinely unsure how much cash she's managed to gain. "I promise, I-I'll pay however it takes. I just don't want to starve anymore."
"Should've thought about that before that!" the man barks, refusing to offer lenience as he takes her cash away. "Probably stole all this anyway. Now get out before I call the cops!"
Luz so desperately wants to be arrested. At least prisoners are fed no matter the crime, but last time she tried that, she was just fined, had what little cash she had taken away, and put back on the streets. What reason is there for all of this? Why would the employee not want money in exchange for food?
What she can't notice is how he looks at her basket, filled with flowers and weeds from crumbling to freshly picked. A sloppy, makeshift sign of "1 DOLLAR = 1 FLOWER" on the front makes it clear how she's been "scamming" for cash, the total she's collected being more than 20 bucks, a deluxe meal. Someone's been willingly giving the freak money, something that must be rectified sooner, not later. For now, he must ensure his establishment is secured, and that means making sure freaks are barred from the premises.
"Are you deaf too?! I said leave, and don't come back!" he yells with rage, the patrons shouting for Luz to get out. "I'm not warning you again!"
Everyone sees the tears stream down her cheeks and she knows it. She tries in vain to wipe them away before feeling for her cash, only to realize it was taken, again. Once again she's been robbed all because she wanted to do things the right way, trying her best not to cry as she backs away, desperate to walk out.
"What did I do?!" she pleads, her voice filled with confusion. "What did I do to deserve this?! I-I just want food, please! I-I'll do anything, honest!"
A glint in some of the more sadistic patrons disgusts the chef, immediately rejecting the offer in disgust, spitting, "I SAID GET OUT!!!"
The shouts disorient the young woman, the stomps of a quickly-approaching man giving her no time to head for the door even as she raises her hands in self-defense. She pleads that she'll leave and yet her desperation goes unheeded, chucked out with nothing to sate her hunger, no cash, and her product all over the ground. Only her cane and basket are all she knows she collected, everything in her basket either withered flowers or grime and pebbles. She ignores yet another collection of bruises as she struggles to stand, the rock in her pocket having grown all the more tempting. She needs it; she needs some sort of control. She doesn't understand why everything's gone as it has, but at least with the rock, she knows she can establish something.
More jeers, more revulsion, more refusal to purchase anything. What few flowers she has, she isn't even sure. Every now and then someone takes pity on her, purchasing a few, but there's always someone nearby who wants to see her fall. She isn't sure how much lower she can go, her cane being her only form of support. What more can the world take from her? She wants to pay back however she can, but how can she when she hasn't been told what she's done? How can she atone for something when she isn't certain what she can atone for? Only the desire for answers keeps her going, whimpering from her aching stomach, so desperate for food, for control, that she reaches into her pocket.
"Great, you again."
She freezes at the sound of a certain familiar voice, Clara. She remembers her appearance; blonde, blue eyes, pink streak through hair, cheerleader. Now she's noticed her again, and there's no doubt she wants to make her more miserable. Maybe in another time they could bond and even be the best of friends, but she's considered such a dream dead years ago.
"Hello Clara," she murmurs softly in spite of the tears, bowing her head, knowing the price for even implicit disrespect.
"Heard you got kicked out of Jacob's this time. Such a shame you just had to do that," the blonde girl sneers, crossing her arms as she watches her "friend" squirm. "It's also a shame that you got kicked out of the best burger joint in the state. Gravesfield's got that going for it, and you almost ruined it for everyone by barging in!"
"I... I'm sorry, but I was hungry. It's been days," Luz whimpers, trembling as her stomach growls once more, alerting even Clara. "I-I had money, you know I'd offer services. M-Maybe washing dishes, cleaning the floors and tables, a-anything to-"
"Even propositioning your body? Come on, even you know that's too far," the cheerleader balks with disgust, having heard what the patrons were saying. "And to think I was gonna offer that sandwich I was gonna have for lunch."
Luz doesn't know if she's lying about even having food. She smells nothing but her "friend's" perfume, the rummaging from a pocket doing nothing to indicate what she may have. What Clara notices, however, is a hand in her pocket. First she lends her victim a basket to carry her weeds, and now she's found something that could help her, without aid? What could be so special that she tries holding onto it?
"...You found something, didn't you?" she growls in curiosity. "What is it?"
"...A rock, that's all," Luz promises, unable to lie even if she wished to. "It just feels right to... you know, own something."
The cheer captain doesn't bother investigating, suspecting Luz really did find just a rock. What she does, however, is notice the dirt and weeds in her basket. She was meant to gather money; a 50/50 split. She knows Jacob took the money, she was given a portion, and yet it doesn't change the fact Luz didn't hand it over.
"Anyway, where's my cut?" she questions, tapping her foot. "You know the deal."
Her cohort's trembling hands reach into her other pocket, pulling out nothing more than four dollars. She's too scared to disobey, all the more reason to believe it's all she's been able to collect. She happily takes the two and dusts the smaller woman's clothes off, glad to have someone to keep control over.
"Alright, now we're getting somewhere," Pink Streak gloats, crossing her arms. "Keep this up and you might reach 10% of your debt!"
"But... what's the debt? What did I do?" Luz pleads in a broken voice, unable to hold her tongue. "I-I actually don't remember! You know I'll pay it back however I can, b-but I want to feel guilt for something I actually did! N-Nobody will tell me!"
"Oh, poor Luz~" her "friend" coos, pinching her cheek with her nails, loving how she winces. "If you didn't figure it out now, you'll never know~"
The tan woman can only whimper, shivering as she squeaks, "B-But I don't have any hints! Kids don't know either! That means i-it happened a while ago. I-I'm begging you! Anything, I just want to know what I did... What did I do to deserve this?"
Her hope for an answer warms Clara's heart, and she decides to keep stringing her along. The second she gives up, she's of no use anymore.
"Pay off your debt and I'll tell you everything," she lies, knowing her pawn will cling to anything that sounds promising. "Does that sound fair?"
A quick nod from Luz follows, and only then does the cheerleader leave her to her own devices. With Luz knowing better than to barge into her big brother's burger joint and continuing to try collecting cash, she now has a way to ensure she doesn't try anything stupid.
All Luz hears is Clara walking away as she wipes away her tears, her hand tight around the rock. She doesn't know how she'll get enough cash, but if Clara's telling the truth, there's at least a chance she can earn her keep. Even if it takes ten years, she'll survive long enough to be sure.
The sounds of Gravesfield die down, and beneath her Luz can tell she's now walking on a dirt road. To others it would mean she wandered out of town, but to her she can drop her guard and pick whatever flowers she comes across. She knows too few people wander here to want to stay for long, but not once does she know why. Occasionally she'll come across a statue or two, but aside from that, it's a pleasant contrast to the shoves, hits, and jeers for her to disappear. It's not loud, it's not dangerous, and sometimes she finds an apple or two on the ground to keep her going. She still isn't sure why so many stone effigies have appeared, men and women alike, but she doesn't mind; it's proof she's somewhere that won't hurt her, not without cause.
Birds singing, the scent of blooming flowers, even a rock warmed by the sun. It's not ideal, but never before did she think she would miss such simple pleasures. At least here she knows she's not a burden, that the creatures around her won't try to harm her. She's safe, each pluck at a flower confirming she's doing something right, that she's able to find someone wanting flowers. The young Noceda knows she can't keep going forever, but she knows she has to try. The truth exists, and only once the debt is paid will she have even an opportunity to prove her worth. Until then, the dirt road leads her around, but only when reaching for her rock does she come across an unfamiliar path.
'I don't remember a path this narrow, or bumpy,' she recalls, shivering as she follows it, her cane helping her "see". 'Did someone come through here recently?'
Such an idea makes no sense, not to her. She's been down this path a thousand times, possibly more, but not once has she come across such a new trail. The statues are more plentiful, her cane clicking at their bases, trembling as she notices the dirt is looser beneath her shoes. Someone recently created this path, and they have no intention of smoothing it out. She feels no grass, suggesting the area's not had any rain or fresh plantlife in a while. She no longer hears leaves rustling in the wind, the bushes nonexistent as she approaches the end of this new trail. The birds' chirping disappear as well, and yet she still feels the heat of the sun on her skin. A small voice in the back of her head begs to return from whence she came, to avoid the source.
However, the potential for new things catches her interest. She might actually find something that's hers, something that won't be taken away. Maybe the new path will mean she can keep her few meager belongings down this route, and yet she knows such an idea might be a dream within a dream, but it matters little; she won't know for sure unless she checks.
She finds precious apple, a little older than others she's had, but still fresh. It's not nearly enough to sate her appetite, but she knows she can't be picky. Luz shambles further, trembling as she follows the new route slowly yet steadily, trying to find out what's toward the end. The crunching of leaves, likely blown over from the wind, catches her attention, hearing a quick breathing and another growling stomach. Prior encounters suggest it to be a fox, possibly a desperate otter, and if it's hungry, she finds it only fair to provide it the rest of her apple. She knows it's stupid, she knows she needs every calorie she can get, but at the same time she can't force herself to let it starve.
"...Here," she whispers, setting the last of her meal on the ground, turning her head side to side, trying to find out where the creature may be. "T-Take it, little guy."
She doesn't want to disturb it, needing to continue following the path, her own belly nearly empty, the three bites of apples not nearly enough to keep her going for long. The remaining animals depart entirely, leaving her in an empty area far beyond where she's used to Gravesfield. The ground beneath her feels looser, more so than the dirt, most likely sand, and the splashing of waves is when she realizes where she is, a beach. A salt scent in particular catches her nose, further confirming it, and it's then she realizes just how far she's wandered this time.
'...I walked longer than I thought,' she thinks to herself, shivering from the unknown. 'I need to-'
chchchchchchchchch
The young woman freezes upon hearing the sound, recognizing its source right away.
'Rattlesnake! ...Most likely a Timber Rattlesnake,' she rationalizes, trying to find its source, only to find it closer toward the water, going by the crashing of the waves. 'Stay calm, don't make yourself look like a threat. Just... Hold on, they prefer the forest!'
What's a rattlesnake doing by the beach, especially ones that like forests? The more she thinks about it, the less sense it makes; they want steep ledges and access to freshwater, not saltwater beaches. She slowly backs away, and yet no matter how quietly she does so, one detail keeps her on edge.
CHCHCHCHCHCHCHCHCH
It's louder. The source only grows closer, the shuffling of sand beneath a serpentine body catching her ears, leading her to presume it's after her. They're usually ones to avoid confrontation, not actively seeking her out, and it's then she suspects an invasive species. Why else would a "Timber Rattlesnake" go after a human who's trying to leave it alone?
"I-It's okay," she whispers, tilting her head down toward the being. "I don't want to hurt you. Just... please don't come any closer, I'll leave you alone.
"You think I'm threatened by you?"
The voice came from above. She's heard no planes or helicopter, and yet its source is distinctly older, confident, even aggressive. It sounds like a woman, the tone alone sending shivers down her spine, the rattling blocking out the splashing of the water's waves. Every element alone would leave her cautious and yet when combined she grows terrified; something isn't adding up.
"What? No! Nonono, I-I was talking to this rattlesnake," she replies with a mixture of terror and confusion, trying to appease the voice's source. "I'll l-leave you alone, ma'am. We can f-forget this ever-"
"Look me in the eyes when I'm speaking to you."
"I-I can't..."
"Why not, human?"
'Human?'
She chooses not to question the word choice, tilting her head upward to reveal why. All she knows is that it's a mark of shame, proof that whatever she did truly happened. For once, somebody isn't aware of the truth, and yet now she must reveal it. She waits for the insults, the rage, the disgust, used to it all the same, the rattles dying down in an instant.
"...What happened?"
The rage disappears, replaced by a mixture of confusion and what almost sounds like horror.
"I... I don't know. I just woke up like this o-one day and then... then I heard Mami died," she whimpers, trying to hold back her cries, wiping her tears. "I don't know why, j-just that whatever happened, i-it was my fault. Nobody told me w-why. I just... know I deserve being an outcast."
No words and yet Luz knows she's being shared at, most likely judged. A hand, far larger than any man or woman's she's come across, carefully holds her chin and tilts her head far higher. How tall is this person? What's going on?
"You're blind. That's why you're not petrified."
She almost sounds heartbroken, mixed with surprised and almost excited.
"P-Petrified?" the smaller woman whimpers, more questions threatening to spill out. "What do you-?"
Before she can properly react, she feels something coil around her legs, yanking her upwards in an instant. She screams in terror, unsure what to do, her cane dropping to the ground and leaving her vulnerable. The loss of her basket only amplifies her terror, the only key to her debt being paid lost as she tries and fails to find it. Something pulled her up, and whatever it is, something tells Luz the serpent and the woman are connected. She struggles to get away, shouting so someone can find her, certain it's futile and yet desperation blinds her. She doesn't want to die even now.
"STOP!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!?" she screams, struggling to escape, her weak, starved body leaving her defenseless.
She gets no response, only that she's carried somewhere away from the forest and somewhere on the beach.
A cave undiscovered by anyone, surrounded by statues, welcomes its owner and her guest, the latter unaware her life has taken a drastic turn.