Chapter Text
Joshephine wakes up before sunrise. She eats a small portion of bread - when there's any - and washes her face with a wet, torn cloth from an old shirt and leaves.
She enters on a line full of other workers - including kids. A dark and thick smoke slowly rises from the chamines. After clocking-in, she rolls up her sleeves and starts working.
Last night was a rough one for Josephine. Her dad's coughing could be heard for the entire spam of the short 5 hours she had for sleeping. Even though her eyes kept closing shut, her hands moved on their own, knowing exactly what to do. The production speeds up, and she tries to keep going. The repetitive noises make the girl even more sleepy, slowing her down, and she falls asleep, standing, only for a moment.
An intense, crushing pain wakes her up, making her scream in agony. Her right forearm is stuck between engines. Some workers look at her, with a mix of shock, pity, fear and sorriness, but they can't stop and help Josephine. Otherwise, they would be fired on the spot.
She tries to get out by herself, but the awful sensation only gets bigger. The enormous machine suddenly stops, and the section supervisor takes her arm off just in time the machinery moves again. Feeling dizzy from the adrenaline and excruciating pain, Josephine passes out.
Her right arm is gone. It's the first thing noted as she wakes up. Some bandages involve the end of her elbow bone. A small stain of drying blood is formed on the area.
It has been amputated. It was the only way - the supervisor says - You're fired. You can't keep working here in this condition. Go home.
Josephine knew it was useless to argue. There was nothing more she could do. Getting up, the girl almost fell - unbalanced. She left the factory, completely clueless of what to do next. She couldn't go back home and burden her poor mother with more work - now for 3 people instead of 2. Facing the opposite direction of her home, she followed.
After hours of walking, Josephine was at her limit. The lack of food, water, plus the pain of a recently open wound made her extremely weak. Her heartbeat gets slower as her blood pressure lowers. Of course, it's not the first time it happens, but the fact that she was in the middle of a dirt road, with no signs of civilization around made this scenario something new and scarier.
The girl decided to sit down, leaning against a fallen tree trunk. She tried to take deep breaths to calm down and relax, closing her eyes for only a few seconds, but the body exhaustion made her completely shut down.
"Are you ok?" A voice came from her front, startling Josephine. She backed off, knocking off the trunk, that rolled back. Her injured arm hitted the floor, making her yell in pain. The wound opened. The girl, whose voice surprised her, approached and said:
I'M SO SORRY! Here, let me help you…
The girl reached her overcoat pocket and grabbed some water, food and a big piece of cloth. Looking around, Josephine noticed a horse, tied on a tree, that probably belonged to the lady, who seemed to have similar ages with her.
Here, eat. - the girl said - I don't know how long you have been here, but you are probably hungry.
Josephine reluctantly grabbed the piece of bread and cheese with her left arm and shoved down her mouth while her bandages were being changed.
Thanks - Josephine muttered - But you don't have to do any of this. It's ok.
The girl smiled and, ignoring what Josephine previously said, she asked:
Do you have any place to stay? You seem like a runaway.
Josephine didn't said a thing. The lady continued:
There's no shame in it. I can take you in! At least, until you feel better to proceed whatever you are doing. I have plenty of space and no one that would mind.
Josephine was suspicious of the girl's attitude. Her attitude was too nice to be true. But, still, it's not like she actually had a better plan to survive. So she nodded slowly, accepting the offer.
I'm Clementine, by the way. - the girl said as she helped Josephine climb the horse.
A faint thank you was the last thing she said before she fell asleep again, as her body actually relaxed for the first time in a few years.