Chapter 1 - Why me!?

        My life was in my mother's locket. I never found out at 10 years old, that if this was a dream or not.
My parents had died a month ago from a disease. I had not one sibling so I was alone in this world. I was sold to a rich, cruel,
family as their slave later.
        At this age I did not understand the world.... the world did not understand me. I did not eat but once a week, it did not matter to me, I just knew i wouldn't live for long. I wore a beautiful blue kimono, ragged, but to me it was lovely. I worked from 3:00a.m until 10:00p.m. everyday except Sundays.
It was torture, hurtful torture....I was beatten by a bamboo stick. I stayed as calm as I could be when I was around their son, Yoshi, he was fat and mean...I called him "Pig". Kesha I called her, stuck up, slender woman married to a fat, ugly man I called, Nesha. I vowed that I would never call them family.
        One month later....a long month, I had memorized the routes to the town, the streams,shrines, and temples. Everytime I visited the shrines I saw beautiful, elegant geishas. How I wished to become one....or to atleast meet one. But I was never noticed there or anywhere else for that matter. On Kesha and Nesha's farm, I slept in the attic, never to go inside the house, I climbed a tall stair case up to the attic. "You must understand emptyness," Nesha told me one week and never gave me food. I cried most nights, such a elegant life I had lived before had now turned into a torturus life that I never thought would get better.
        
        Weeks later, I went to catch fish at a stream,I could get away from the the slavery farm. I took them into town, to take them to the market.
I stopped at the bridge and looked into the water. I felt the presence of a figure behind me and turned around. "Why, konnichwa!" a woman said.
"Do you need some help?" "Hai, domo arigato!" I smiled. She grabbed a basket of fish,"Such a beautiful smile! What is your name child?" she asked.
"Yuri..." I told her. "I am not very proud of my name," I added. "oh, but you should! Each name shows a charastic of that person. It's part of your personality. I think your name's personality is a dreamer, shy, and wish for a better life, Am I right?" Yes, she was right. "Hai. M'am you are.
Though, I wish for my mother's name....Yumi," "How I miss her so..." I wispered. "Where are you from child?" she asked. "Oh, m'am...the most horible place. I am a slave on the Nekoshama's farm," "Yuri! Indeed this is not true! Those people are the most cruelest in Japan!" "No m'am, this is true.
But now I must really get these to he market or I will surely be in death's dept tonight," I grabbed the baskets and tried to run off. "Child! You shall not leave. I will help you. Now, you listen here. Every two days meet me at this bridge, I will give you money, you won't be their slave forever...I promise! Now, go! You must not tell anyone of this! And here, take this for now!!" she told me.
        I took half the money and gave it as an ofering, there I prayed for corage and strength. The I went and bought bread. I ran back to the farm. It was probably 11:00p.m. I guessed by how the moon was set.

        I went up the stairs to the attic and to my suprise, I wasn't the only one there. "Konnichwa, my name is Kuro!" he said. "Mine's Yuri. Are you the slave that they sent in this morning?" I asked. "Hai, I was transfered from Kyoto," he told me. "Oh! I have always dreamed of going there!" I declared. "Go to sleep!" I heard Nesha yell from the hall. "We must sleep! He has a bamboo stick and I know he isn't pleased with me now!" I turned off the lattern.
        Two months with the cruel family, a new friend, the geisha I had met, Sachi, I knew my prayes were becoming answered finally.
"I really want you to adopt us for my birthday!" Kuro and I told Sachi. I would turn 11 years old in a week and I had always dreamed of Sachi adopting us. "I don't know, Yuri. We will see. It will work out somehow though. Remember, I promised,"
        For seven days we did not bother Sachi at the bridge, she seemed to be getting bussier and bussier as the seven days went by. Finally, I awoke that morning to the voice of Kuro. "Ohayo!! Ohayo, Yuri-san!!!!" "Arigato, Kuro-san!" I yelled. "Oh, Yuri! Look outside!" I couldn't beleive my eyes..... Sachi was at the door of the house. "Hai. I shall deal with him later," we heard Kesha say. "Yuri!! Kuro!!" yelled Kesha. "Oh, Kuro! We are saved! Sachi is our mother now!" I yelled. "Hai! Hai! We are off to a better life, Yuri!" Kuro yelled.
        

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