Loaf of Bread

A short story of Arcadia
 
Arcadia is eleven years old
 
“This is what you get for running your fucking mouth!” One of the kids screamed jamming the shiv into the side of another kid multiple times. The sound of the rusted metal breaking skin was haunting along with the scream of pain and the nearby panic of the other kids watching it all happen. Soon the play yard was cleared by the caretakers and the injured kid was taken inside and tended to
 
Arcadia knew this would mean an early bedtime for everyone. Which also meant no dinner for anyone. She came to the conclusion she needed to find something to eat before bedtime.
 
She climbed down from the second floor of the Honor-hall Orphanage and into the streets of the lower wards of Durunum. Generations of poverty and crime have made this underbelly of the city the most dangerous and most over crowded areas of the city. Arcadia weaved in-between the heavy foot traffic and the large wagons driving down the streets
 
Eventually she arrived at a bakery that displayed all of their product in the window. Her stomach growled loudly days of being sent to bed early taking its toll. Like her stomach her pockets were just as empty. She was just so hungry a small loaf of bread would be all she needed to get through to her next meal, which was a bit of an over statement mashed vegetables and water was all the orphanage served.
 
Arcadia walked inside behind some other customers the inside was warm inside a welcome change from the chilling winds of outside. As the customer talked to the worker at the front counter Arcadia eyed some nearby shelves where some product was put on display fresh from the ovens the faint smoke coming off of them.
 
She walked towards the shelves her mouth watering. Suddenly a sharp pain knocks her off her balance clinging to a nearby shelf the man behind the counter tossed a glass bottle at her, in the panic she grabbed whatever was close to her as she was chased out by the baker with a broom
 
Rain had begun to pour from the sky. After losing the baker in the crowd Arcadia found a small dry spot to rest feeling a stream of blood flow down her cheek seemed that whatever the baker had thrown at her caused a bad cut. She dropped some of what she grabbed during the chase in her hands she had one small damp loaf of bread. She began stuffing her mouth even if it is a bit damp it was the best meal she’s had in a long time.