A MAZE OF GREED

Ruth tidied her room to her liking after Florence left. It was a tiring and eventful day, to say the least. When she was done with everything she had planned, it was already evening. She watched the flocks of birds returning to their abode while chirping. The sun slowly started bidding goodbye to the bright sky, which looked mesmerising with shades of orange, pink and light blue.

Ruth could hear mothers calling their children to stop playing around and return to their homes. She reminisced about her childhood. She was a happy little girl at that time she didn't need to worry about anything as her mother was there for her. But it all changed after some years when her mother started falling ill frequently.

Before her mind ventured more into that dimly lit lane of past, Ruth decided to go to Mr Cooper's tailor shop and meet Thea, her friend. Every day was important for Ruth. She knew with her current state, she would not be able to pay the rent to the landlord.

She splashed some water on her face and then combed her hair which became disoriented while working in the house. After making sure that she was ready to go, she took the key and a lock. She closed the door with that lock. And put the key into the front of her dress as that was the safest place.

Her face fell when she saw Claire in the corridor. That girl was the same who laughed at Ruth's pitiful situation in the morning.

"I didn't expect you to manage the rent this quickly, Ruth!" The girl said tauntingly.

Ruth inhaled deeply, trying her best to maintain her cool. "No. I haven't." She replied curtly, to not stretch the conversation.

Claire was a couple of years younger than Ruth and lived on the same floor as hers. The girl was not known for her pleasant behaviour, and hence Ruth avoided her at all times. When people have miseries in their own life they tend to look for bad things in others' too, that was what Ruth believed.

"Oh, I thought you are going to your landlord's house to give him money." Claire snickered.

Her action didn't settle well with Ruth, but she was too bashful to say anything. Ruth didn't reply and said, "I have to go somewhere. If you don't mind, may I?"

Ruth didn't need to ask for the girl's permission, but she asked as she didn't want to be impolite.

Claire changed the topic and came straight to the point. "I was not aware of your close association with Florence." She stared directly at Ruth's face, not wanting to miss anything that her face gave away.

Now Ruth was puzzled. She didn't know how to answer this as she was not a close friend of Florence. Even it was the first time that they talked for more than two minutes in all these years. But it was an obvious question that was playing in everyone's mind. And Ruth had to answer it at some point if not now.

"Yeah, I mean we talk sometimes." Ruth said unsurely.

The lack of confidence in her voice was not missed by the astute girl.

"Do mere acquaintances help this generously?" Claire asked with an intense gaze.

Ruth felt uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze and wanted to leave from there as soon as possible.

"Or maybe you finally came out of your disguise of innocence and abstemiousness." The girl's words made Ruth snap her head up.

Her straight brows drew between her forehead as she asked with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean?"

Claire noticed the edge in Ruth's voice. She laughed lightly and held up her hand in surrender. "It is not me. I am just saying what people thinks."

But Ruth knew better than that. "Florence helped me because she is a kind person unlike what people think about her. I am working for her by making her dresses in return for her help. As long as humanity exists people like me don't need to walk on a wrong path."

With that said Ruth started descending down the stairs without sparing another glance to Claire. She was too hurt and furious at the same time. She could have said much more and insulting things to that girl as Ruth knew well about her not so good habits. But stooping low to other's level was not acceptable to her conscience.

Ruth picked up her pace and took the route to the western part of the town. During the whole way, her mind was clouded with many thoughts. A sound of the ship's horn that came to halt at the port fell on Ruth's ears. The port was not far from where she was. Though the town was not at its zenith of prosperity in maritime trade, the port was considerably busy all the days of the years.

After thirty minutes, Ruth found her in front of Mr Cooper's tailoring shop. By this time the sun had settled down behind the horizon and the darkness cast all over the place. Street lamps were lit that made yellowish-orange light to illuminate the surroundings.

Ruth opened the door of the shop making the bell above the door chimed, indicating there was a visitor. All four women, who worked in the shop looked up to see who came by taking a pause in what they were doing. A gigglemug came into Ruth's view and she smiled.

"Hello, Ruth! How are you here at this time? Are you here to submit your work?" Thea asked as she left her working station and came to meet Ruth.

Other women carried on with their work with a slight disappointment. They thought that they had a new customer that would help them get some profit but Ruth was far from that.

"No... no. I don't have any work with me these days. I was actually here to meet Mr Cooper and you." Ruth said.

"Oh! But Mr Cooper is not in the shop at this time. He had some emergency at his home so he left early." Thea informed.

That made Ruth a little frustrated. Thea noticed how her friend's face fell in an instant. "Hey, if it's important then you can meet him in the morning. Or do you want me to take you to his house?" Thea asked.

Ruth shook her head. "No... no. I mean it is important but I will wait till the morning. Are you done for today?"

Thea glanced back at her workstation which was covered with a yellow piece of cloth with hooks and needles spread on it. "I think I am. I am too tired to continue so I will call it a day. Just give me a minute and then we will be good to go." She said raising her first finger.

"Sure" Ruth nodded.

She waited until Thea wrapped up her work and told her fellow workers that she is heading home.

After that, both women stepped outside the shop.