A MAZE OF GREED

The next morning, Ruth woke up early even though she didn't need to go to the shop. Mr Cooper had given two days off to his staff because he wanted to do some repairing work in the shop.

They had already completed most of their orders anyway and could afford to have a small break.

She dressed in her simple clothes, mentally noting that she needed to buy a pair of dresses to wear at work. Mr Cooper's tailoring shop was a favourite one among the Nobel and rich families of the western part of the Vincardine.

All of their customers came from the high-class society and that made it necessary for all the employees to look presentable to attend to those customers. All that shines brighter is easier to bid!

Ruth's eyes caught the bag of oranges that she bought yesterday for Florence but she forgot to give it to her. She had spent many hours with Mr and Mrs Payne enjoying her dinner and the time after that.

Ruth and Mr Payne were so engrossed in their conversation where the old man couldn't stop telling her the tales of his old days that Mrs Payne had to chid them both to go to bed.

Of course, Ruth didn't give up before taking a promise from Mr Payne that they would continue their discussion some other time.

Ruth's plan for the day was simple!

She had decided to go to her landlord's house to pay him the rent of the month before he came to ask for it. Then she had planned to buy some essentials for herself and Mr and Mrs Payne.

She recalled how emotional the old couple got when she returned them the money that she took from them in her time of need. They refused to accept it out of courtesy but she knew how much they needed it.

When they didn't listen, she told them that she would buy them groceries and other essentials with it and that way they didn't need to go to the market.

She had already decided to buy them small things like vegetables or medicines from her salary and share a little bit of their burden. And that way they would not feel uncomfortable accepting her help.

Ruth decided to give those oranges to Florence on her way to the landlord's house. After doing everything, she decided to spend her time cleaning her small room and sprawl on her bed leisurely.

The month had been very tiresome and her mind and body needed some rest before resuming the work.

With all those thoughts in mind, she picked up her small purse that had her salary in it and the bag of oranges. She didn't disturb Mr and Mrs Payne as they might be asleep after a long night.

She went to Florence's room and before knocking on the door, she placed her ear on it to listen to any sound. She didn't want to barge into her private time with one of her visitors.

The thought of the man recking her up and down a few months back made her shudder with repugnance.

"I don't want to experience that again." She muttered under her breath.

After not hearing any sound from the other side of the door, she knocked softly on it. But didn't get any reply.

'May be she is still sleeping. Not everyone is early bird like you, Ruth.' She decided to give the oranges to Florence after coming back from shopping and left for the landlord's house.

Midway, she slowed in her tracks when she heard a commotion to the other side of the road. Curious, she pierced through the small crowd to see what was going on.

Her eyes went wide when she saw a woman on the ground, crying and begging. And a man, who must be her husband had a beer bottle in one hand and his other hand was ready to hit the woman.

The woman's face was drenched in tears and Ruth could spot some blood at the corner of her mouth. A little girl stood near them with a scarred face and teary eyes.

Ruth's blood boiled looking at the staggering man, who couldn't even stand on his two feet properly. "You bitch! Tell me where you hide the money. Tell… me!" He slurred.

The woman pleaded between her sobs. "Please, I d-don't have any money. I have already g-given you whatever I h-had."

But the man was in no state to accept her words and again lifted his hand to strike his helpless wife. The moment his hand made a contact with her skin the sound made Ruth clench her fists tightly.

The little girl sobbed loudly band wanted to help her mother but was too afraid to utter a word in front of her outrageous father.

Ruth's heart pained for that girl. 'What she must be feeling watching her mother's this state?! Poor soul!"

She glanced around to the onlookers. They didn't care that the man was beating his wife for money. They didn't feel the slightest of pity for the unfortunate woman and neither they condemned the selfish man.

They only stopped to enjoy the show. The misery of helpless ones was entertainment to these people.

This was not the rare sight to see in the Eastern part of Vincardine which was known for its poverty and ill-wished people. Ruth had witnessed such incidents many times before, and every time something in her heart made her realise that this was the cruel but real face of the world.

It was not a task of a single person to bring the change but it needed a collective effort of the whole community. But with the poverty, degrading values, illiteracy and strong willpower it was an impossible task.

No one amongst the crowd stepped up to help the woman and that fact made Ruth feel outraged. She wanted to run to help the poor woman, her cries were twisting her heart in pain but she couldn't.

She was as helpless as that woman and couldn't stop the man. All these years, she had always made sure to not gain attention towards her. And she intended to live that way because she knew the moment these vultures would find her alone and defenceless, they would not spare her any mercy.

Notwithstanding the injustice unfolding in front of her, she moved away from the crowd and picked up her pace, trying to block the cries of that innocent woman.

Soon she reached her landlord's house and was greeted by his wife.

"You?" The tone of the woman was brusque but Ruth gulped down that sip of insult.

Not bothering to smile, she straight came to the point. "I am here to talk about the rent. Is your husband at home?"

Normally, Ruth wouldn't have spoken in such a tone but she was already pissed by the incident she witnessed a few minutes before.

"What about rent? Oh, so you are here to tell that you can not pay it this time too?" The woman's voice raised by an octave as her face hardened in anger.

Hearing her loud voice, the landlord came hurriedly outside the house. "What happened?" He asked his wife then he noticed Ruth standing there with a passive face.

"Ms Moore? What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion. He was surprised to see her at his home because she had never gone there before.

Before she could respond, the landlord's wife started with her falsely assumed rant. "She is here to tell that she can not pay this month's rent. I told you last time to throw her out but you didn't. Now see-"

Ruth had had enough of this. Not able to maintain her patience, she pulled out the money that she had already counted last night and looked straight at the landlord.

"Here is the money of last month's rent. Thank you for being considerate last time. I assure you again that I will not give you another chance to complaint." She said in a calm voice.

Both the husband and wife looked peculiarly at Ruth. They couldn't believe that an orphan and poor woman like her had managed to collect the money before the due date.

"You are taking it or not?" Ruth asked impatiently when the landlord didn't move from his place.

Upon hearing her question, he came back to his senses and slowly took the money from Ruth's hand. At the very next moment, his wife snatched the money from his hand and watched it carefully.

"I have already counted it but you can count it again, if you want."

Ruth didn't need to tell this because the greedy woman had already started counting the bills. Ruth waited till she finished.

"Is this from Florence again? Or have you learned a trick to earn money instantly?" The woman's mocking voice made Ruth clench her jaw.

She was tired of hearing the same accusation time and again. She was tired of explaining herself to the world when she had done nothing wrong till the date.

Her sour mood worsened more if that was possible. But instead of arguing with the thick-headed woman, Ruth calmly said, "Think about only what you want. You should only be concerned about your money and not about others' lives."

With that said she proceeded towards the market not bothering to wait for their reactions.