(Authors note: I decided to rewrite the beginning of the story...)

I once knew a girl, who was messy, far from perfect, and she never backed down when she spoke her mind, though I feel her best trait was her smile, which would give you warmth even on the coldest of days. Three years ago, that girl disappeared. She hadn't left a note or any clue of her whereabouts. She was just gone, seemingly as if she had never existed. Everyone kept insisting she had just run away, as she did countless other times, and would return like she always did. So, I waited, no matter the weather. I sat like a statue in front of the orphanage, waiting. Those days of waiting turned into months, and those months turned into years until finally, I stood up and went back inside. She never planned on coming back. She had chosen to leave me.

Almost six months have passed since my days of waiting. Since then, I was adopted by a very kind soul who had a cabin in the outer forests of Thanatos. Thanatos is a disgusting town covered in knee-deep mud mixed with human and animal excrement. The buildings are all falling apart, and barely any of them owned doors or windows that hadn't been shattered. Plus, the majority of the people in that disgusting town were runaways or elderly people whose families only wanted them dead. To be honest, some days I wished the same, their bickering seemed endless, and it was oh so annoying.

Nevertheless, there were some enjoyable parts. For instance, my mother worked at an old school with great books, even though it looked run-down. A beautiful church stood in that town as well; it was white, devoid of dirt, and its windows were decorated with breathtaking images. Unfortunately, even the church could not escape vandalism and bullying. Despite its potential, this town lacks respectable people and money.

I began hearing footsteps which broke me from my train of memories and thoughts. Eventually, those footsteps stopped and were quickly replaced with a voice, "Don't tell me those chickens can croak before you. There are eggs to pick and milk to drain." The voice paused before saying, "If you don't get up, I will pour a gallon of water on your head!"

My body flung from the bed, and with the first steps, my feet started to sway, and I briefly wondered if my dinner would make an unwelcome appearance. Luckily to my surprise, it didn't.

"Well, didn't think you'd shoot up so quickly, anyhow, breakfast is on the table, you little runt." Said the familiar voice.

"Good morning to you too," I groaned, rubbing my eyes.

A lean woman with brittle hair and abnormally long and boney fingers stood at the door of my room, she smelled familiarly of old woman perfume. She sort of looked like a witch from a child's storybook, and from my guess, smelt like one too.

"Well don't stand around, we have chores to do, people to deal with, and life to live outside of this bedroom."

In a yawning voice, I replied, "I know, Mom."

We began walking down the long narrow hallway directly outside my room, the type of hallway that would make anyone feel claustrophobic. Throughout the hallway, portraits of my ancestors hung from the walls, and as I walked, I almost felt their eyes following me. Furthermore, the wood was punctured with holes, thus causing bumps on my arm; it would be impossible for me to distinguish a refrigerator from this close-fitted hallway. The kitchen light finally penetrated the darkness, ending our exploration of the rat-filled, tiny, frigid hallway.

The kitchen did not fare much better, with roaches covering the counters, rats running over your feet, mold covering the kitchen table and chairs, and disgusting green wallpaper that smelled like puke. There was only one thing to look forward to in the kitchen…the food. My mother was an exceptional cook and even helped some chefs back in her hometown, however, she got entangled with the wrong person and ended up in tons of debt, so the chefs pretended not to know her.

Though her training was shortened, the eggs on the table this morning smelled so good I couldn't smell the wallpaper, and when I finally sat down to eat, despite a slight squish from the mold, the food was delicious. Though Mom would never know that because she had refused to eat due to our budget, and instead, she read the morning newspaper that was accidentally thrown through the holes in the wall.

"Hey, honey," she said as she re-read something in the paper, "Can you run an errand for me this morning?"

"Sure, what's up," I answered while choking on my eggs.

"Listen, somebody moved into that expensive mansion at the top of the mountain," she remarked, pointing out the window above the sink, "I was skeptical they could afford it, but they did and I was thinking of giving them something, like a welcoming letter."

As I sat there trying to conceal my disgust of more people, I thought to myself, "I doubt that'll be appropriate, I imagine they'll just be a bunch of rich snobs," I paused, "They'll probably leave anytime now. Look at this place, I'd definitely leave if I could."

"How nice of you," I persuaded myself to reply.

"Thank you," she smiled before her face dropped, "Hiro, do you know where I put my writing supplies, like my papers and pens?" She sighed entering the kitchen and opening all the drawers.

"Nope, I'm sorry," I groaned, picking up my plates and putting them in the sink.

She kept looking for what seemed like hours and even left the kitchen to search in the family room. The family room was right across from the kitchen, it was probably the nicest place in the house. Several doors covered the walls. These included one to the kitchen, one to a small coat closet, one to the front door, and many others that led nowhere or to more hallways. There was also trash on the hardwood floor and you could barely see anything beneath it. The furniture also seemed to be in fine condition when you first bought it but had been through a few F-5 tornadoes since then. Apart from that, the living room had nothing, except for a chandelier my mother had received as a wedding gift. This chandelier had hundreds of tiny diamonds that made it sparkle as bright as the sun. It was quite a sight to behold and my mother's last reminder of her once rich family heritage. Rather than bathe in gold, she rummaged through a heap of trash in search of a piece of paper like it was some kind of treasure. The maid could have done this dirty work for her if she hadn't run away, but what's done is done, so it's her loss, nonetheless. Though I do have remorse for my mother's situation, being forced to marry King Lillypound the father of the coldest prince in the last century just so your family could flourish would probably cause me to give up my title. I can't imagine being associated with such a mean person. The prince in question is the kind who would become a tyrant if not restrained. Having to be its parent, would disgust every ounce in my body. Even so, if I were her, I'd sell that chandelier and look for a place that would accommodate me and my child better.

"I FOUND IT!" my mother shouted, interrupting my thoughts.

"Found what? The paper? The pen? Both?" I questioned.

She smiled while waving a glass of ink in the air and grasping a quill in the other hand.

"This is the quill I've had since I was a kid." She remarked in a sentimental tone, "I didn't think I still had this, switched to pens recently, but I think it'll do just fine, I guess. We just gotta grab some paper at the town market. Which would be so unpleasant considering the snow piled up on the streets and doors."

I sighed in frustration, knowing that when she said we, she actually meant me. In addition, my clothes were thin and three sizes too small, and we didn't have enough money for anything winter-related. I also didn't particularly like to walk when snow and mud were guaranteed to get into my shoes.

"I'll get it," I grunted through my teeth.

"I thank you, but you don't have to." Her gaze traveled to my clothes. "You aren't dressed properly and-"

"I'll be fine," I insisted.

"If you must travel, please wear several layers." She replied.

"I don't own anything that could fit layers."

The worry in her eyes grew but she agreed. I immediately ran back to my room and threw on a pair of overalls. There were a few spots on them, they were also holey, and they were extremely long. Despite these flaws, it was all I had that actually covered my legs. Additionally, I wore a dirty button-up shirt that was missing two or three buttons. As I finished changing, I put on a hat and ran to the door, kissed my mother goodbye, rammed my feet into my shoes, and headed out into the frigid cold.

A couple of hours after I left the house, I arrived at the town entrance, unsure of what would happen next or how important it would be. I had no idea that my whole life would change forever once I stepped foot into town. I had no way of knowing my world would crumble to dust, and I could not stop it. In this life, nothing can be paused.