Aurora had no choice but to oblige to her employer's orders. She had her sick mother at home waiting to receive medication. If she were to lose the job she would not be able to purchase the necessary medication for Ella's illness. Ella was diagnosed with an unknown illness that caused her body to expel a black slimy fluid whenever she coughs. They were told by the doctor that her mother's condition was becoming worst as the days went by and it could not be cured. Aurora wasn't sure what was causing her mother's illness and her mother pretended not to know either but she knew better than to believe her silly lies. She was placed on a bunch of medications for all possible illnesses that she might have. The medications weren't cheap and they never seemed to help either. Ella couldn't afford the medications thus Aurora took on her mother's responsibility.
Those were the least of the families list of problems. Their home was in a bad condition. The house was no longer suitable for accommodation and required renovation. But Aurora's small wage couldn't stretch that far. Besides she had to pay the land taxes or they would lose not only their house but also the land they resided on. And her mother would also be imprisoned for not paying the taxes. The two girls would be left homeless. The villagers wouldn't be too keen on taking any of the girls into their household. They would be left motherless and homeless.
She pulled off her footwear and placed them at the corner of the dimly lit room. She rubbed her hands together and rushed towards the fireside. But to her disappointment the fire was unlit and there were no woods to even begin with. She felt exhausted after spending an entire day at work. She lacked the energy to even look wood for the fireplace. Her stomach rolled like an angry lion which was a reminder that she went an entire day without a meal.
"Mother!" She called out but she didn't respond. She searched around the room before she entered the other small room which had two small beds. Her eyes locked with her older sister's who sat on one of the beds.
"Where is the mother?" Aurora asked.
"Do I look like mother's keeper? How must I know?" She remarked rolling her eyes.
Aurora decided not to respond to her sister's remark because her words wouldn't be pleasant. The two didn't have the best of relationship mainly because their grandparents preferred Aurora over Violet.
She stormed out of the room barefoot and went to search for her mother. "Mother!" She called out.
The sky was filled with huge Columbus clouds that hid away the beautiful waxing gibbous moon and colorful twinkling stars. She drifted further into the dark forest without any source of light. Tiny stones pierced the bottom of her feet like needles. She hugged herself as the breeze blew past her ears. Shivers went down her spine and tiny bumps erupted on her skin. She couldn't help but feel anxious and angry at the same time.
Her heart burnt bitterly. It was a calamity how much Violet reminded her of their heartless grandmother. The woman always took advantage of Ella and their father failed at being a good husband. Unpleasant thoughts plagued her mind but she pushed them aside and looked from side to side for the woman.
"Mother!" She called out once again. Her eyes became teary and her voice was quivering. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if anything happened to her mother.
"Aurora." The voice was barely a whisper. Aurora wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and raced towards the sound of the voice.
The sound of the woman loud caught was enough to lead her in the right direction. She sighed a sigh of release when she noticed her mother's frail figure struggling to carry a pile of woods.
"What are you doing out here mother? It's freezing out here?" She managed to control her quivering voice but failed. "I was so worried about you."
Ella dropped the pile of woods and wrapped her arms around Aurora and comforted her. Auroras world came tumbling down. She felt angry, humiliated, and depressed. She felt like giving up on life. She couldn't bear seeing her mother's sight. By the time the two arrived home, it was late. Pain exploded through Aurora's feet. The sound of the wooden floor creaked under her feet as she limped towards the fireplace.
"Let me help you Aur..." She was cut off by her loud coughing. She covered her mouth with the old handkerchief. Her eyes almost fell out when she looked at the piece of cloth. What she saw made her know she didn't have long with her daughters. But Aurora was already having a bad day. She knew it would be selfish of her to bring up such news. The cloth was covered in a crimson fluid that used to be black. Her hands began to tremble because she knew the fluid was blood.
"Mother." Aurora looked up at the woman with concern. "Is everything alright?"
Ella nodded and a reassuring smile spread across her lips. "Yes dear, I'm just cold."
Aurora rushed to make the fire and after a couple of minutes, she succeeded in making it. She wrapped the wool around her mother's shoulders and pulled her towards the fireside. The woman caressed her cheeks with her cold hands and pecked her forehead.
"What would I do without you Aurora." She smiled from ear to ear. Her eyes filled with joy as she stared down at the girl. "From the moment you were born I knew you were destined for great things. I feel worthless and miserable Aurora, I should be the one caring for you girls."
Her eyes welled with tears.
"You are not worthless, you did everything a mother should for her children. As your children, we should care for you."
"But Aurora..."
"Enough!" She raised her voice. "I will not have this conversation with you right now."