by Zahra HT

Created on: November 06, 2009

It was starting to rain again.

'Great,' murmured Alexa as she searched her bag for an umbrella. Giving up, she covered her head with her jacket. She stood by the side of the street, waiting for an empty cab. The street was almost deserted. Finally, an empty cab drove down the street towards her. She motioned for him to stop.

'Where you headed to?'

'South Cadbury Street'

The cab driver let out a low whistle. 'Sorry lady, that's too far away. I need to get home in time for dinner.'

'I'll buy you dinner on the way.'

He laughed, showing off two rows of crooked teeth. 'Sorry lady,' he repeated. 'Thanksgiving is about the family, not the food.'

He drove away, smiling apologetically.

'Thanksgiving? No wonder the streets are so empty,' she thought bitterly. Alexa hated Thanksgiving. And Christmas. New Year's too for that matter. The truth was, she hated all family holidays.

Alexa never had a family. She was born to a lunatic mother and an alcoholic father. They left her at an orphanage when she was five because they could no longer affrd to raise her. On her 18th birthday, they kicked her out of the orphanage. She moved to this town in search of a job and a place to live. After a week of wandering, she found a job as a receptionist. Typing was the only thing she learnt outside of school. The job didn't pay much, but it was enough for her to rent a small room and keep herself from starving.

Alexa rented a small room above a grocer's shop. The grocer's wife invited her over for meals, but Alexa always refused. She had a theory that everyone you depended on would eventually let you down. So she gave up on making any friends or acquaintances. She just lived her life.

A cold wind blew across her face, reminding her that she was standing on the side of the street, with no way of getting home. She tightened her scarf around her neck and started walking. She had no idea where she was going, but the motion kept her warmer.

About two blocks down, she came across an elderly woman. The woman was breathing heavily. She looked lost. Alexa kept moving. But after a few steps, her heart pulled her back to the woman. 'Are you okay?' she asked softly.

The elderly woman looked up at Alexa. Alexa started: the woman was blind. 'I've lost my way. I came out to do some shopping for tonight's dinner, but now I can't find my way back home.'

Alexa hesitated. She couldn't resist helping the woman. 'Where do you live?'

'Do you know the woman's shelter near the church?'

Alexa nodded to herself.

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