Chapter 3 Bullies

Zacharias sold whatever valuables he had and wrote to his family just to take out a loan. In the end, he gathered 500 dollars and gave it to Christina.

Christina married John, and she looked glamorous.

Once we got married, I gave Zacharias an IOU and told him I'd pay him back.

"You don't have to." He tore the IOU apart. "Money's not important. Sometimes a harder life works wonders for a scholar."

He turned on the lamp and started reading, his face unreadable. I stared at his profile and was reminded of his end in my previous life.

He gave all the food he had to Christina, and the famine took his life.

Zacharias took the exam two times. He wanted to study, to go higher, but alas, he never could take the exam after the famine.

Christina ruined his life. Poor thing.

I wrapped up the revision books the system gave me and placed them on his desk. "I brought nothing to this family. Nothing but these books. If you don't mind, we can read together."

Good books were hard to find in this era. Zacharias' eyes, always calm, finally had a hint of warmth this time. He was looking at me.

…

I came out of my home only to be met with Christina and John smirking at us.

"You read and read all day and keep going to school. You think you can get into college? You failed the exam twice. Give up. I bet you're trying to get away from labor. If anything happens, you'll be the first to die!"

Christina couldn't stop gloating after she took the five hundred. Everyone respected her. She told them I was used goods, and Zacharias failed his exam twice because he was unlucky. She wanted to hurt us.

Disgusted, I turned, but Christina grabbed my hand and whispered, "Your learning system is useless. I'll make sure the famine kills you. Say goodbye to your exam!"

"Don't worry, we'll take the exam and ace it." I flung her arm away, and she took the momentum to fall to the ground.

"Hey, what are you doing? I just wanted some food for the winter! Why did you beat me up, my sister?"

The shouts and screams got the neighborhood's attention. John was going to attack me, but Zacharias came running out and pushed him away.

"My sister and her husband's beating us up! All I wanted was some food! They came back from the city, so they must have some! I need to survive the winter, that's all, and they beat us!"

Thanks to her, Zacharias' and my reputation was in the gutters. The neighborhood thought she was the victim, so they took her side.

"I can't believe it. Zacharias was anti-violence, but he's beating someone up?"

"The Lawson girl corrupted him! Didn't you hear her sister? She slept with a lot of men before she hooked up with Zacharias. She's a bitch!"

"It's just some food. Winter's bad for everyone. She can share it with her sister. Unbelievable!"

With people backing her up, Christina stood up proudly and jabbed a finger in my face. "Even if you won't give us the food, we'll take it ourselves! The family raised you, Catherine! Zacharias' wedding gift isn't enough to pay the debt! You will give us the food! It's what you owe us!"

Before we could say anything, Christina grabbed John and barged into our house. Seconds later, they moved all our food out and looked smug.

Furious, I grabbed a hoe and came back out. Pointing the hoe at her, I said, "Raised me? As if! I lived in hell with your family! The wedding gift's more than enough to pay you back!

"Zacharias' family had to scrimp and save just to have enough food to give us! Zacharias needs it to survive the winter! I will not let you take it! If you take even one single grain, I swear I'll end your life right here!"

Christina wasn't afraid at all. Her eyes darted, proof that she was hatching another plan. Then she turned to the onlookers. "The Shaws might be stingy, but we are not! After I take the food, I'll share it with you! One pound of food for everyone who helps!"

Winter was hard to survive, especially when the harvest season did not produce anything well. The people swarmed us and knocked my hoe off my hand. Then all of them helped Christina take my food away.

Zacharias and I tried to take it back, but the bastards kicked us down and attacked us. Grime and dirt covered our bodies, and we looked defeated.

"Look at you, dear stingy sister. And your husband too. You have nothing but useless books. This winter will be your grave!"

I grinned happily and patted the dust off Zacharias as I consoled him.

The food? Moldy and filled with insects. No, it wouldn't kill, but food poisoning and severe diarrhea would hit them. I told Zacharias to specifically ask for that kind of food from his family.

I thought, 'No, you're the one who's going to die, Christina.'