Azariah's Last Bride

"Taxi, Taxi, I am going to the Venaclurry Mansion,"

 I shouted as I stopped the only taxi that didn't seem to have any passengers as it approached me at full speed. 

Today is probably going to be the worst day in my life, I have actually been standing here for about thirty minutes with no hopes of having a ride, be it free or paid. 

Besides the fact that it was only ten p.m in the morning, the rain poured heavily and soaked my clothes. I could swear that my pants were already drenched by now. 

As the taxi approached, I smiled as it slows down, trying to alight. To my surprise, it accelerated and splashed the thick liquid of water mixed with mud that lad hastily in a pond on my body. 

Tears clouded my eyes as the mud splashed over my face. 

"Jeez!" I cried out faintly. 

The taxi driver was too rude to stand to even mutter an apology. 

This was my favorite pink gown, actually, the only one I had that was kind of still in perfect condition, the rest either had a big hole under the armpit or some loose strips. 

The weather was not helpful as I felt like it groaned above my head. 

"I know even nature hates me, but please, don't tell at me," I muttered lifting my head up to stare at the dark clouds. 

Since I didn't leave the house with an umbrella and I had gone too far before the rain started, there was no way I could rush to the house, so I just had to support the rain and board a cab as soon as possible. 

I felt like cursing this cab driver for not help me out, he couldn't even pretend to be a gentleman. 

Standing by the roadside with just a small bag which I used as a shield to hide my hair from getting wet__though it was already__ I prayed for God to send a cab specially for me. 

"Lady, where are you heading to?" I heard a voice call out. 

Opening my eyes, I wished the person was speaking to me. Indeed he was. 

Right before me was parked a cab with the logo 'Taxi' at the top part of the car. I was glad someone had noticed me. 

In order to be sure that this man was actually talking to me, I swayed my head from left to right to see if anyone was beside me. 

There only reason I was called 'Unlucky' is that good luck never sways my way, like never. 

"Me?" I asked. 

I shivered when I heard him horning. Slowly, I approached his car wondering why he did so. 

"I said where are you heading to," he asked again, this time more fiercely. 

As a taxi driver, he sounded so arrogantly, normally, I always love to book my taxi from a company, a well-known company with trained staffs, not all these individuals that risk kidnapping their passengers. 

Well, such things have never happened to me and I believe it is just mere rumors. 

"Ehhh! Venaclurry Mansion... that is where I am going," I answered. 

The rain was getting serious so he asked me to hop into his car. 

He looked simple, like an average young man of forty with the first streak of grey lacing his black hair. 

"Thank you, Sir, Ehmm! I do not know where I am going to neither is my fee, but I heard it is a one-hour drive from here," I said. 

The taxi driver was an average man, he looked sterned, and from my position at the back of the car, only the corner of his face could be seen. 

The man didn't respond to my question, instead, he ignited the car, as he started down the street. 

I concluded that my voice wasn't audible enough for him to hear, so I decided to increase my voice and talk to him. 

"Mr. I said..." he cut in arrogantly. 

"I heard you, lady, your bill is one hundred dollars," he muttered. 

That was a rude way to tell me that, in fact, I frowned after hearing him talk. Had I known this was the way he behaved, I wouldn't have even ventured to enter his car. 

There was mist on the road and the man had to ride slowly so that he could see better. 

*

My name is Becky Houston. A hybrid, actually, my mom is an African and my dad an American. I was born in Harley and have passed several years learning how to be a cultured and civilized young lady the society could accept. 

Three years ago, Dad passed out and then left his small company in mom's hands, but last year when mom died, the company couldn't survive even for a year. 

Selling it was my last option as I used the money to relocate, heading to Groydam Park. To me, moving to Groydam is like a new beginning for me, I am hardworking, an orphan although life treats me so unfairly. 

I turned twenty-three last month, and I had just finished my four months of training learning how to become a hostess on any occasion. 

Life was really hitting me hard ever since I moved down here, I could barely have three square meals a day, and my health had started I deteriorate. 

Six months ago when I started feeling pains on my side, I went for a check-up in the hospital, and to my greatest surprise, I was diagnosed with having a Kidney breakdown. 

At twenty-three, I barely had a fat bank account, in fact, I owned nothing at all apart from the room I rented in an old building here in Groydam. I thought selling dad's company will make me rich but then, I was offered nothing compared to what the company was actually generating here, but then, the sales had drastically dropped. 

What a life of misery, pain, and suffering I was leaving, nothing seemed to happen as I planned.