Trying to Get By (Me and Octavius)

[TurtlesandMonkeys]

Waking up on the floor with just a blanket beneath her and a stuffed animal she used as a pillow, Martha sat up and yawned. She looked around and saw many other younger bodies around her. All of the little orphan children that she called her family. She smiled a bit and let them sleep as she maneuvered her way around the bodies. Heading outside the door, well there wasn't even a door there anymore, she saw their caretaker, Samantha reading the newspaper.


"Morning." Martha said to Samantha who looked up from her paper and smiled.


"Morning. Going out again?" she asked as she watched the young girl pick up her guitar case.


"Yeah. See ya." Martha said with a wave and headed out of the run down orphanage. Her guitar was actually a donation to the orphanage a long time ago but was never used. when Martha found it she wanted to learn how to play it so she taught herself. Now she plays on the streets for money, whatever money she could get. Usually she made about five dollars a night, which wasn't much. People around here were too busy to pay attention or even care.


She went to her usual corner and opened her guitar case as she pulled out the guitar. Setting it open in front of her she sat down and adjusted the strings. With a little cough and practice she started to play again, playing a cover of a Stevie wonder song. She actually looked up to Stevie Wonder a lot and loved hearing his music outside of the music store.


She played for a good couple hours and made a buck or two, but that was it. She never gave up though as she continued to play throughout the day.

 

[Octavius]

Ben walked down the street to the coffee shop like he usually did it was a bit of a morning ritual for him in a way and he always saw that same girl on the sidewalk with her guitar almost everyday or that's what it felt like anyways. He did what a majority of the people did just ignored her and carried on with his day although it did kinda bother him seeing some one as young as she was on the street like that. But for some reason today was different for some reason her music caught his ear so he stood off to the side and listened to her strumming on the guitar.

 

[TurtlesandMonkeys]

She continue to strum, getting lost in her music as she sang another Stevie wonder song. She was doing her own acoustic cover of it and it was one of her favorite songs. She opened her eyes every now and then and noticed that maybe one or two people would stop to listen but most just walked on. "Over time, I've been building my castle of love." She sang on.

 

[Octavius]

As the girl sang it just got harder for Ben to resist giving her something for her effort and the talent she had which was he thought was rather impressive. Ben pulled out his wallet and took a look he did'int have much to offer her give but he knew what it was like to sleep in a ally way just wanting someone to give something. He took a dip in his wallet and pulled out a ten dollar bill then placed it lightly in the girls guitar case and waited for her to finish playing.

 

[TurtlesandMonkeys]

After she finished the song she looked up and saw the ten dollar bill there. A small smile could be seen on her face as she looked up at the guy who gave it to her. "Thank you." She said. "I'm glad you enjoyed the music." She could see it on his face that he did. With that ten dollar bill alone she could get some bread and a little bit of food at the cheap gas station down the road. It would be enough to feed her and all the little kids she did this for to make sure they had something to eat by the end of the night.

 

[Octavius]

"Yes very much I walk by you almost everyday" he paused for a minute and continued on with what he was saying. "Whats your name dear?" Ben was genuinely curious in this girl for some reason, I guess she just stood out to him. "and along with that wheres you parents?" he decided to question on.

 

[TurtlesandMonkeys]

"Many people do." Martha said with a smile. She laid her guitar down in front of her as she continued to sit. "My name's Martha. I never knew my parents so I was raised by my caretaker in the orphanage, Miss Samantha." She explained the the guy.