Mina pulled the worn, faded rumpled top over her head and wore ripped jeans that were faded ,but it was the only decent thing she had. She tugged at it, trying to smooth out the wrinkles , but it was no use. It would never look good. It never did.
Fuck, I'm late.
She muttered the curse under her breath as she scrambled around the small, cluttered shack. Her heart was already racing. Another day of running against time, another day of barely making it. She didn't have time to worry about the cracks in the walls, or the rusted metal sheets that barely kept the wind out. She had a job to get to.
"Calm down, Mina," a voice called from the corner of the room.
She froze, taking a deep breath. Lysa. Her younger sister sat on the floor, watching her with that tired, knowing look on her face.
"You didn't even bathe well," Lysa said, her voice lazy but sharp. "It's not like anyone comes around our dirty home to see you butt naked outside bathing."
Mina shot her a glare, but there was no heat behind it. She knew Lysa was right. No one ever came around here.
"I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm today, Lysa," Mina muttered as she grabbed the half-empty bottle of water and splashed her face. It wasn't much, but it had to do.
Lysa worried now said to her. "You're never in the mood for anything and don't steal anything please I cant loose you mina"
Mina smirked, but it was weak. She didn't have time for this. Her stomach twisted as she pulled on the only shoes she had left—one of them had a hole in the sole, but it didn't matter. They were all she had.
She turned to Lysa, her voice more serious now. "I'll be back by evening, okay?"
Lysa rolled her eyes but didn't respond. Instead, she pulled the thin blanket tighter around her shoulders and closed her eyes. She had gotten used to the silence that came after Mina left for work, and Mina hated that she was the one who had to leave her sister behind in this mess. But what else could she do? They needed the money, and the job was all Mina had.
"Yeah, yeah. Get going, or you'll be even later."
Mina didn't answer.
With one last look at the tiny shack they called home, she stepped out into the cold morning air, the weight of the day ahead already settling on her shoulders. It was the same as every other day. The city was waking up, the streets alive with the hum of movement, but for Mina, everything felt still. She was just another shadow passing through.
Mina's feet slapped against the cracked pavement as she walked toward the delivery station.
Fuck, I'm late, she thought, her mind racing.
"Calm down, Mina," Lysa's voice echoed in her head from earlier. She immediately breathe in and out.
The delivery station finally came into view. It wasn't glamorous—just a small, rundown building with a cracked sign that read "City Express Delivery." The windows were tinted dark, and a few old delivery trucks were parked out front, their faded logos barely legible. The smell of stale cardboard and engine oil filled the air as Mina walked inside.
As soon as the door opened, she heard the shuffle of feet, the clink of boxes, and the hum of the small radio playing in the background. A few workers stood around, most of them looking as tired and overworked as she felt. The place had the feeling of a machine grinding through its day, with no one really noticing or caring about anything beyond getting the job done.
Nandie, one of the supervisors, looked up from behind the counter as Mina entered, her eyes widening when she saw her. She couldn't hide the surprise on her face.
"Wow, Mina, you look very bad today," Nandie said, her voice more concerned than she probably realized.
Mina sucked in a sharp breath, annoyed but too tired to argue. "Yeah, I know," she muttered, brushing past Nandie and heading toward the back where the delivery paperwork was kept. She didn't have time for small talk, especially with someone who didn't understand what her life was like.
"What's going on? You never tell me anything," Nandie continued, following her. She sounded like she was trying to be helpful, but Mina could hear the undercurrent of judgment in her tone.
Mina paused as she pulled out a stack of packages, giving Nandie a quick glance. "I'm fine, just… busy," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Nandie raised an eyebrow, looking Mina up and down. "You don't look fine, Mina. You look like you've been run over. Seriously, take care of yourself. You can't keep going like this, you have been wearingthis one dress for ages now," she said, crossing her arms as she stood there.
Mina felt her temper flare but kept it in check. "You know what it's like here, Nandie," she said quietly. "We're lucky to even get these hours. Some of us don't have the luxury of looking perfect every day."
Nandie didn't respond immediately, but her expression softened just a little. "Yeah, I guess. Just—be careful. You're barely hanging on as it is. They could let you go any day."
Mina nodded stiffly, grabbing the first set of packages to deliver. The station wasn't glamorous. The pay was barely enough to cover rent, much less food. And sometimes, on busy days, they paid less than promised, leaving her with even less. But it was all she had, no other place will accept her as she is.
Another day to survive, she thought as she walked out into the cold. she Hopped on the bike with the package placed at the back and sped off so she can deliver more packages on time.
Mina was lost in her thoughts, her mind heavy with the constant worry of survival. The usual worries consumed her—how to get enough food for the night, how to make it through another day at the delivery station, she lives in a dump.
She didn't notice the car coming toward her until it was almost too late.
Vroom!
Her heart skipped a beat. She looked up just in time to see the car almost on top of her. But it was too close. Her bike slammed into the front of the car with a sickening thud, sending her flying off and crashing to the pavement.
Thud!
The world spun around her as she hit the ground hard. She gasped for air, her head spinning. Everything felt distant, like she was floating outside her own body.
Mina blinked, trying to focus, but her body wasn't cooperating. Her legs refused to move, and her vision blurred, her hands were trembling, and the world was starting to go dark.
Not now… not like this…
She closed her eyes, trying to hold onto the moment, but it felt like the ground beneath her was swallowing her whole.
What now?