Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Alright will do." I yelled over the running water. After cleaning my body I got out and dried off. Slipping my clothes back on I sat down in the kitchen and ate my cooled breakfast. "Well this won't do." I said grinning as I looked at the dirty dishes. It didn't take long for me to finish the dishes and place them where they belonged. Slipping my shoes on I was about to leave the house when I remembered my gloves. Rushing back to my room I dug out an old pair of gloves I wore on cold nights and put them on. "There, all ready to go." I said as I grabbed the keys locked the door and left for my new job.

As I reached the bookstore I saw a paper on the door with some instructions on it.

"Dear Joshua, I left a key somewhere for you to find it. When you do there are some cans of paint in the back room I would like you to repaint the front of the building, it has been in dire need of a pick-me-up for a very long time. If you finish that I would like you to go over our stock so you can get acquainted and familiar with the shop. Thank you for taking the job."

I read the note a few times and looked around the front of the store looking for the key. Finding it in a crevice in the doorframe I walked inside. After looking around the back room I found a ladder and the paint she wanted me to use. While I began to repaint the store I began to hum an old tune my father had taught me.

I wiped my brow as I finished the shop's large sign above the doorway. It had taken me a little longer than I had first thought, but all in all after the paint dried within an half hour it would look splendid. I gathered the remaining paint and took it back into the backroom. Returning to get the ladder I took a quick look at the various books on the front shelf and whistled. "This place truly is a treasure of knowledge, both fantastic and factual." Taking the ladder back into the shop, I began to go through the stock of books we had on sale.

I checked the books off as I found them and saw some books on the supernatural and couldn't help but think how my father would have loved this place. I picked one book up titled "Blackened Night" a story book on how the moon vanished and how a champion of the wovles and others had gone on a heroic quest to find it. I put a star on the sheet next to the book's name to remind me later to read it someday.

I looked up from some books I was checking when I heard Bethany's voice. "She's not in at the moment Miss." I grinned as I came from behind one the shelves. There was dust smudged on my face from some of the older books that hadn't been dusted in ages it seemed. "Well hello Mad'am customer. Is there anything I can do for you?" I said grinning while wiping my face off.

I smiled while I nodded to the book "How much is it anyway? If you want I could pay for it now and you could pay me back whenever you feel like that, that way you can keep the book, and I can tell Susan I sold a book today." I said the last part in humor, but still was willing to help a person buy a book, after all if it brings happiness then one should try to enjoy it to their fullest, or at least that is what I believed anyway. I began to take out my wallet while i waited for her answer.

I chuckled as I pulled sixty dollars out of my wallet and went behind the counter to put it in the cash register. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I have a job now, so that I can afford to do this. Besides you don't even have to pay me back, think of it as me paying you rent. Though I must say with some of the other prices I've seen this is probably the cheapest rent I ever have paid." I laughed a short gentle laugh and handed her the book. "Now stop looking so disappointed and let the world see you smile." I said grinning.

I smiled as I saw her blush. "Think no more of it Bethany, I am but a humble servant to the glory of reading and knowledge. So please enjoy your day off, if you'd like to wait till I get back to the house I could help you with those books." I said checking the book off the list, apparently we still had four more.

"That would be wonderful Bethany but I have to stay here for another hour; I don't want you to have to wait long just get home. Besides it's bad enough you have to live with the big bad wolf, I'm sure you don't won't be seen with him." I said grinning wolfishly. "Anyway it's ok walking suits me, keeps me in shape; and no know one likes a lazy wolf."