Phantasy Star: Fringes of Algo

Morning came and Anna felt that awkward feeling again. She was by herself again, but his time she had to hide herself. She knew she had to find a place to stay, but she needed money and she didn't have any. She couldn't draw money from her account, so she was virtually penniless. Also, she didn't know that, but Ms. Blackmoon has drained all her bank account, so she was also really penniless. She had to find a job. Because of her age, she was not allowed to work, but she knew where she could find work. She went walking to the outskirts of the town and started looking for a factory where she could work. It didn't take long till she spotted a cigarette factory. She knew that, if she was lucky, she would be employed before noon. And she was, indeed. The factory owner used illegal workers in order to save lots of money, by paying ridiculous wages. For Anna, who was in dire straits, a hundred meseta per month was a fortune, so she accepted the job offer. They made a “gentlemen agreement” where she would not tell anybody she was underage, she would not meddle with the others and she would be paid. She left the factory with a small advancement of thirty meseta.

With one problem solved, she had now another one. She had to find a place to stay. She started going toward the darkest alleys of the city, in order to find a room she could afford. It wouldn't be an easy task. She started to ask wherever there was a room available, regardless of the quality of the place, which was always very low. Even so, all the rooms were too expensive for her and the lodgers also wanted a full month in advance. Anna was getting desperate, since she was entering worse and worse neighborhoods, it was already getting dark and she would have to sleep in the streets. Everywhere, she could only see strange people, drunks, beggars, prostitutes and other dredges of the society.

Then, she noticed a sign hanging on the wall of a very ugly building “Will rent rooms for women only.” She noticed there were two women seated at the doorsteps of the building, chatting. They were wearing heavy make up and very sensual clothes. Anna knew what they were. She stayed looking for the building for some seconds, wondering whether she should as for a room there or not. One of the two women at the doorsteps noticed Anna looking at the building, so she stood up and asked defiantly

“What are you looking at? Get out of here!”
Taken by surprise, Anna asked shyly “I... I'm looking fo-for a room...”
“Do you intend to work near here?” The woman was very angry at Anna.
“No, not at all! I just... need... a room...”
“It is none of my business!”
“But...”
“Get out of there before I beat you, fool girl!”

The other woman, who was only watching the scene, intervened.

“The owner is not here.”
“I'm desperate to find a room. Where can I find him?”
“That crook must be drunk in the bar next street. Now, leave us alone.”
“Thanks” Anna tried to smile.
“Buzz off, you devil” The woman dismissed Anna compliment with a gesture of her hand and resumed chatting with the other woman.

Anna started looking for a bar nearby. She was frightened, as it was getting darker and darker and that would be her last chance of finding a room. If she failed, she had to decide whether to spend a good part of her money in an inn, making it impossible for her to find shelter for the whole month or to sleep in the streets. After some search, she finally found a very dirty bar and dark bar, with odd people inside. She entered the bar slowly, under the suspicious eyes of every men inside. She didn't know if she should stay or she should run. She opened her mount, but only a faint voice exited her mouth.

“P-plea-se, sirs, any of you... is... the owner... of t... the re....red buil...ding?
A grizzly man, probably in his sixties, who didn't look very bad, stood up and calmly answered. “It is me. Why?”
“I want to rent a room...”
“Come here, come here...” He said, tapping the chair by his side.

As Anna walked into the bar, the other men kept starring at her. She was nervous and focused on the man who had presented himself as the owner of the building, but she knew the other men were analyzing her body and heard them say “See how she shakes it?” “Wow, that one is really good! I'd teach her a thing or two.” “You will see how I'll leave her after I get her.” “I'll surely take her one of these days...”

“What do you want, honey? To rent a room, honey?”
Anna was disgusted with his “honey” talk, but she didn't have any alternative, so she went on. “Yes... yes”.
“It is fifty a month. There is a common bathroom and kitchen on the second floor. The room comes with a bed and a chest. You are responsible for cleaning it. Don't mess with the other girls. If I see you fighting, you will be expelled immediately. And, at last, never, never take a man into your room, do you understand?”
“Yes, you can rest assured I'll never do that. But there is something... I don't have the money yet...”
“Then forget about it! What do you think I have? A homeless shelter?”
“Please, I'm desperate for a room. I can give you 25 meseta now and pay the rest by the end of the month... I beg you to help me.”
The man examined Anna's body carefully and she was afraid he would ask an alternative way for paying the room, but he smiled. “Well, I'm sure you will soon have the money. Deal done.”

Anna sighed in relief. He took a key chain with lots of keys from his pocket, chose one and handed it to Anna. “Here is the key, give me the money.” Anna took the money from her pocket and handed the man, warmly thanking him. As she was about to leave, he heard the man ask “Hey, you are not 18 yet, are you?” Anna felt a chill down her spine. She couldn't believe. She had found the worst place in the world to stay, but at least that was a place to stay, but now she would lose it. She used her wit and answered in a disdaining tone “Are you mad? I'm 20 and very, very experienced.”

She didn't look like a 20-year-old woman, but at least she looked much older than a 13-year-old girl, with her body fully developed and attractive to men. Her disdaining tone helped convincing the man and he asked no further questions. Anna left the bar and went hurriedly to her new home. As she walked the blocks, a tear of joy was rolling down her cheeks and she was muttering a prayer, thanking her god.