Beast and Knives (Fallon and Gorse)

Finally I hear the most amazing sound. I love that tinny metallic clicking that imitates the cicadas in summer. To be honest, I wasn't even in class but the release is still very sweet. I haven't been in class all day. I never do on days that I work. Oh I go to school, I don't have a choice about that but no one can make me go to class. Not even my parents. I care about what they want but not that much. I will never need to know the chemical makeup of coal because I won’t work in the mines. Not when I turn eighteen and not after. I could, even though I’m a girl, I’m plenty strong enough to and I’ve sometimes been tempted. Just to prove that I can, just because no girl has ever worked in the mines before. If I tried, I could pass for a boy. My hair is so close to my scalp that I’ve actually hurt my hand touching it before and I’m really bulky. Not just normal bulky but even a boy would be pretty happy with himself if he was as big as me. So I could do it but why would I want to? I’m a merchant kid and I don’t want to become a seam adult. I’ll take over from Mr Klair when I’m eighteen and that’s all I need. I already do most of the work because it isn’t easy and he’s getting pretty old. All he has to teach me now is the bookwork. He tried to last week but I never paid attention in maths so I had no idea what he was talking about. He has ordered me to actually go to maths now though so I guess I will have to go soon. But there’s a new beast today so he will want me outside. I like beast days best, I don’t have to deal with customers, just decide on the best cuts of meat and do them.
    I realise that while I’ve been thinking this, I’m already at the back door. I poke my head in and yell hello to Mr Klair. He sometimes freaks out if he finds me out the back hacking away and he doesn’t know about it. I’m pretty sure that it’s not my safety that he’s worried about though. If I get annoyed and someone comes along while I’m holding a skinning knife, well, I try my hardest but it isn’t always enough. I wouldn’t deliberately hurt anyone but I destroy things and if you walk in front of my knife, just don’t do it okay? I glance up and in front of me is a really good beast. It’s a pig, like normal but next to it is a list of the cuts. I don’t usually get lists because it means that someone wants the whole pig and no one is that rich in D12. Still, I get my knife and get going. It’s a beautiful knife too. Mr Klair gave it to me for my fourteenth birthday. It’s the best present I’ve ever gotten.