She was about to head back home when the earth underneath her suddenly caved in. The wet mud forced her to slide down towards the roaring danger. Her small hands tried to reach for something, anything, to save herself for a potential death but it was for naught. She squeezed her eyes shut in fright, but her fingers managed to grab on a partial uprooted root from a fallen tree.
Her feet were now at the level that her toes could touch the cold rushing water underneath her. The root is too slippery to clamber on to and her strength was waning fast. Perhaps this is how this was the end of this nonsense of a nightmare, she thought. That she may finally wake up and see her family again. Just as she was about to let go, a large and firm hand grabbed her forearm.
----------------------------------------
On a specific day of the week, travellers and merchants would gather by the village main road and set up small shops. The shops were usually the once of necessity like fabrics, wool, leather and food, but sometimes some of the artisans would sell some of their work as well. Some had swords and armour, others had shiny jewellery and different kind of woodworks. If you were lucky, some of the herbalists and alchemist were coming here with their strong scented ointments and potions, and cosmetics for those with the extra coins to spare.
What interested the siblings as they arrived, was the smell of meat being grilled further down the street. The youngest sister looked up for the brother’s approval, but before he gets to respond, she drags Calek with her as she runs towards the stall.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“Peora, wa-wait! You’re hurting me!”
She slowed down a bit but was still holding on as she were going. The meat was waiting for her. The stall was located beside the inn’s outdoors seating area. A lot of people was munching and having drinks in the shade away from the heating sun. There are usually more shops in the summer than in the winter for obvious reasons. No one wants to stand around in the cold all day, especially this far north of the country.
Peora and Calek stopped at behind the queue. Calek tore her wrist from the grip and massaged the sore spot.
“Why did we have to run here first?”
“Because if we didn’t, the food would have been eaten up, and - and we would have got any when we’re done. Besides I’m hungry.”
“Whe- we can’t eat yet. Mommy..hah.. said that we have to do the errands so we can have dinner tonight, remember?”, Saris panted behind them. Peora let out a disapproval grunt, much like their father did, Calek noticed. She turned towards her brother and asks, “How many coins did mom give us?”
He grabbed the money from the pocked and quietly counted to twelve smalls. “Enough for a bag of potatoes for 6 smalls and two bags of wheat for 3 smalls each”, Calek thought out loud. Not much to last for a week for their family of four. And the game hasn’t been bountiful this year and some of the family members need meat to live.
Saris pocketed the money and started to shove Peora by her shoulders away to her whining. Calek’s ears twitch as the sounds of familiar murmur catches her attention.