Dear Future

Chapter Five

I land in the middle of a dirt road with stores on every corner. I cough and try to get rid of the bits of sand in my hair and clothes. I get a better look at my surroundings. I was in front of a small gray shop. There were screwdrivers and nails everywhere. But a small metal foot on the edge of the table snagged my attention.

I walk over to the booth, but am pushed away by a strange man in a gray hoodie.

"I'm sorry. Are you ok?" he asks.

"Yeah. I'm fine," I say. "Who are you?"

He ignores me and walks away. "Rude," I think.

I follow him with my eyes. That's when I noticed a white robot-like machine in his right arm. He plopped it on the table and glanced over his shoulder. I look away and focus on another booth that has long rows of beautiful pastries and breads. A bakery, I presume. I hear the guy from earlier talking to a woman. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I did hear a name.

Linh Cinder.

I gasp and turn around. A girl, about my age, stands on the other side of the booth. She had messy brown hair and chocolate eyes. There was a small grease splotch on her forehead. Dirty work gloves covered both of her hands and she subconsciously pulled them higher up her wrists. But I knew exactly what was underneath. And also where I was. New Beijing, 125 T.E.

And if this was Cinder's story, I know exactly what's gonna happen next.

I back away from the bakery and cover my nose and mouth. Chang Sacha, the baker, was going to have letumosis, a deadly plague that haunts this world. I run as far as I can go, desperate not to get the plague. I stop at a dark alley and lean my back onto the wall to catch my breath. The sound of a scream echoes throughout the alley. She got it. She was going to die.

I take a deep, shaky breath. That was close. Too close. If I caught it, I would never be able to return home. My family would never know what happened to me.

I hear footsteps to my left and glance in that direction. Linh Cinder and a small white pear shaped robot. She had the man at the booth's robot in one of her arms.

"Hey!" I yell. Cinder could help me find shelter until I can re-open the portal that brought me here.

She turns to me startled. I run over to her. She takes a slight step back.

"Linh Cinder?" I ask. Her eyes widen.

"Who are you?"

Right. She doesn't know me. "My name is... Leia," I say, internally face palming. Why was my mothers go-to star wars name the first thing to pop into my head? "I saw you at the market. I don't have a job or a place to live. Do you have any suggestions for either of those?"

"Look, Lia..."

"Leia," I correct.

"Whatever. I can't help you. If I don't go home now..." she trails off.

"Her stepmother won't be pleased," I think. In the book, Cinder has a step-mother, Linh Adri, that treats her like a slave. She also has two stepsisters; Pearl and Peony. Pearl was bitter like her mother, but Peony was always kind to Cinder.

"Come on, Cinder. We can help her," says her robot.

"Iko," I say, smiling. Iko was Cinder's best friend and first project.

"Have we met?" she asks.

"Uh, no. But I heard Cinder say your name at the market."

"Oh really? What else did she say?" asks Iko, looking at Cinder.

"Nothing," says Cinder. She turns to me. "I can't help you. I'm sorry. But it was nice meeting you."

I nod and she runs off to her apartment. I sit down in the alley, my back against the wall. Tears streamed down my face. I have no idea how to go back home. I don't even know if I will even go back home.

I hear my mothers voice in my head. "It will be alright. You are never truly alone. Your family is with you in your heart. Never lose hope."

So yeah....sorry for the short, weird, very cringy chapter. I hope (pun intended) you liked it. Ily ❤❤❤