KZ's and Dragoln's Short Stories [2022 EDITION]

Big Families, Big Hearts

16.9.22

More and more people were refusing to obey the laws of the land. That's why the well located in the heart of the town was emptying faster every day. Two large buckets per person, maximum of ten per household. That's all that the citizens were entitled to. Although the security was strict enough and the founder kept most in order, the townspeople found new ways to obtain more without getting caught. Masters of the crime could skip the queue, get another free bucket or even have an extra one reserved for the next day.

Hopefully, that shouldn't be the case now. It's 5 a.m. The sun has just risen and the water should have been renewed about an hour ago. I made sure to set my alarm specifically for this. 

With my mother having to take care of my four younger siblings and my dad stuck with a concussion, I was nominated to run back and forth between the well to grab the water. Sometimes the most I was allowed was eight buckets before the guards blocked me off for suspecting I was stealing. No matter how much we saved up, it was never enough.

Tying my hair into a rushed braid, I sigh hoping to be more fortunate this time. I smear a few layers of sunscreen all over my arms, legs, and face. Once I am ready to leave, I grab the two largest buckets by the shoe rack and carefully open the door taking extra care not to wake the rest of my family.

My shoes are met with the desiccated ground, the droughts, and the cracks multiplying by the day. I must hurry if I don't want the heat to chase me down before retrieving all the incredibly scarce liquid we need.

The well isn't too far from where I live, just one street ahead. Even though it's not that distant, I lack the muscle and strength to carry five rounds of two buckets all the way back. At times, I forget that I'm still a thirteen-year-old girl who shouldn't really be having as much responsibility as I do now. My friend, Gabriel helps me with the last batch of buckets however, I'm uncertain that he would be awake at this time.

Yelling can be heard from the direction of the well. Incidents, where people have had to fight over groundwater, occur frequently.

So this can't be good.

"Kids are irresponsible with this kind of stuff!"

"Ma'am, please understand that I have a family. A big family," the young boy says. I can tell that he is trying to be respectable but I sense that any second now he is going to erupt.

"And I need to have a drink! Your family can wait!" The blonde lady tosses her arms up in frustration, "I am not going to thirst to death arguing with some kid over the last of the water."

The last of the water. I have no chance now.

"You really don't understand, do you?" The dark-skinned boy clutches the bucket even closer to him. 

Just then, the woman throws herself forward, committing to snatching the precious item off of the boy. He is too quick for her and she tries again, yelling an animalistic screech for the second time. 

She is successful the third time and their struggle disturbs the guard of the well.

He bellows, hushing them both.

"I had it first!" The woman cries loudly.

Gosh, she is less grown up than the fourteen-year-old in front of her.

"You saw me take from the well before this woman tried to take it off me," the boy frowns before the guard suspends the bucket from the two.

"These problems are getting too out of hand. Government policies require a payment for the water if the issue can't be resolved," the guard says in a low, gruff voice.

"You're joking right?"

"Say no more," the lady fishes a wad of cash out of her handbag and offers it to the guard.

Disgusted by the outcome of the situation, I fling myself towards them coming to the boy's defense. I drop my buckets and jump into the group.

"Hey, that's unfair! We kids are sent to fetch water for the rest of our families who aren't capable enough!"

The woman turns to me, fuming. 

"The young don't work. All they do is scam. They have it easy and I'm sure they could go days without making trips to the well." She stands there, watching my face flush a nasty crimson colour. "You have it easy."

"That's enough! I have made up my mind." The guard stamps his feet on the dirt, instantly seizing our attention. He turns to Gabriel, "kid, give it to her. You ain't got no money. The next well renewal comes in a few hours anyway."

I helplessly watch as the boy surrenders, slowly handing over the water. In exchange for it, the woman thrusts the cash into the guard's hands and skips away immaturely, the valuable water sloshing out of the sides of the bucket's rim.

As if nothing happened, the man with the cash resumes his work, leaving me and the boy alone, drowning in the sea of injustice. He collapses onto his knees and begins to shudder in discomfort.

"Gabe," I start.

"No. It's okay."

"People are idiots," I huff angrily, plopping down next to him.

"She probably needed it for something important."

"We're the ones with the big families though. We are undermined all the time. You heard her, Gabriel! She just wanted a drink."

"Maybe," he answers, glimpsing at me for the first time.

"We're children. We don't have money."

"I know. When people take our most urgent needs from us, we can only dream," Gabriel exhales miserably. He reaches into his pocket with much difficulty and pulls out a creased greyscale photo that I barely recognise. 

It's a picture of the town before the famine. Before it became a desert, it was a magnificent oasis with never-ending riches streaming down it. Rivers of gold took their rightful place. Water was taken for granted.

Subconsciously, my head starts to rest against his shoulder. "Then let's dream."

"About what?" He looks down at me, unsurprised by my action. Then, he takes it into account, tilting his head so it lays on mine.

"About the oasis. Just us two, together. We don't have the water but at least we have each other."

~