An Empire of Our Little Emotion

Chapter 3

{ Author's note: Hope you enjoyed the last two chapters! From this point forward, the first-person chapters are over as far as I'm concerned. Like before, please take a quick break for yourself before continuing and please take your time and enjoy:) }

Chapter 3

| A world of a series of unfortunate events |

A small city that's connected to many others by a stream of highways and while is one location, has two separate areas consisting of the uptown and downtown. The downtown area being referred to as the land of the poor while the uptown area being deemed only for those with wealth or that can afford a comfortable lifestyle. The two are not only distinguishable by looks but by how the people act as both sides see either the other as poor or rich pricks, neither bothering to be acquainted with one another. The higher-class area is a destination spot due to the amount of attractions consisting of outlet shopping centers with name-brand stores and because of the large number of casinos located around every corner. While the uptown area is acknowledged by everyone, the downtown area is forgotten, and the homeless rates skyrocket with the increase in taxes.

People grieve and then they cope. Everyone knows the world is shit and they deal with it whether they have wealth to make up for their misery or not. Lives are so different but so similar in the sense that both people living different lives can find days to be long and people to be tiresome, how they act based on those facts is what distinguishes them. A man that was abandoned by the world chose to abandon it in return and a woman who was abandoned the same decided to nurture the same world that gave up her.

Yet despite the difference in the honor their actions made, where they lived and how much money they had is what separated what they amounted to. Someone like that man would be viewed in every magazine regardless of what world they were in and his money would shine brightly over who he was as a person. He could commit a murder and the people would applaud him in hopes he would throw gold at them while if the woman were to refuse to donate what little money she had to a charity box, she would be viewed as selfish by the small community of people who would do the same thing.

She wondered if she were to have the man's life if people would look at her the same and if she could do things deemed terrible in her world without being judged in his. Of course, she knew this was impractical as your life is even more monitored when you're famous but the idea of living someone else life is quite tempting. Picking up the magazine that lay in front of her, she skimmed through the pages and read the estimated net worth of the man, and scanned across his photoshoot covers with an understanding of how different their lives were, not with envy but curiosity before deciding that it was too much energy to consider the inconsiderable.

"You gonna buy that," called the lady from the side. "No, I-," "Then put it down. This isn't a library," she said before turning away to the next aisle. Paying for a pack of gum, the woman walked out of the store and started walking toward her afternoon job, her brown wavy hair slowly becoming wet and frizzy with the misty weather. A phone call vibrated her jacket pocket and startled her out of her normally quiet walk and with hesitancy she checked the name before clicking her tongue in distaste. "To what do I owe the pleasure on this bright and sunny morning, Clarence? I'm almost there, could this not wait?" she asked with annoyance and curiosity. "I'm sorry I couldn't call you earlier but I'm not opening today." He said from the opposite line and a rush of panic and irritation climbed up her spine. "Is there an emergency because if not I'm going to kick your fat ass for making me walk 5km just to tell me you're a no-show." "Tania isn't feeling well so I'm staying home to look after her. I'd be a bad husband to leave my wife alone like this especially now that we're getting old. You know the drill. I can try and get you some extra hours next week to make up for it, I'm real sorry Rose." The sincerity clear in the man's voice as he relays why he can't come in. "It's fine, just take care of Tania for me. Tell her I said hi, okay?" she replies before he agrees and hangs up.