fallen stars

˗ˏˋ Chapter 2 ˊˎ˗

⋆｡ recommended song - wires by the neighbourhood ⋆୨୧˚

Maia

"3 for the price of 2!"

"Fresh melon straight from Sweden!"

"Find out more about the new Scheme in this week's news!"

Heat burst into her face. The marketplace was chaotic; bustling with people eager to finish the day's tasks before it got too hot.

Vibrant cloths hung off racks and vegetables of all sorts decorated the tattered, worn out wagons. Bright lights were scattered on the ceiling, outlining long metal columns that ran from each end of the building. The buzz of cards blended with the calls of vendors and created a continuous hum of activity.

This is where she thrived. Where she could get lost in the crowd, and no one would go looking for her. 

Where she could never get bored, twisting in and out of the carts, and into quieter, secluded corners.

Where there were a million faces; a million untold stories from people she would never know.

Maia snaked through the crowd, her eyes scanning it. Looking for someone that stood out, someone who was lost amidst the chaos.

There.

In the far corner, a woman was leaning over a wagon, admiring the carved wooden sculptures on it. A silk-like dress flowed off her lean body, and her wrists were decorated with chunky, bright jewellery that caught the glow of the lights above. A leather purse hung delicately off her arm, falling slightly as she reached over the stall. Perfect.

Maia's pulse quickened, her steps faltering just enough to sell the act. She let herself stumble, a jarring motion that forced her to catch the woman's arm.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!" Maia purposefully stumbled over her words as she reached into the young woman's pocket, feeling around for the familiar rough edge of a ration chip.

"Are you okay? I'm so clumsy." She continued rambling, grabbing a hold of something metallic and cold buried underneath what seemed like crumpled food stamps.

"What is wrong with people like you? Useless girl." The lady grumbled, her voice thick with a posh, southern accent, before jumping back away from her.

"People like me?"

"Yes. From Hollowside. I mean, it's a wonder the government hasn't done anything about this yet. How did you even get in here?" Disgust dripped off her words.

Patting down her dress, the lady looked up and instantly sneered. "Just look at the state of you, you vile creature."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Maia glared down at the woman, noticing a daffodil pin framed in gold on her dress. After the Storm, it had become a symbol of rebirth and support for those 'less fortunate'. It glittered in the lights of the market, almost taunting her. She laughed dryly before returning the same expression.

"I get it. You're one of those people. Hypocrites that spend all day drinking your tea in your fancy houses. You go on and on about how we must 'all join together to save the needy children', yet when you actually come across the 'needy', you can't bear to be within five feet of them, let alone look them in the face. And I'm the creature here? You're such a stuck-up, spoilt, snobby a-"

"Maia!" A familiar voice shouted from somewhere behind her. Before she could process what was happening, a sharp pain radiated just above her brow, biting like a wasp's sting. A rock clattered somewhere behind her as her free hand flew to her head.