The Wastelands (Ryeji)

Scavengers

Hunger sat heavy in Ryujin's stomach. She hadn't eaten since yesterday evening and her water flask swung empty across her shoulder. For some reason, today had felt hotter than usual out in the Wastelands and her clothing clung uncomfortably to the sweat rolling down her back. Perhaps the discomfort was to do with the fact she had had a fairly disappointing haul today.

The new scrap pile she had scouted out the other day had only yielded outdated tech and rudimentary, broken machinery. The only mildly valuable part she'd found was a cracked fuel cell from an old military-grade desert bike. The rusting, worn pieces of metal now digging into her back at strange angles through her "bag" which, in reality, was just a hessian sack with hand-stitched straps. She hoped Yeji had had a better time.

However, trekking back across the Wastelands in the late evening, whilst tiring, also happened to be one of the highlights of Ryujin's day. The temperature was certainly more bearable, and the way the deep orange glow of the sun bounced off the thousands of tiny scrap metal pieces protruding above the surface of the desert sands around her, was like looking over a sea of gold.

Ryujin had only ever seen the sea once when she was younger. Her father had taken her to the coastal port he used to go to at the end of every month to trade goods with merchants from all over the world. In a fuzzy memory she could recall the bustling crowds and vibrant colors of the marketplace, as well as of course the dazzling, sapphire sea. Waves shimmering like gemstones in the midday sun. It had been like stepping into a fairytale, one Ryujin had wanted to get lost in forever.

Unfortunately, however, that same memory was always accompanied by a painful sting in Ryujin's chest. It was on one of those trips her father had taken, a couple of months after she'd visited, that he then never returned from. Ryujin didn't ever hear what actually happened. A couple of the people in the village said he must have come to a sad end, so that was what Ryujin chose to believe. Only because the realistic explanation was somehow so much worse. That is, he'd finally found a way out of this dump, but decided to leave her behind.

In the midst of her reminiscing, Ryujin's foot suddenly caught on an iron bar that was barely visible above the sand. Unable to keep her balance she toppled, hands first, into the ground. Fortunately missing any sharp objects that could have been lying just below the surface.

Swearing and brushing herself off, she then heard a faint laughter coming from somewhere in front of her.

"Looking for buried treasure?" The voice chuckled teasingly.

Ryujin cheeks heated up in embarrassment "Ha ha, very funny." She mumbled, rolling her eyes in faux annoyance as she stumbled the rest of the way over to Yeji who was waiting just by the old electricity pylon, their designated meeting spot. "Don't act like you didn't smack yourself in the face with your frying pan yesterday."

The older girl's grin dropped. "That was only because you distracted me by saying the soup was boiling over!" She hastily defended herself, pointing a finger accusingly.

"And what about that time you mistook a toilet seat for a radar dish? Was that my fault as well?"

"Hey! I thought we agreed not to bring that up!"

Ryujin chuckled at the pout that had formed on Yeji's face.

"It was half buried under the sand, anyone could have made that mistake." Yeji grumbled, crossing her arms with a huff.

Ryujin's body shook gently with silent laughter at the memory as she slowly continued walking. "I still can't get over how excited you got before realising!"

"Shut up!" Yeji playfully hit Ryujin's arm before following in her footsteps, shifting her own bag of oddments over her shoulders, their bickering quickly morphing into comfortable conversation.