The Seven

Chapter 4

Larkin slipped back into the crowds easily, blending in like a drop of water in a river. Ember walked brusquely behind her, shoving the fake ID into the pocket of her jacket.

Navigating their way through the crowds proved to be a challenge for the two, trying to move quickly but stay together simultaneously. Once the horde of people began to thin out, Larkin walked over to an isolated booth, displaying small cakes and cookies. "Get behind me," she whispered to Ember.

Ember did as she was told, not quite sure about why she and Larkin needed to be so secretive. It was no news to Ember that she was not allowed to wander through the markets, not being 18 yet and all, but she knew that if she didn't try to purchase anything she wouldn't be caught. And what's the worst that could happen anyway, she thought. The two of us would be asked to leave? We could just come back next week. Plus, I have my ID. It would be the same market then as it is today, and no one's even going to know I'm not 18.

She didn't pay attention to whatever Larkin was buying. She knew it was a small vanilla cake with no frosting and that she would probably serve it during her father's birthday dinner. Both Ember and Larkin needed to suck up to their father that week, but not enough for him to ask them for help on the roof. That was why Larkin didn't bother paying extra for frosting.

"ID card, please?" Asked an unknown voice. Ember froze. A million thoughts ran through her head as she stood stiffly, unsure of what to do. She hadn't thought this would actually happen.

Her heart began to race, skipping beats every so often as she looked around, trying to find the guard responsible for the request. 

"Thank you, have a nice day ma'am." The same voice finished. Ember turned around, facing Larkin once again. Her ID card was being handed back to her along with a flimsy brown bag the size of a shoe. Ember's heart began to slow, realizing that she hadn't been caught. She stood still, trying to calm herself down as Larkin began to walk away.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" Asked the woman working the booth. "Any goods you find interesting?" Ember flashed a quick smile.

"Just looking," she said, hurrying over to Larkin's side. She peered into the bag, but she couldn't see the cake. It had been covered in thin brown paper, the same material as the bag, and Ember surmised that it was to keep the dust off.

Outer Môraine, aside from the forests, was a dustbowl- she had noticed that most goods had a glass casing over them, whether food, tools, hobby items, or apparel. The booths had thin layers of dust settled over their tables, and each bench was covered where people didn't sit down. The ground was a mess, as well. Litter covered it, mostly the same brown bags as the one Larkin was carrying, and everything sitting on the dust was dirty and crumpled, and like everything else, coated by dust.

Unlike the area around her home, however, Ember noticed that the air didn't smell dry and earthy, but sweet and succulent, like a fresh cinnamon bun straight from the oven. It excited her, as they began passing from the baked goods section into the organic produce area.

Larkin began rifling through a bin of carrots, which somehow seemed to be of the utmost importance to her. A manual water pump stood over an indent in the ground, a small drain at the deepest point, darkened with the liquid as people helped one another. One stood behind the pump, pressing the handle up and down, while the other rinsed dust off of their produce after purchase.

Ember stood by Larkin, watching as a couple walked up to the pump, hand in hand. The woman picked a head of lettuce out of the same brown bag that all of the other booths used, its brilliant emerald leaves disguised by dust, as her husband walked behind the pump, grabbing the handle in his calloused hands.