Starshine | Willy Wonka

i

Another boring day, with no source of peculiar excitement. The occasional child wondering in unaccompanied by their parents, their pockets filled with their weekly allowance the kind of pocket money Thalia wished she could have. The spoiled little things demanding their desired sugary sweets, what she wouldn't do to have the delightfully wrapped treats to give to the only boy in her life she cared about most.

The brunette hummed to herself as she arranged the display window of the candy shop, she begins to think about her little brother, Charlie. It did not matter how much overtime she decided to do, her families struggle made it impossible to get her brother a gift for his upcoming birthday. She was aware her parents would get him the same Wonka candy bar as every year, it was a sweet gesture as she received the same gift as well. It was simply her wanting to make her brothers birthday that much sweeter. She wasn't too sure if her parents or grandparents knew the things that Charlie had confided to her. The other children in town ridiculed him for his lack of money, and she knew it was wrong to put such stress on an eleven-year-old boy.

"Ms. Bucket," Thalia jumped out of her thoughts as someone tapped her shoulder, she turned to see her boss standing over her, "I apologize for startling you. I wanted to let you know you're free to go for the evening."

Thalia smiled grateful to be able to go home before sundown for once. She couldn't complain too much about that one though, seeing how she was one who was often caught convincing her boss to give her extra work hours.

"Thank you, Mr. Fetz." She said as she heads towards the back of the store to collect her things. There wasn't very much, except a ratty old trench coat that had once belonged to her father making it three sizes too big for her small frame, and then a knitted purse that her mother had made, when their family had once had just a bit of extra money for Mrs. Bucket to pick up a short-lived hobby. Still, she waved goodbye to Mr. Fetz as she stepped out of the candy store, nearly running into an extravagantly dressed man in a top hat. She muttered a quick apology before shuffling down the snowy sidewalk.

Finally, after a quick two block walk, Thalia was shivering as she stepped through the slanted doorway of her home.

"I'm home!" She smiled as she was then greeted by a chorus of "Welcome's." Making sure to hang up her coat and purse, Thalia joined her mother in their cramped kitchen space. The mother of two was already working on dinner, so the daughter offered to help.

"I got it dear don't worry, why don't you help your brother with his homework? He's been struggling."

So she did, crossing her legs as she joined her brother at the table surrounded by his school books. The two became occupied with a set of math problems, Thalia patiently explaining the process at least eight times before her brother seemed to understand.

"Leah you're really smart," Charlie noted, making his sister show her modest side as she denied it. Though the young boy wasn't wrong if Thalia had stayed to finish high school rather than dropping out to support her family when they hit a road of rough struggles she would have been in a better place financially.

"You better stay in school, don't do what I did Alright?" Her tone was threatening, just as if she were a parent Thalia wanted nothing but the best for her brother. Soon they finished his work, just in time as their father walked through the door, greeting everyone. He spoke with his wife briefly before joining his children at the table.

"Charlie, I found something I think you'll like." He smiled as he dug through his coat pocket before pulling out what he was looking for. He placed a handful of deformed toothpaste caps in front of his son. To any spoiled child, the move would have induced a tantrum, but Charlie was grinning excitedly as he picked up one of the caps, it appeared as though two caps had been molded together.