In this world, people aren't just rich they are mega rich and Malkia, a girl from a poor background gets to see just how distorted and unfair life can be when you don't have the money nor the power to have a say. But she decides to have a say and st...
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Malkia usually spent her Saturdays at Tommy's, after she had done all her chores and her mother was certain that she didn't have any homework that she had not yet done. But hanging out with Tommy wasn't an option anymore and Naya worked on weekends so she had to spend this particular Saturday out shopping for groceries with her mom.
Her mom was happy that she'd tagged along but Malkia was certain she didn't have any choice in the matter.
They usually shopped down at the Little Abbey close to their home but there was a special Winter Solstice sale at East Island so her mom took her and her brother so they could help fight for as many things as the three of them could carry. Her father would have joined them but he worked six days a week.
The store, Little Winnings had a crowd of people waiting outside for the special sale to start so they pretty much had to fight to get in.
The three of them were pretty winded when the sale ended an hour later at four; the snow which looked fake in a way because it appeared right out of the blue, right in the middle of Summer was finally coming down. Some Solstice had heavy snow, others meant wet ice blotches. But this year had heavy ice fillinf the walk ways. It quickly filled all the streets with sheets of snow and for one remarkable day, all the traces of the usual summery climate of Uiths disappeared.
Malkia found herself wondering if Ryuu might actually be at that huge Lamp Post in the center of East Island. It was one of the things most tourists from out of town liked to visit and most of the people that lived here tried to stay away from the place but the lamp post was pretty to look at. It was like one huge tree that grew as high as the sky scrapers around it and when it shined much brighter than it should when it was turned on. You could see it even from the store they were leaving. They had gotten most of the things on their list. Their mom was pretty glad and smiling because they were able to save a few pennies that could be allocated elsewhere.
"You could get new shoes," Mama M said to Malkia.
"No need, I love my shoes."
"Oh but they look so ratty and you have rich friends now,"
Malkia didn't think her mother's statement warranted a reply, she'd always told them that she would only buy them new pairs if their shoes didn't cover their feet anymore. This is why they were all wearing ratty shoes.
"Why don't we just buy more food instead? Mika is growing into a young man now and he eats a lot, I hate having to reduce my intake for him."
"Some more rice and maize flour?" her mom asked her, she couldn't believe her daughter was refusing a new pair of shoes "we can try to find some at a reasonable price at the produce market." And so they went. Their mother liked to bargain so it took much longer than it should have.
