Secrets Downtown

Chapter 2

In front of us was a muddy dirt path that led people to town. The path was cornered with walls of pine trees. I widened my eyes as much as I could because there were no lights that would help me guide where we were supposed to go. I took a glance at my sisters' before stepping onto the path, walking casually along the path."This place is gross. My skirt is going to be dirty!" Iris whined from behind. "What do you think when you hear slums? Hold your dress up!" I scolded, glaring over my shoulder.

As I turned my head to see light, light up my view. I saw a farm and a farmhouse lined up next to each other, with two cobblestone houses on the other side. Torches and lanterns hung from the homes. There was a wooden bridge and loomed across the river in front of us. "We must be close to the main town!" I say excitedly. Florence and Iris giggled along and soon enough we hurried across the bridge.

It was like a ghost town. There were no people on the streets, no chattering, not anything. "Where are all the people?" Wondered Florence. They must be sleeping, though I didn't respond. Iris and Florence followed as I continued to walk down the path. The buildings were made of wood. Most of the buildings were in poor condition but were still usable. I can't imagine living in such homes like this.

I stopped next to an apartment and stared up. A large revolutionary flag blew in the wind. It was red with a yellow sun in the middle and arches of yellow branching off the circle. At home, the monarchy saw this as a hate symbol. I don't see it that way. In my opinion, the flag was a brave way to represent justice and freedom. I secretly admired it.

Snapping back to reality, I realised Iris and Florence were up ahead on the path and had taken a right turn. I briskly caught up to them as walked past a farm. "I can hear music," Iris broke the silence. It was true. I heard noises of laughing and singing. A sign stood in front of us. It was difficult to read in the dark, but I could barely make out what it said.

Markets this way!

My heart jumped happily. I looked back at my sisters, and they seemed to share the same excitement. On the same time, we all rushed towards the market.

The markets were bustling and lively with slum people. There were many different unique shops and children were racing up the path joyfully. "I knew it was worth coming here," I laughed at my sisters. Iris rolled her eyes. "Come on. I see a florist further down the path!" Florence claps, taking Iris' hand. We stroll down the path, passing the slum people.

A sweet girl sat the flower store. She looked just a little bit older than Iris, and she kept a permanent smile on her face. Her eyes lit up when she saw us coming.

"Hi! How can I help you?" chirped the girl.

"What do you have on for sale?" I asked. "Just a moment," The girl twisted her body in the chair to reach over for several flowerpots that stood on the ground. She lifted two exotic flowers and placed the pots onto the counter. "Looking like you guys are from another district, these are the signature slum flowers. You find them everywhere here. Dandelions and poppies," The girl gestured to both flowers. The dandelion was a yellow flower, that had a burst which reminded me of the sun. The other was the poppy, which was a beautiful red flower. It looked similar like a rose. "What's the damage?" Florence asked for the price. She eagerly stared at the dandelion. She always liked yellow things. "Just four estries for a bouquet," the girl said.

My eyebrows raised in surprise. Four estries? That's the cheapest I've ever seen. But when I look over at Florence, she seems very pleased with how the dandelion looks. I sigh and reach for the fifty estries I have in a hidden pocket on my dress. "Very well. For my sister," I say, handing over the note to the cashier girl. She smiled, reaching over to the chest beside her. "What a bargain!" She exclaimed as she handed back over my change. The girl wrapped five dandelions tightly together with a red ribbon and delightfully handed it over to Florence. She kindly took it from her, bowing with thanks.

We continued to walk down paths of the market when my attention was drawn to the music in the centre of the market. Pochettes, mandolins and flutes were playing a lively melody on a protesting stage. In the centre of the stage was a tall flagpole swaying a powerful revolutionary flag, just like the one in the main town. People were dancing delightfully with their friends and lovers around the stage, while others clapped along and watched the musicians play the instruments.

I glanced over at Iris and Florence delightfully. Iris seemed to have the same idea as me, but Florence didn't seem too keen. "Shall we?" I turned to Iris, who nodded and took my hands. I then glanced back to Florence. "I'm going to keep shopping. You two can go on ahead. I'll be there soon," Florence finally said, before rushing off to another market stall. I watched her go as the dandelions moved quickly in her brisk pace. After she was out of sight, I looked back at the other sister. Iris pulled me eagerly towards the stage, spinning in circles and moving to the rhythm of the beat. Iris was tall for a sixteen-year-old, so I didn't have to worry about bending down. Permanent smiles were painted on our faces as we danced. No words were spoken as we did. All we did was enjoy the moment before the night was all over - which I dreaded.

"See those two? The Richmond sisters. If you can marry a sister, you're on a way to success, son," a deep voice rasped behind us. I positioned myself in view of the voice. Three men stood from the crowd, eying us as we danced. My eyes jumped into different spots of view, trying not to let them know I was eavesdropping.

There was one man who stood out from the most, yet nothing seemed strange about him. My immediate thought was: What intelligent eyes! Though, as I take a step closer to him, he was a very handsome man. His shoulder-length black hair which was tied up into a messy ponytail. He had genuine smiling cocoa brown eyes that looked like pools of honey in the light. His clothes were ragged, but he had a brave, cool brown trench jacket that elegantly trailed down to his knees. How humble he must be. His wife must be very pleased to have a man like him.

"What are they doing here, in such a place like this then?" The handsome man questioned, remaining a charming smirk as he watched Iris and I like a hawk. Another man on his left gestured towards us, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Why don't you find out for yourself?"

Suddenly, he and I locked eyes. It was only for a moment, but it felt like an eternity. He smiled at me. I smiled back. Then, our connection was broken, as he turned away to his friends and whispered something into their ears. I darted my eyes away back at Iris, who seemed to be watching the musicians on the stage. Taking a step back, I let go of her hands.

"Go find Florence. I'm going to go talk to someone," I directed. And before my sister could say anything, I disappeared from her view into a sea of poor. My head kept turning left and right, looking for this mystery man.