Displaced

Chapter 91

"Mama! Mama!" Pari Clansnarl pestered, tugging on Mother's tail. "I want to eat!"

"Pari, what did I tell you about pulling on other people's tails?" Mother scolded, her voice weary from a long day of housework. "Dinner's almost ready. We will eat once your father comes home from work."

"But I'm hungry!" Pari whined.

"You can hold on a little longer," Mother assured her. "Erdi, play with your sister for a while."

"Wha-! Do I have to?" Now it was Brother's turn to whine.

"Yes," Mother said sternly. "Go try the candle-making equipment your father brought home for you 3 days ago. He's going to be very upset if he comes back and finds you haven't used it even once."

"Fine..."

Brother went into the storage room and returned a dragging a large sealed wooden box with smooth lacquered sides. The contents let out a series of clanks and clangs as he set the box down rather indelicately.

"Hey!" Mother called angrily from the kitchen. "Be careful with that, your father spent a lot of money on it!"

"Mama, what's money?" Pari asked. She'd heard that word before, but the fuzzy understanding that came with it only made her more confused. Why would people give up good things like food when given stupid circles?

"You don't even know what money is?" Brother scoffed. "You're so dumb!"

Pari's face went red with embarrassment after being called out so suddenly. Why did Brother have to always be such a big meanie?! She sniffed.

"Erdi, what did I tell you? Don't be mean to your sister, she's only three," Mother called again, wearier this time. "You were just like her once, you know."

"I'm not three, I'm almost four!" Pari declared hotly. There was a big difference and it was important that they know!

"Of course you are, sweetie," Mother replied. "Just like how Erdi is almost nine."

Brother just rolled his eyes.

Still, Pari's confusion remained. "Why does Papa say that we moved to Zuk... Zuk..."

"Zrukhora," Brother prompted her.

"Zukhora! Why does Papa say that we moved to Zukhora for money?"

"Because he can make much more money here than he could back in Lita. The people here want to open lots of mines in the mountains to the north, and they need good prospectors like your father to find the ore."

"But I don't like it here," Pari complained. "I miss home."

"This is home now," Mother told her. "We need this money to pay off the last of our debts and put Erdi and you through school. Think about it like this: with all that extra money, we'll be able to buy lots and lots of toys for you!"

Pari gasped. Lots of toys?! She didn't really like Zukhora; compared to Lita, it was cold and it smelled weird. But she loved toys! If being here meant more toys, then maybe she liked this place after all.

"Whatever, let's just do this stupid thing," Brother muttered, opening the box.

Peering inside, Pari found it full of pieces of string, metal containers, and blocks of some white substance, none of which made any sense to her young mind. But before she could even ask about any of it, the sound of a key being inserted into the front lock caught their ears.

Pari spun around in excitement as Father opened the door and stepped inside for the first time in six days.

"Papa!" she cried, rushing for the doorway and jumping into his waiting arms.