Chapter 5: A trip to The Market

"Up! Get up! Hurry!"

I woke up with a start to Grams shrill voice outside the room. Mia still slept peacefully on the fluffy feather mattress, her short chestnut coloured hair spread like a halo. I gently nudge her open mouth shut. Looks like she was truly tired, despite me being the one who held her most. Grams was back outside the door. "Are you awake, you've got chores to do, girl." She snapped through the door. I grumble, "I'm coming..just a sec." I slowly drag myself off the bed, muttering and grumbling. Chores to do - how could I have forgotten?

I'm not gonna blame myself. I was tired after all.

Finally equipped with the right charisma, I throw the door open and march out. Feeling refreshed and energised I burst into the kitchen. How did I found the kitchen? Well, I followed my nose which picked up the most tempting aroma of Biryani. A dish I'm fond of so much.

No, wait. Correction: A dish I'm in love with so much.

Its like a layer of rice, top it with a spicy chicken curry add another layer of rice, then a layer of curry ending with another layer of rice at the top. You drizzle a little red food colour and garnish it with coriander and mint leaves, and ginger and lemon slices. Then you cover it and leave it on a low flame. Anyway, moving on, five surprised faces stared at me while I stood in the centre drooling over a plate of Biryani.

"Whose she?"

"I heard she came in last night. With a little girl."

"Is she one of us."

"Don't think so. Just look at her."

My eyes twitch. The nerve of talking like that and not even bothering to lower their voices.

"Why, you...." I began.

Grams stern voice resonates throughout the kitchen, interrupting my to be rant, "Good, you're here. Just in time…for errands." I swivel around. The mesmerising plate forgotten. I gulp, wondering if she'll ask me to do something like cleaning the toilets. Ugh. Let's not think such yucky thoughts. "You'll be going shopping," Grams announced, "with Marian since you're new here."

I breathe out a sigh of relief.

"Get ready and wait by the door, I'll send Marian to you in a jiffy." She instructed.

I saunter down the hallway noticing minute details I hadn't yesterday. The roof seemed to be coated with a painting of gruesome scenes similar to the ones I saw on the main door. These were slightly different in a more gruesome way. A humanoid shape seemed to be torn into pieces, dark blood gushing out with a mist rising out of the blood. Before I could move on to the next morbid scene, I was spared the sight when a girl, no more than eighteen stomped towards me. She looked pissed off and her look was only intensified by the flaming red hair framing her face. She stops in front of me, assessing me with her sharp gaze. I squirm under her attention, breathing nervously.

Wait, why am I feeling nervous of this girl whose so younger than me.

"Could you be Marian?" I finally ask, an eyebrow drawn up. She continues staring at me before granting me the pleasure of her answer. "Let's go." She replies, her voice monotone. A corner of my mouth lifts up, amused at her attitude, when it was so obvious that she was trying to intimidate me.

Well, good luck with that, I think to my self chuckling softly.

Zalcia seemed to shimmer and looked even dazzling then yesterday, with all that sunshine hitting every hue. It honestly hurt my eyes when I'd stepped out but they were slowly getting accustomed to it. Marian strode in front of me, acting the guide. Her hair shimmered like fire in the daylight. There were more stalls and markets than people outside now. The markets looked mundane enough- but the stalls? One stall I spotted had a weird smell coming from it. It seemed to store nasty coloured concoctions of every type (revolting) imaginable. I step beside Marian and nudge her with my elbow.

"What?" She snapped, a scowl already reserved for me.

"You know, you could try being a little more respectful to people elder than you." I say, " you'll find it greatly improve one's mood." "What?" She replies confused. I huff in exasperation. "It wouldn't kill you to be a little forthcoming and a little less …. not forthcoming." She still stares at me with that dumb expression. Annoyed, I step forward throwing one last comment. "Acting won't make you older. Getting to live till next year might."