Azure
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Here’s a bit of a story I’m working on. Feedback appreciated.
Ambar struggled up the hill, her tiny hands gripped tightly around the handles of a wooden cart, stacked high with cylindrical metal boxes. It creaked, as she pushed, she was late. She didn’t dare go any faster in case the old cart broke, she couldn’t afford to loose any more cargo. Most people had withdrawn inside for lunch, though a few of the poorer men in loose fitting shirts gathered around some of the road side food stalls. Most sold unidentified meats on sticks or on thin slices of bread. Ambar’s stomach rumbled, but she pushed on.
She nervously kept glancing around, eyes flicked toward her than away. Some would rather go hungry, or eat from the stalls then send their women to work. Others looked at her cargo enviously, hot lunch boxes for the wealthy. Cooked by their wives and servants then delivered to their businesses by the poor.
Ambar turned a corner, there were less stalls. A beggar sang on the street corner, a bloody bandage wrapped around his eyes. A cup sat by his feet, a few bronze coins sat in the bottom. A small boy was edging toward it, licking his lips as he shuffled closer. The beggar continued to sing not seeming to notice the boy. The boy, tensed himself as if getting ready to strike. Ambar wanted to say something, but she couldn’t risk her cargo.
Suddenly, she heard a screech and a small furry figure bounded in front of her. Ambar stopped, the metal boxes teetered but come to a stop. Ambar recovered herself and looked over to the beggar. He was still singing, beneath him sat the furry figure. Ambar gasped, there was no mistaking those large dark eyes, that course white fur streaked with red, dark winkled face. It was a Small Sod.
The boy, had frozen in place his hand still outstretched. The Small God eyed him, it’s mouth open slightly it’s head tilted to the side. Into the boy’s hand it placed a small red apple. The boy remained frozen.
” EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek” the Small God cried. The boy scrambled to his feet, and ran unsteadily down the road. The Small God seemingly satisfied, curled up around the beggar’s cups. Ambar thought she saw the corner of the beggar’s mouth twitch as he paused between songs. She gripped the handles of her cart again, and started off down the road.
A column of smoke rose up in the air, Ambar hurried towards it. She turned the corner, her cargo wobbling as she ran. She stopped in front of red door, as she knocked several flakes crumbled off and fluttered to the ground. The door opened, a bulky man with a red face opened the door. Station Masters hat, jammed onto his massive head.
” You’re late,”
She wasn’t, but she didn’t argue. Ambar gripped the handles of her cart, the course wood rubbed against her hand.
” I’m sorry sir, the food’s still hot.”
“It had better be.”
Several men in long shirts emerged from the door and started counting the boxes. They then started to unload them and take them inside. The red face man counted out several bronze coins and handed them to Ambar. She deposited them into a poach at her waist.
Leaving the men to unload, Ambar walked along the wide street. The station’s proximity brought people of all classes. Instead of commoner’s meat stands, the trader’s here sold silk handkerchiefs, and trinkets.
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