Post by Floyd Looney on Jan 29, 2010 14:32:02 GMT -5
Berta
Little Berta stood on the walkway looking down into the bazaar, it instantly looked larger and more imposing than it ever seemed when she tagged along with mama. She clutched her little purse tightly, set her jaw and entered the jostling fray.
She put her hand above her eyes and looked up into the sky, the white star shone down brightly, not enough clouds. This star was hot and white, it beamed down heavy doses of UV and other rays.
Skin cancer was rampant, everyone had to wear broad brimmed hats and coats with long sleeves. Except for the repts of course, they had scales. They only had to worry about dehydration.
There were fruit stands and wooden kiosks selling everything that could be found on this world. The various smells assaulted her nostrils, the breads, the meats, the vegetables, the animals... yuck, their wastes.
A few of the vendors were aliens and they had always fascinated little Berta, but after a moment of slack-jawed she steeled herself to her mission once again. I'm not here to buy anything so exotic as an Alekzian Sunlamp, lighting up by night and darkening by day, she told herself.
The crowds bumped into her now and then, sometimes they didn't see her and sometimes they could not care less. She stopped and looked up as a white bottomed wedge-shaped craft flew over, its top was darkened against bright sunlight.
Berta stood next to the ramshackled wooden stand for a moment before going around to the front, she waited for a customer to leave and there was no one there. The vendor barely noticed her at first until she leaned against the counter.
"Ah, hello. Is there something I can help you with little one?" he said coming up to his side of the counter. She wondered if he recognized her from when she came here with her mother. "Please sir, I need to have six ounces of" she thought hard "Anselm-oil".
Anselm oil was very rare and hard to find, vendors were even afraid to admit they had it in stock. They would be mobbed and likely killed in the rush. Berta had seen some horrible cancerous patients at the Triage when she visited grandpa before he died.
The man looked thoughtful for a moment and shook it off, then he seemed to recognize her. "Ah, your mother needs it, I thought I remembered you".
Then man went to the back of the wooden shack and came back holding a small bottle of amber-colored liquid. Anselm Oil, it was a remedy for a skin condition. Some people required the oil because of the way the atmosphere didn't screen out all of the white suns rays. "F-Class" some people called it.
Her mother had always bought the oil from this vendor, Berta did not know why. She handed over the contents of the purse, and watch the man count the coins, the Kugs and then every single Kun as well. He was satisfied it was all there and finally gave her the bottle, wrapped in cloth, after looking around to make sure nobody was watching.
Now she turned her attention to getting out of the bazaar and back to the little shack they called home.
Little Berta stood on the walkway looking down into the bazaar, it instantly looked larger and more imposing than it ever seemed when she tagged along with mama. She clutched her little purse tightly, set her jaw and entered the jostling fray.
She put her hand above her eyes and looked up into the sky, the white star shone down brightly, not enough clouds. This star was hot and white, it beamed down heavy doses of UV and other rays.
Skin cancer was rampant, everyone had to wear broad brimmed hats and coats with long sleeves. Except for the repts of course, they had scales. They only had to worry about dehydration.
There were fruit stands and wooden kiosks selling everything that could be found on this world. The various smells assaulted her nostrils, the breads, the meats, the vegetables, the animals... yuck, their wastes.
A few of the vendors were aliens and they had always fascinated little Berta, but after a moment of slack-jawed she steeled herself to her mission once again. I'm not here to buy anything so exotic as an Alekzian Sunlamp, lighting up by night and darkening by day, she told herself.
The crowds bumped into her now and then, sometimes they didn't see her and sometimes they could not care less. She stopped and looked up as a white bottomed wedge-shaped craft flew over, its top was darkened against bright sunlight.
Berta stood next to the ramshackled wooden stand for a moment before going around to the front, she waited for a customer to leave and there was no one there. The vendor barely noticed her at first until she leaned against the counter.
"Ah, hello. Is there something I can help you with little one?" he said coming up to his side of the counter. She wondered if he recognized her from when she came here with her mother. "Please sir, I need to have six ounces of" she thought hard "Anselm-oil".
Anselm oil was very rare and hard to find, vendors were even afraid to admit they had it in stock. They would be mobbed and likely killed in the rush. Berta had seen some horrible cancerous patients at the Triage when she visited grandpa before he died.
The man looked thoughtful for a moment and shook it off, then he seemed to recognize her. "Ah, your mother needs it, I thought I remembered you".
Then man went to the back of the wooden shack and came back holding a small bottle of amber-colored liquid. Anselm Oil, it was a remedy for a skin condition. Some people required the oil because of the way the atmosphere didn't screen out all of the white suns rays. "F-Class" some people called it.
Her mother had always bought the oil from this vendor, Berta did not know why. She handed over the contents of the purse, and watch the man count the coins, the Kugs and then every single Kun as well. He was satisfied it was all there and finally gave her the bottle, wrapped in cloth, after looking around to make sure nobody was watching.
Now she turned her attention to getting out of the bazaar and back to the little shack they called home.