To this day Zemlya is split into two parts, two peoples, and that's why we can live in a land of everlasting sun, and the moon people can live in such freezing, dark conditions.”
I let all this information weigh on me, explaining everything except for what I asked.
“That explains our way of life, but why is the Sun country and Moon country at war!?”
My mother sighed. “Lots of reasons. For one, the Moon people think that since we don’t have a monarchy, we are scrambled people that have an unstable economy. Worse, they think that we don’t act human, that we act like dogs because we farm by hand.”
“Farm by hand!? Well how else would you farm? By foot!?” I asked my mother, who laughed.
“Well, they just think we aren’t as modern as they are, with all our farm lands and small towns. But please, who would want to live in their country, with all those idiots in charge and tech addicted teenagers!? I’d rather run myself into the ocean.”
“Mom!” I yelled, looking at her. Saying she’d run herself into the ocean was WAY overkill!
“Okay, okay, but still, I can barely stand the Moon country. They drive me nuts with how they treat us.” Mom stared at her basket, almost filled with carrots. To change the subject, she asked me, “What have you been up to?”
“Eh, the usual.” I told her honestly. “I’ve been thinking if I can make up a cake recipe using coconut shreds, since we have a lot at the house and I’ve been craving coconut. I’ve also been thinking about the Bright Day-after party…” I thought I would say more, but I didn’t have much to say that wouldn’t be a long vent about it.
“The Bright day-after party? Oh I forgot about that thing. You wanna hang out with your teen-friends the day after Bright Day!? Forget it Mist! You know Bright Day is a national sacred holiday that shouldn’t be disrespected by a bunch of teens who want to hand out and blast loud music. You aren’t going.” Mom told me sternly.
“What!?” My jaw dropped faster than a shark when they were 2 inches away from catching prey. How could she keep me from the coolest low-key party of the year?
My mother’s face went from serious to highly amused, then she couldn’t hold her laugh in any longer. She laughed hard for a good few minutes. After she finished wheezing, she said “I’m only kidding. Of course you can go to that party.”
Darn. I was a little relieved she had said I couldn’t go. Could have saved me from my problem with going...
“I’m pretty sure your whole school is going. I heard some kids are bringing a date. You got anyone in mind that I should know about?” Mom raised an eyebrow.
“No. Aw, that’s just it mom! I’ve got no one to go with and I really don’t wanna go alone! I heard there is going to be an unlimited supply of blueberry slushies, and you know how much I love blueberry slushies!” I yelled. Heads belonging to other harvesters turned our way, but I wasn’t in the least embarrassed. Just sad I had nobody to go with for this party.
Mom thought. “What if you took Harvey?”
Now it was my turn to raise an eyebrow. “Harvey? His parents won’t let him go to that party. Something about spending time at home with his family and not wasting this important holiday hanging with teenagers who don’t respect the Bright Day.” Plus me and Harvey weren’t close. We had done a science project together once and now my parents thought he was my true love. Please!
“Well, I’m sure some boy will ask you out before then. Or you could always go with Sonce and Matahari.'' Mom mentioned my best friends. I didn’t have the energy to explain to her that Sonce had a date she was going with and Matahari couldn’t go for the same reasons Harvey couldn’t.”
Crunch-crunch. Crunch-crunch. I looked up to see someone running through the dry yellowing grass, carefully dodging any vegetable beds and fruit bushes. It was my sister Sunny. She came up panting, hands on her knees observing what me and mom were harvesting.
“You done the lettuce yet?” she asked me and mom.
“Uh, no.” mom replied, handing my sister a bottle of cold water.
My sister chugged half the thing down (hey, don’t drink all my water!” Mom warned,) before sitting down and gasping beside us.
“Where have you been?” Mom queried Sunny.
“At a friend’s house.” Sunny panted.
“How’d you get that scar?” I pointed to the new bloody scar on her elbow.
“We were cutting down her pineapple tree since, you see, it had a fungal disease and was dying from it. Ilanga’s dad let us cut down the tree ourselves!” my sister’s eyes lit up at this. “We were sharing a big cross cut saw and not paying attention when… well, I got cut.” Sunny showed mom her elbow.
“Oh! I have a mind to tell Ilanga’s father not to let y’all young girls handle blades. Whatever, at least you're here now to help us harvest the lettuce.” Mom handed Sunny a basket.
While Sunny got to harvesting, I had to wonder about something. All my sister’s friends' houses are in the town, and the more modern part of the city at that. So if she was at Ilanga’s, why did she come from beyond the fields? Something about her little story didn’t add up, but what could I do about it?
After a few hours, I was back in Solar city, and leaving the Old Rise buro to go to the modern part of the city to sell these veggies. My surroundings turned from grassy fields to horse carriages to tall skyscrapers and busy sidewalks. My mother, sister, and I had split up only to meet back up in the busiest place in the city to sell our crops. Where is that you ask? The farmers market of course!
Sun country is known for its farming population. Heck my family was made up of farmers! There aren’t many major cities in the country since the people are so spaced out for maximum farming land. For selling goods, most people traveled far and wide to the capital, Solar City to try and squeeze money out of the crowd. Having lived here all our lives, my family already had a spot put up that was guaranteed to grab a lot of customers. Right at the edge of the market. Walkers nearby in the city who don’t wanna get lost in throng would see our stand first and take one look at our foods and it would be impossible to leave without a buying thing or three.
When I got there though, my family’s stand wasn’t at the edge where I thought it would be. Oh that’s alright, maybe they didn’t set up early enough. That happens pretty often. Maybe they set up more inland this time.
I looked around at what people already had for sale. Two ladies were selling homemade soap. One type of soap was orange and ridgy, like Ruffles chips, but more wide and rectangular. Another soap was circular and white with blue-green swirls in it.
“Canola bliss.”
I looked up at one of the soap ladies who had walked up to me.
“The soap you're looking at. It’s called Canola bliss. My sister made them.” she nodded her head to the lady behind her who turned and smiled. I smiled back. “These soaps look awesome and smell nice! I’m sure they’ll be all gone by the end of the day.” I would’ve bought one, but I had to keep moving. Mom got snappy when it was time to earn money.
Though I had to rush through everything, I kept glancing at other carts and stands. Everything looked so nice and in bloom, it felt magical. I turned to my right to see a little girl and what had to be her younger brother standing innocently by themselves and looking a bit sad. I knew them from somewhere, but where…?
Ah. My mother knew their mother. I heard their family was having a rough time, and they looked worried. So I went over to see if they were okay.
“Hi you two! Where’s your mommy?” I asked.
“She was ‘apposed to come to the harvest with us, but she couldn’t this year.” The little girl replied.
I frowned. “Then who’s watching you?”
“I’m watching me and my little brother.” the little girl told me.
I felt very bad. And they were selling coffee beans of all things! Coffee beans weren’t very popular in Sun country, much less Solar city, which was filled to the brim with morning people. They should really be selling this to the people who export goods, who could take them over to Moon country, where they’ve probably never heard of an early bird.
I knew I shouldn’t buy anything, but with these kids I couldn’t resist. I bought some coffee from the two kids out of pity, then kept walking. I had to find my family's stand!
Talk about getting what you wish for! I saw my mother and sister, who seemed to be talking to a few men in all black. What!?
Maybe those men are there to buy something…
Looking that shady? Yeah right.
My mind fought with itself as I approached my mother and sister. For once Sunny looked intimidated. That isn’t right. Sunny hardly ever got like that.
“Look, if we could just buy some of your land from ya, the royal family would be extremely grateful.”
Hold on. The ROYAL FAMILY!? Sun country is in anarchy, so they have to be talking about…
I walked faster. I didn’t care if people were cursing me out for bumping into them. It’s a crowded city! DEAL WITH IT!
“No. It’s not up for sale. It’s my land.”
“What’s going on?” I asked my mother. She wouldn’t look at me. Her eyes were locked on those men like a guided missile.
“Mom, what’s-”
“Mist, take Sunny home.” She had on her serious tone.
The guy at the front of the crowd pulled a flip knife out faster than I could blink.
“Listen lady-”
My heart was racing. My mother took one split-second look at the knife and then went back looking the mob in the eye. My sister looked as if she were going to burst into tears at any moment.
And before I knew it my hand went for the knife.