Market place

The market was bustling with people as I pushed my way through the crowds towards the old fruit seller.

The sack full of strawberries I had found would give us oil for the cold night. The sun was setting and I only had a few minutes before the market closed.

as i move towards the butchers with my catch of deer something catches my eye off to the right, I glance over towards the fruit stand and i am taken back by what i see......... it's the same girl i saw earlier in the woods.

as i move towards the girl my trip to the market just became a lot more interesting than simply trading my deer meat for some wax and salts.

I haggled for a while with the fruit seller for a decent price. He was always tough but fair, but you had to be brave enough to argue his prices.

We finally settled on a price, this would give me enough oil to last two nights. I needed to get home, my family would be hungry and this deer wouldn't keep long without being preserved.

I felt someone watching me as I turned away from the stall. A boy, who looked strangely familliar was moving towards me through the crowd.

I gave him a weak smile, unsure on what to do next.

As I moved closer to the girl, she gives me a nervous smile. As I get closer I also notice the deer meat she is carrying with her pots of oil.....OIL! The one thing I need to get through the night with my family.

I contemplate trading my catch of deer for a night's worth of oil but decide against it, It was my brothers 11th birthday and i knew that deer meet was his favorite.

The boy continued walking closer to me, he carried some deer meat under his arm and what looked like a small present.

"Um... Hi, can I help you?" I asked, unsure on what to do.

I am almost there and still don't know what to say, when I finally reach the girl after what seems like ages I finally say quietly "you know it's illegal to steal even if it is in the woods."

I was taken aback by the boy's bluntness, but he seemed harmless enough.

"I would say the same for you, looks like some nice illegal deer you have there. How long did it take you to catch?"

All though I'm taken back by the comment I quickly respond "not long considering the meat you have probably came from the first deer I shot."

I smiled.

"Shouldn't have left it lying around so carelessly then, finders keepers."

"I guess so, but for my troubles would you mind sharing some of the oil you have there." I say a bit to innocently.

I thought this over for a moment, the oil in my hands would last up to four days if I spread it out enough. But this boy looked so tired, I had always been compassionate and guilt hit my stomach.

"Okay..." I poured out some oil in an old container I had in my rucksack, enough for a few hours and handed it to him.

I couldn't believe my luck now my brother would have the best birthday I could think of.

"thanks" I say"this will really make my brothers birthday special"

"No problem. Tell your brother happy birthday from me." I looked up at the sky, the sun was almost set.

"I'm Wanda by the way." I held out my hand.

I'm surprised by the kind gesture but I take her hand and shake it," I'm Alex, and thanks for the oil." "I guess i'll see you around" and with that I head home to a very excited little brother.

"Bye." I said, then I turned and walked in the oppisite direction, towards home.

I arrived home in a good mood, carrying my spoils of the day lightly on my back.