Sprrrr….Sprrr The relentless sound of an old pottery wheel spun, the rancid sound stinging my ears as the rough clay molded into a vase-like shape. My hands enveloped in bruises and blisters from the rough machine, the sight of it made me wince. The sun began to rise, the morning glow draping the room in a teal grey. I've only just realized, I've been working on my pottery pieces for the past two days nonstop. A loud bang greeted me to the sunrise, rough and relentless beating. The door latch sprung, and so did the door behind it.
"Who do I give the pleasure to for such a polite greeting?" My cocky smirk had faded into a ghost of a sneer. "Why in hell are you just sitting on your ass? You good for nothing little bitch! Go sell some damn vases already!" A large man stood– Not in a bulky way of course. In a fat lard type of way. My father stood, a beer bottle clutched in his right hand and his left hand curled into a fist. I stood up, ignoring his outburst–Wait. Is he holding a beer bottle again? Where did he even get that money? Realization poured into me fast. My body jolted towards him, this time fully facing his direction. "Where did you get that money?" Although I tried to say the words calmly to not irritate him much more, the words came out loud, rough, and harsh. "Oh, oh-ho-ho, pesky bitch aren't you. You have the absolute nerve to ask me that? You think you can hide money from me, in my house?" His lips curved into a deep smirk. "Your house? I pay the rental fee, I put food on the table, I take Rio to school, I do more than you would do on a good day. Who do you even think you are calling me a good for nothing bitch?! You're the one who does absolutely nothing, steals money that was meant to be for food just to get drunk!" I'm practically screaming at this point, my voice echoing and bouncing off the walls of the tiny room.
"Alya everdeen you cocky bitch don't you raise your tone with me!" His voice boomed, putting my screams to shame. "Such a foul mouth for a–'' A quick handed jab on my stomach sent me to the floor. A thud, i bit my lip to not give him the satisfaction of my yelps
"Go on, scream. Scream like your scrawny mother does and maybe I'll let you off the hook.''
He must've noticed the scowl on my face as it was swiftly met with the beer bottle.
I winced upon the impact of the clash, the cold beer drenched my head.
Glass shards, everywhere. "Not only did you waste a good beer, you wasted my time. Pick up your goods and sell them bitch.'' The man, with a vulgar vocabulary if I do say so myself, turned around slamming the door behind him. Thank the lord. If there's even a lord.. He hasn't really done any miracles. Do better lord.. If you even hear me. I stumbled back to my feet, my eyes jolted open, teeth clenched hard. A gaping excruciating pain beneath me. A shard I stepped on bulged out of my food, I really hate that guy. Hesitantly plucking them off my foot, tiptoeing my way to the bathroom. Although we're poor, my room was one of two that had a bathroom, the other was a communal living room. I sucked up the humid air quickly exhaling it out just as fast.
My curly hair had morphed a frizzy mess, shards of glass sticking outside my cheek. The bathroom was filled with groans and whimpers as well as glass hitting the bottom of a handcrafted pottery sink. A sharp pain stung in my abdomen from where he took his jab. Fat men can really pack a punch. Although, he was right about me having to get to work. He didn't help though, just stalled me for longer. Maybe the cholesterol seeped into his tiny mushed up pea sized brain.
I grabbed a black hoodie I had bargained for, for a great price at that. Wrapping my frizzy curls beneath the hood i setted out, avoiding the numerous shards of glass on the floor and grabbing a large lockbox with two straps attached to it. Clink! With a twist of a key it unlocked, pieces of pottery were stuffed into it as the lining of the box were matted with pillows incase of breakage.
I inserted my newest piece before locking it back shut, slipping the key into the pocket of my hoodie. I decided to leave from my window, to avoid running into that tub of lard. The day was still bright, 30 minutes had assumingly gone by since the sun rose. What a rough start to the day. I pulled my hoodie on looser, letting loose strands of curls on my face. I took a shortcut to the marketplace. Normally, it would be a fifteen minute walk but by my shortcut it'd be at least three or five minutes at most. The deafening ringing pierced my ears, although a shortcut it was an awfully quiet one. As sparrows passed, I internally thanked them for chirping, lifting the silence ever so slightly. The silence had passed as the alleyway neared its end, I was greeted with a surplus of voices, swarms of crowds and marketstands lined up into one. The time of day had no effect on Everdale's marketplace, there hasn't been a day where it had'nt been bustling.
I make my way to a vacant spot, thankfully. It's hard to get your booth up here, being about forty minutes late is a real big deal. Most days you're lucky to sell on the middle of the floor if you're late, even though you'd be cursed at setting up shop there. Sliding my box of a bag off, unlocking and setting up my booth alongside the pottery on the hot sunny day.
Multiple booths were set up alongside mine, but not many have as many useful merchants as mine. My pottery varied from bowls, pots, pans, spoons, whatever utensil you can name. Beside me a vegetable stand stood, one of my competitors had ran it. Daniel Carter, a mysterious guy who stayed vague in what he spoke. Never really giving any private information, not even his name. Sweat slicked his fluffy hair to his skin, his pale skin seemed almost radiant in his sweat.
"Hey Alya, wanna see who can sell more again?" His voice abruptly ended my thoughts.
"Uhm, sure. Don't be all that mad if i win again'' "That was a one time thing, my crops weren't that voluptuous as they are now'' Daniel chuckled, before looking back at me. "How's your brother doing?'' Ah Rio. Damn it, I forgot to drop him at school today.. Hopefully he got there on his own. "Yeah he's fine. What's it to you?" "Yikes, did I strike a nerve there?'' He swiftly patted his forehead on a nearby cloth when he realized I was focused on it, slightly chuckling. I shrugged. "What's with the hood lya?" My hands pressed on the counter of my stand, leaning into the pose. "My hair looks like shit right now.'' I said, not trying to look him in the eye. Dumb rat's just gonna nag at me to take it off. "Well I'm sure–'' Pottery, ranging from all types, any types, you name it! Pottery sold here!'' cutting him off swiftly, I raised my voice and raised my arms waving them. Now I'm matching what the old man to my right is doing. He's selling tattered clothes though.. Won't get far with that. Poor people hate looking poor. A lady stood before me, examining me. "Hi maa'am, anything that piques your interest? I'm sure to give a pretty lady like you a discount.'' Rule one of merchandising, compliment them or butter them up.
"Aw you really shouldn't have. How much is this bowl? I've never seen such intricate and beautiful engravings.'' "Ah, it's my finest, most delicate work. Truly one of a kind indeed. I'll let it go for fifteen copper coins." "Fifteen?! You must be out of your damned mind." Rule two, start with a bigger price. Let them haggle it down to a price you desire or your pick to make them think they've bargained well. "Hmm, will ten suffice?'' "Will you take seven?" "I'll take eight."
"Deal?"
"Deal."
The sweet sound of coins clinking to the booth counter is something I could get used to. Scooping up the coins into my pocket, I handed her the pot. She looked thrilled as though she hadn't just fallen for a common haggler trick.
I glanced to my left to see Daniel staring at me. I blink rapidly and look around avoiding his gaze, through my peripheral vision he tilts his head and smiles. I turn my head back at him before noticing a customer in front of him, "Am i that distracting? You got some customers pal''
He groaned, silently enough that they couldn't hear as I giggled a tad.
We sold goods till the sun had set, the stars visible gleaming above us. "Are you going already?"
Daniel looked as if he were pleading– or maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me. As if me leaving was surprising. "Yeah, I worked the whole day. I don't even usually work for this many hours. I'll see you tomorrow?" "You can bet on it." Daniel smirked slightly, his eyebags were visible and looked a reddish crimson. I would say something about it, but its just simply not my problem. "Alya before you go, don't get into fights.'' I must've looked pretty confused since he pointed at his cheeks after I rubbed against my own feeling the scar of the glass shards that pierced me. "Ah.. I won't. Try getting more shut eye too though alright? I'll be off!" This time, I returned his smirk and wore a bigger one as I left.
Rio's gonna be so happy knowing how much money i made today.