Koko's POV: Lanterns hang in the streets, giving off a bright glow that causes shadows to stretch long and wide as they creep behind you as you walk. The lanterns don't do much since everyone born in the shadow of the moon could see through the darkness, but it made the people of the Day Sky Kingdom view them as less creepy, and King Otieno knows that her people didn't need any more reasons to get into fights with the townspeople on the other side of the bridge.
The two towns were divided by a river. A bridge was ordered to be constructed by King Otieno of the Night Pearl Kingdom and Queen Elaine of the Day Sky Kingdom as a symbol of peace between the two. But the workers who built it couldn't get along enough for the bridge to be built properly. This was used as an excuse by both sides to not have to talk to one another and it was left out of use.
Many passed her as she walked along the cobblestones, her arm brushing against the wall of Mrs. Datura's house as she tried not to run into Mr. Nottingham. She tried not to but couldn't help pay attention to the sound his drawstring bag made against his back. Even though he walked briskly, his steps were light and smooth, so that barely a sound rattled from the bag, but she knew at once what he was carrying. She listened intently and heard the light tap of milk bottles clanging together. That's right. It was trading day this afternoon with the other townspeople. She tried not to pay too close attention to sounds not meant for her ears, otherwise, it sounded like spying in her head. For instance, she knew that as soon as she rounded this corner she would see the young boy called Badar balancing on top of the large shepherds hook that held the lantern. She could tell this because when he moved his steps sounded like they were talking to each other. One foot would step twice and the other once but then three times the next so that you would think it looked like he was limping. Rather the young boy's steps we're seamless together as his feet talked to one another as he walked.
So it came as no surprise to her when she turned the corner and there he was hanging upside down on the curve of the hook with his legs wrapped around it. His small arm reached out and checked the stub of the candle to see how much longer it would last.
"Its a bit late for you to be working isn't it, Badar?"
"Koko!" the boy cried and dropped down from his perch on his hands and feet and then lunged forward to wrap his small arms around her.
"Silly boy, " she smiled. "Most are asleep by now, why are you not?"
"Mother just made a new batch of candles before it became time to sleep, so I decide to do a quick run-through before it gets too late, " he replied.
"Alright, alright, I can understand that, but I wish you would wear shoes when you work so that you don't step on something sharp in the streets, " I chastised him. He stuck his lip out and said, "But shoes are no good for climbing, that's why I bandage my feet so that at least they stay clean." He stuck a foot out and wiggled his foot out at me to see. I couldn't help but laugh, "Yes, yes I see your smelly feet." I grabbed his ankle and hung him upside down to tickle him, "But, " my tone becoming serious so that he knew that I meant business, " stay safe and watch the ground when you walk." "Yes, will do. I promise." But I watched sighing to myself as a lightning bug in the street caught his eye and he wriggled from my grip to go leap and catch it. "Nice to see you too!" I yelled out at him and he simply waved back behind him in recognition.
Too young. If we had more townspeople than he could be playing all the time rather than working, but everyone in town had a purpose to keep this town alive. We traded boots, clothes, furniture, etc. in exchange for food and crops. Both of our towns may not like each other but we needed each other to survive. It was an all-day job to take care of livestock and crops on the Day Sky Kingdom's side so the people there had no time to make clothes or carve furniture, which is where we came in. Our King would receive letters on what the other town needed and he would compile them and then pass them on to our town's messenger to deliver them to the workshops, shoemakers, and seamstresses to begin their work for the month. On their side, the Queen would do the same. But then you had Badar's family who made candles that could only be sold to our kingdom and a family she had heard of in the other kingdom that made straw hats for the days when the sun got too bright. Not as many profits are made when only one kingdom benefits so those families usually struggled. At the end of every month, the trading day began and lasted for two days in which crates were passed from each side on boats. The bridge was never brought up as an option, and it was left sitting there an open wound that no one wanted to bandage.
Well these are just peachy thoughts aren't they? Don't want to go home yet so that's not an option. Just the thought made her feel small and caused her throat to close up. STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! Before I knew it my feet were carrying me around corners, across steps leading into happy homes, and through alleyways away from prying eyes. Tears blurred my eyes so badly that I didn't see the corner before it was too late and I ran right off the edge. A hill sloped below and carried me down, stinging my hands and my head hitting a rock so hard the stars above looked too bright and happy. Finally, I was too tired and gave up as the momentum carried me down the hill. The world spun in stripes of white and black so much that they blurred and a woman unwrapped herself from the dark blankets of the sky and reached out to me. Wait, What?! At that moment my side struck a rock and all the world danced before me. The blades of grass waved before my eyes and seemed to be mocking me as I attempted to push myself up. I ignored the pinching in my side and the burning of my hands where the skin had been torn to take a look at where I was. Behind me where the rock caught me was the river down below that entered into the forest area in one direction and led to the bridge in the other. I stood up slowly and looked for the steps that would carve down into the water's edge. The world tilted a bit and I fell down again. I waited until the grass stopped mocking me again and got back up again to walk down. I dropped down to my knees below to take a look at myself in the water's reflection. The moon shone just bright enough that I could see a red mark on my neck that would turn into a bruise and another one on one forearm and several on my hands. Like I don't already bruise enough with my pale skin. I dipped my hands into the cool water and rubbed my face lightly to get rid of the dirt that smudged my cheeks. I stopped fixing myself for a moment and looked past the reflection of the moon to where the water was sliced into a golden mirror of light from the sun on the other side. I continued up the dirt wall behind the brightly lit water's edge and into the face of a young man. He was on his knees and his hands gripped the tuft of grass at the edge as he looked down below at her. She lurched away from him in fright. "Wait I—" he began as he reached out his hand to her and the edge promptly broke off beneath his fingertips and he fell down into the river on his side of the kingdom.