The World's End | ONC 2024

ੈ✩‧₊˚ |𝟬𝟰| 𝗔𝘅𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲'𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

"𝚅𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚊 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝟷.𝟷 - 𝙰𝚡𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎' 𝙷𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗'𝚜 𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 "

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

I should've worn more normal clothes today, but I was worried about the weather, as you can imagine. The lack of sunlight meant that the outdoors was cold, and this was my first time outside.

It was very cold. Mama was gone as usual and this time, there was nothing she could do to stop me from stepping foot outside. Baby Alissa was safely trotting along in her room, and she didn't mind that I had left the house for a few hours.

The market was bustling, and it was the first time I had seen so many people gathered in close proximity. I felt excitement and a little bit of apprehension as I followed Wylan and Keira through the crowded streets, my senses overwhelmed.

The sights, the sounds, the smells...everything was beautiful. My eyes widened when I caught sight of the mangoes.

I thought mangoes didn't grow in Veridonia anymore!

I skipped across to the mangoes as Wylan and Keira stopped in their tracks, their eyes widening in surprise. I ignored their call and made my way to the vendor.

"Hello, sir. Are these mangoes?" I asked, fiddling with my fingers.

"Girlie, what do they look like to you?" he snapped back, continuing to arrange the mangoes in neat symmetrical rows.

"Apologies, I didn't mean it that way. I had heard that mangoes didn't grow in Veridonia due to the Disease," I explained as several onlookers giggled. The vendor, whose face was resembling an angry toad earlier had now been laughing harder than ever.

"You just turned of age, didn't ya? Oh my days, these are genetic creations or somethin' like that. They're made in a lab using some real mango chemicals. Your ma and da didn't tell you? Did ya think the Dom Council was gonna let their magic fruit disappear? You funny!"

At this explanation, several other vendors around him giggled as some customers laughed politely. I felt an arm drag me back from the vendor, and I turned around to see Wylan with Keira behind him.

"Can you not disappear here? I get that you're excited but if you need something, ask us. Don't just go wandering off! We're not your fancy babysitters," Wylan chastised as Keira looked like she was trying not to laugh. Her eyes were looking down on the floor, and her lips were pursed.

I flushed with embarrassment, realizing that I had indeed acted recklessly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble," I stammered, feeling slightly angry at Wylan's scolding.

I'm not a little child anymore, why does no one realize that?

Keira reappeared from behind Wylan. "It's alright. Just try to stick with us," Keira said, her tone surprisingly gentle despite her earlier irritation.

Despite the chill in the air, there was something warm about the market-goers, as if they were all united by the simple act of sharing space and time together. It was different from the loneliness I often felt in the confines of my house, with no one but Baby Alissa. For the first time in years, I felt like I belonged somewhere.

It was my first day here. There was going to be more to come. I could explore much much more.

The fact that I'm making a diary of this is funny. I mean, I know that I shouldn't really do that but I'm enjoying it. I read them out to Baby Alissa sometimes and she loves it. She probably doesn't understand half of what I say to her, nor will she remember it, but she likes it.