𝐈𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐎𝐧𝐞

1 month earlier

The heat clung to Kaimana's skin like glue but she was used to the sweltering weather even in the mornings. She crept to the main room of the hut, the floor submerged with the remnants of her parent's addiction. She sighed dejectedly and clambered over the ocean of rubbish, attempting to be silent to not disturb her parents.

"Kaimana?" A sleepy face appeared in the doorway, two little hands rubbing two sleepy eyes. Kaimana smiled when she saw her little sister and ran over to her, blocking Areanna's view of the destruction caused by her parent's mess.

Kaimana always tried her hardest to protect Areanna from the extreme overconsumption of her parents although it wasn't always possible since she was always working. "Areanna? What are you doing up at this time? Go back to bed, sleepyhead."

"It's too hot to sleep," Areanna whinged clinging onto Kaimana's arm. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to work again," Kaimana sighed sadly.

Areanna tugged on Kaimana's sleeve, "I want to come with you! Please let me come with you!"

Kaimana looked around at the unkept mess in their house, deciding that whisking her sister away from her parents' problematic addiction to buying more things is best, before turning back to Areanna and nodding, "okay then, come on! Put on your mask."

Both Kaimana and Areanna put on their masks and Kaimana allowed Areanna to clamber onto her back before carefully making her way out of the house and to work. The thin, flimsy masks didn't do the best job at protecting Kaimana and Areanna from the contaminated gas surrounding them but it was decidedly better than exposing their lungs to the thick smog.

Dark, ominous clouds obscured the sun, building thicker evermore from the constant output of the factories. The sticky humidity caused small beads of perspiration to form on Kaimana's brow and upper lip as she struggled to ascend up the ridge with Areanna on her back. The constructed paths and roads were barely visible under a vast expanse of rubbish piled high to form mountainous peaks and expanding far into the horizon.

"Kaimana, I'm thirsty," Areanna pouted while Kaimana just sighed breathlessly.

"Okay, I'll find you some water," Kaimana said as they reached the top of the rubbish heap and diverged from the landfill to search for some water for Areanna. Although she wasn't certain if she would be able to keep her promise.

Water is scarce around these lands because they don't live in the centre of the Urbs Cinere. Despite the raging extreme weather conditions which sometimes brings tons of rainfall, the severe heat causes all the rain to be evaporated almost instantaneously. Luckily Kaimana spotted a glint of the reflective surface of a small puddle of water under the shade of an empty packet. She quickly made her way over to it and slid Areanna off her back and onto the floor.

They gathered around the small patch of water as Areanna cupped the water misted with dust and grime and sipped it gently. There was a restricted amount of water within the area and if there was any at all, it was always mixed with the dirt from all the overflowing rubbish. Getting diseases from the dirty drinking water was a common problem but the water was so scarce, everybody had to take the risk to survive.

Just then the sky growled and grumbled, foreboding clouds rumbled above their heads. The atmosphere transformed; turning thick, heavy and almost electric as the roaring storm prowled closer. "Areanna... we've gotta go."

"But I..."

Kaimana groaned and grabbed Areanna's hand and drags her away, "Areanna a storm is coming! We have to leave and take cover! Now!" Kaimana had experienced a perilous storm before and the outcomes had been horrific; houses ravaged, fires rampaged, many lives were lost. Storms weren't just a storm anymore, they were a death curse and the effects were still evident until this day. Kaimana had to ensure that Areanna was safe but there was no guarantee...