Harm and Harmony

-Chapter 24-

Day: 4

Days Left: 5476

Lives Saved: 0

In the distance, Corinna saw a large grey building. "Hey, Harm? Is that where the trader is?" she asked the chimaera.

Harmony nodded.

As they trekked closer towards it, Corinna realised it was an industrial warehouse, spanning the length of a football field, and twenty-feet high with a triangular roof. The garage door had been rolled up, the space converted into an open shop, with a low coffee-table at the front and the colourful and odd assortment of wares behind.

They reached the shop and stood in front of the coffee table that served as a counter. Harmony tapped the bell on the table using her snake-tail.

"Yes, yes, I'll be right there!" a shrill voice called out somewhere far back into the shop.

Corinna heard the sound of wheels rolling along the smooth floor. It got closer and closer until an old woman's face peeked behind a shelf.

"Ah it's you!" the old woman beamed at Harmony, then, using her hands, propelled herself on the skateboard which her small body lied on, towards the counter. Her face then soured. "You!" She jabbed at the chimaera with a dinosaur claw-stick. "You didn't turn up for the last food drop-off! I had to trade with that princess instead! Your fault!" She jabbed the dinosaur stick at Harmony again, who stood towering over the small woman, scowling.

Whilst this was happening, Corinna stood awkwardly to the side, studying the trader, who she guessed to be in her sixties. Corinna flinched upon catching a glimpse of the woman's legs that was covered by a blue blanket. The skin was mottled with ripped tears, revealing red flesh and bone. Some of the skin sagged and folded, sticking to each other, causing both of her legs to be fused together. Without the ability to walk, the trader used a skateboard with a cushion taped to it to drag and roll her body where she needed to be.

"Can you believe that? Can you believe what she wanted!" the old woman continued, still venting to Harmony. "She almost took my entire stock of wisps! All of it! She wanted all of it- she almost did- and what did she give in return? Thirty food packets. Thirty! This month has thirty-one days. I could have starved. A whole day without eating. I could have starved!" She waved her hand. "So, you owe me one food packet- and you will give it to me for free."

Harmony folded her arms and growled.

"Yes, yes you will, you'll-" The trader paused, finally noticing Corinna, who was still staring at the old woman's legs. She covered them up with her blanket. "It was a monster who could spit acid," she explained, her voice now deep and flat. "Don't worry, they're not around anymore." She glanced back at Harmony.

Corinna apologised for staring, but the old woman interrupted her.

"Who's this?" The old woman eyed up Corinna head to feet. "A friend? You have a friend?" she asked the chimaera. "How did that happen? Did you threaten her? Did you threaten her to be your friend?"

Harmony snarled at the trader and sat down in front of the coffee table. On her whiteboard that hung around her neck, she wrote 'TRADE' and showed it to the old woman but was ignored.

"Come, come, get closer, my dear." The trader motioned with her hand to Corinna.

The young woman stepped up to the trader and shook her hand. "My name is Corinna Warren." She smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh why thank you, my dear." The old woman received the handshake with two hands and tightly squeezed the young woman's wrist. Her nails were short with dirt trapped underneath. "You can call me Ivette." Glancing back at Harmony, she shouted, "it is good to see that some people still have manners in the Abyss."