Sapling

damn foodshopping

Novica: We're here.
Loren: 'Course we're here. I know where the foodshop is, Novie. We come here every week, remember?
Novica: What's happened to it?
Loren: Oh... damn. I dunno. They can't pull the foodshop down too. Can they?
Novica: Um.
Loren: Oh... wait, they ain't pulling it down! They're just having it redone. I thought we were gonna have to find another foodshop to use.
Novica: Yeah, that's you in a nutshell. Always assuming the worst.
Loren: No I don't! Not always, anyway.
Novica: But most of the time. Remember when the doorbell rang last month for the first time in years, and you thought it was one of Mr Ling's servants come tell you they were repossessing our house?
Loren: Mmm.
Novica: And then it turned out it was just Mr Haughton from down the road come to wish you a happy birthday, Lorie. And congratulations on becoming an alderling. Not nothing bad at all, Lorie.
Loren: But it could have been.
[Loren and Novica walk through the automatic doors into the foodshop. The owner, Mrs Hidlump, greets them with a stony stare.]
Loren: Good morning, Mrs Hidlump!
["You have no business here," says Mrs Hidlump, smiling icily. "Therefore it is not a good morning, but a bad morning. Every morning you shop here is a bad morning."]
Novica: But, Mrs Hidlump, we do have business here! We're foodshopping cuz we run out. If we didn't have no food, we'd be dead, Mrs Hidlump, and I'm sure you don't-
[Loren puts a hand over her sisling's mouth before she can say anything. She gives Novica a meaningful look before smiling warmly at Mrs Hidlump and promptly apologising for her sisling's outburst.]
Loren: My most sincere apologies, Mrs Hidlump. I'm sure you know that my sisling Novica has behavioural issues and sometimes has difficulty controlling herself. Please forgive us. (Was my standard Lingish ok? Ugh, it's so hard to know what to say to Mrs Hidlump, 'specially now I gotta watch my grammar 'specially careful. Damn your airs and graces and standard Lingish, you disgusting woman! Damn, how I wish I could say that to her face...)
[Mrs Hidlump sniffs and does not answer. She looks back down behind the counter and begins to count her shop's cash. "Alderling ID?" she requests in a monotone.]
Loren: Yes, right away, Mrs Hidlump.
Novica: Lorie, I want to go home...
Loren! Don't be silly, we haven't even started shopping yet!
Novica: I don't like it here.
[As Loren fishes in her handbag for her alderling ID, she looks at her sisling-truly looks at Novica-for the first time since they left the house.]
Loren: Wait outside the shop, Novie. I promise I'll make it quick.
[Novica says nothing but she nods her head gratefully to her sisling, who nods and smiles in return. She then leaves the shop as Loren approaches Mrs Hidlump with her alderling ID.]
Loren: Here it is, Mrs Hidlump.
[Mrs Hidlump narrows her eyes and purses her lips at Loren, who pretends not to notice. She scans the card and sighs when it gives the satisfactory beep which means the ID is valid. "You and your sisling are a curse upon this town. Think about that when you're so innocently doing your foodshopping.]
Loren: I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about.
[Mrs Hidlump waggles her finger at Loren. "Mark my words, girl," she hisses. "When the Lings finally make the law, she'll be the first to go." Loren's heart is beating at an unhealthy speed but she manages to remain composed, and looks Mrs Hidlump in the eyes.]
Loren: I said, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about.
[Mrs Hidlump says nothing more but Loren can feel her acidic green eyes burning into her back as she disappears down the vegetable aisle, finally free to do her foodshopping.]
Loren: (Stupid, hurtful woman. I swear she don't got feelings, not a single one. Don't she know how rude it is to speak of it? And why does she hate us so much? She can't hate everyone. Other people who come in here to foodshop, she smiles at 'em, makes good conversation with 'em. Us? Not a damn chance. Me and Novie, we're not liked here.
Carrots. Yeah. I'll get some of those. Novie loves carrots. And some peppers, maybe. I don't got that much cash, but I reckon I can treat us to a couple of vegetables at least. Yeah. They'll last us the week. And I can get Novie a toy or something later in the week. Maybe a new notepad cuz her old one is bursting full of filled pages. Novie, I wanna make you like me more, and I'm sure giving you loads of things ain't gonna help that much, but everyone likes a gift.
I'll get a pack of beef. And maybe some pasta. We can have a pasta dish tomorrow. I'm glad Papling taught me how to cook a load of dishes when I was nine, cuz otherwise me and Novie'd be eating packet food all the time, and that's no good for us. Is Mrs Hidlump still watching me? I don't even wanna turn round.
And Novie? I hope she's waiting right outside like I told her to. What if she ran away? Oh, damn it, Loren, stop worrying. Novie's twelve now, and her behaviour problems aren't that bad. She's old enough to think clearly and make her own proper choices. She's not gonna run away. No. She'd never do that, just as much as I'd never run away from her. I love you Novie, I love-)
Novica: Lorie?
Loren: Novie! You gave me a shock! What's going on? Are you ok?
Novica: I'm fine. It's nothing. Just a man was smoking outside the foodshop and he swore at me and then said something to me that...
Loren: What? What did he say to you?
Novica: I'd rather not talk about-
Loren: No, Novie, this is important. I won't let you get talked at and stared at the way people talk at and stare at me. No. I won't have it. You tell me what he said to you, I'll go and give him a piece of my mind.
[Novica is quivering. She buries her head in her sister's coat. Loren looks really concerned, but she knows she is ready to fight.]
Novica: Well, first he said "Ye are" and then he swore, and then he said-he said-
Loren: You gotta tell me Novie. C'mon. I'll understand, whatever it is.
Novica: Then he said... "Ain't we all gonna be so glad when ye get sent outta town?"
[Novica begins to sob, and hugs her sisling tightly. At first Loren looks surprised, and then angry, but she makes sure not to direct her anger at Novica.]
Novica: Lorie, they gonna-they gonna-split us up and send me outta Ling? Are they actually gonna do that? Or was he just trying to scare me?
Loren: I don't know, Novie. I don't know.
Novica: You gotta know more 'bout this than me!
Loren: I know... a little.
Novica: Then tell me!
Loren: When we get home.
Novica: Lorie-
Loren: It's time you knew anyway, but not here. Mrs Hidlump can hear everything word we're saying, Novie. To tell you what I needa tell you we gotta have privacy.
Novica: Fine, Lorie, but what 'bout the man outside?
Loren: I'll deal with him. You stay inside. Can you hold my handbag?
Novica: Sure, but why-
Loren: I'll explain later.
Novica: Lorie!
Loren: I promise this'll only take a minute! Don't worry about me.
Novica: Don't worry 'bout you? Don't worry 'bout you?
Loren: Novie. I'll be fine.
[Loren gives her sisling a kiss on the cheek, gives Novica her handbag and hurries off out the foodshop. Novica's finger involuntarily goes up her face and hovers over the place her sisling's kiss landed. She resists the urge to call out again. Meanwhile, Loren finds herself face to face with a dirty-looking man, who has a cigarette in his hand. He looks up at Loren's approach and scowls at her.]
Loren: Now, I don't know who you are, but I'll tell you I don't appreciate your filling my sisling's head with nonsense. People don't talk to my sisling like that and get away with it.
[The man laughs, before swearing loudly at Loren. "Ye've got pluck, I'll give ye that," he tells Loren. "But it ain't nonsense. Ye know it. Everyone in this town knows it." He spits at her.]
Loren: Just cuz of Novica's behaviour problems? That hardly seems reason to-
[The man's eyes flash. "Not just cuz of that," he smirks. "Ye know what I'm talkin' 'bout. Ye ain't gonna get away with it, girl."]
Loren: Damn you! It happened two years ago, for goodness' sake, and nothing's been done 'bout it. There's damn all you can do 'bout it, anyways. And my sisling knows nothing 'bout it. I haven't told her yet. So you'd do well to stay away from her, and if you got any problems, come talk to me 'bout them, not her. (If you lay a finger on Novie again I swear I'll kill you)
["Ye just wait," the man threatens. "Ye just wait, and ye'll get yer what for. Yer sisling's just as guilty as ye are, whether she know 'bout it or not. Ye've contaminated her with what ye did." He swears again. "Well, begone with ye! Yer not wanted here. So ye better"-he swears-"off."]
Loren: I'll do what I damn well want. Which is to get back to my sisling, who you scared almost to death, and finish my foodshopping.
[The man sneers at Loren, and opens his mouth to say something else, but Loren puts up her hand.]
Loren: I said I'll do what I damn well want. You leave us alone. You ain't wanted here.
[Before the man can say another word, Loren quickly walks back into the foodshop. Mrs Hidlump glances at her and her upper lip twitches with the urge to say something rude, but Loren does not notice her, and walks straight past the counter. Her mind is focused on her sisling.]
Loren: (Novie? Novie? Where are you? Tell me you're still here. I'm sorry for abandoning you when you were so terrified, but some people are just... just monsters. I don't wanna teach you that Novie, but I feel like I gotta. I'm sure you don't wanna know it, but you gotta. Cuz it's true. Some people behave as damn horribly as monsters. Novie! Novie! There you are. I'm sorry Novie, I wanna shield you from people like that guy, but you're getting older and I'm getting stupider-I'm gonna stop thinking 'bout this, it ain't doing me no good.)
Novie! I was so worried-
Novica: You were worried? I was terrified! Why'd you leave me like that, Lorie? You told me off earlier for walking away, but you just did the same thing! Are you... are you ok?
Loren: I'm fine. It's all fine, Novie, now I can see you and you're ok and neither of us is dead.
Novica: 'Course I'm not dead! You were the one that was in danger.
Loren: We'll talk 'bout this later, Novie.
Novica: But Lorie-
Loren: Later, girl. C'mon. Let's go pay for the food, then we can get outta here. You got everything?
Novica: I got your handbag. And a carrot, a pepper, a packet of pasta, some beef, and I picked up a bar of chocolate for you, Lorie, cuz you been so brave protecting me.
[Novica hands Loren the food and the handbag, before squeezing her sisling's hand.
Novica: I'm sure you done good, Lorie.
Loren: I... yeah, let's go with that. I done good.
Novica: Sure you did.
[Loren and Novica walk back to the counter and pay for the food. Mrs Hidlump looks at them suspiciously but says nothing as she scans all the items. Novica hold Loren's hand tightly, reluctant now to ever let go of it again. After Loren has paid for the food in cash, Mrs Hidlump grunts at them. "You'll be back next week, I suppose?" she asks them grumpily.]
Loren: We need to eat, Mrs Hidlump.
["I swear to God," she vows, "one day I will close down my shop to people like you. And everyone will feel safe again, like they did before you two were born."]
Novica: (What's she talking 'bout, Lorie? How come no one likes us here? How come people don't feel safe around us? Lorie, I gotta know.)
Loren: (I can't tell Novie. No. I just can't. She'll get so scared, and cross, she might run away from me and the memory of what I did. But I gotta. She gotta know.) Well, until that day, Mrs Hidlump, I'm afraid you will have to put up with us.
["Yes, I'm afraid I will." Mrs Hidlump goes back to her counting. "I told you you are a curse on this town, and I mark my own words. No one may live in peace until you are dead."]
Loren: What a happy thought. Let's go, Novie.
Novica: I don't like you, Mrs Hidlump.
Loren: Novie!
Novica: But it's true, ain't it? And cuz you been so rude to us, I'm gonna be rude to you. I ain't gonna live in peace 'til you're dead.
Loren: Sorry, Mrs Hidlump, for my sisling. Novie, we're going.
[Mrs Hidlump looks up impatiently. "Oh, you don't need to apologise for her, Loren. I'm sure she means ever word."]
Loren: I know she does. I'm being polite. Is that such a bad thing?
Novica: Lorie?
Loren: Goodbye, Mrs Hidlump.
[Before her sisling can say another word, Loren drags Novica out of the foodshop. She breathes a sigh of relief to see that the man with the cigarette is gone. Then she begins to quickly walk in the direction of home, pulling Novica behind her. As soon as they are out of earshot of the foodshop, Loren explodes at Novica.]
Loren: Novie, why do you always have to embarass me when we're in there? You're just making her hate us even more.
Novica: I'm making her hate us? What 'bout you, with your damn sarcasm and damn standard Lingish and damn fights that you're picking all the time!
Loren: What did I tell you 'bout saying damn, Novica? Plus, I was protecting you, for goodness' sake. Mrs Hidlump is a horrible woman, and she deserves the sarcasm.
Novica: Well then she also deserves me telling her the truth, which is I don't like her. Lorie, I'm using the same logic as you!
Loren: No, Novie. You're horrible to Mrs Hidlump, and that makes you just as bad as her. That makes you horrible too, Novie.
Novica: Damn you and your stupid kindness principles!
Loren: Novie! I've had just about enough of you today! You don't damn your sisling. Aren't you at all grateful for all the things I do for you? Don't you care?
[Before Novica can reply, Loren closes her eyes and slowly counts to ten. Novica takes a deep breath and lets it out through her nostrils.]
Novica: You cooling down, Lorie?
Loren: Yes.
Novica: I cooled down too, just by taking a deep breath. I wasn't even expecting it to, but it works.
Loren: This ain't me. This ain't me.
Novica: What ain't you?
Loren: Me, shouting at you just for giving a horrible woman her what for. Maybe you were right with what you said earlier, Novie. Maybe I really am emotionally unstable.
Novica: Lorie.
Loren: I'm sorry, Novie.
Novica: No, what I was gonna say was you're fine. And I ain't gonna leave you again, 's long as you don't leave me again. Next time we see that man who was smoking or another guy like him, I'm coming with you.
Loren: I guess I can't stop you.
Novica: I guess you can't.
[Novica smiles at her sisling, and there is a moment of harmony between them. A moment of understanding.]
Loren: Oh, Novie. Novie.
Novica: What is it?
Loren: I gotta tell you. I'm gonna tell you. 'Soon as we get home, we're gonna sit down together in the kitchen, we're gonna share the chocolate bar, and I'm gonna tell you everything.
Novica: Why'd you hide it from me in the first place?
Loren: I wasn't sure if I could trust you, Novie. I wasn't sure how you'd react. I'm still not sure. You might throw a tantrum-actually, that's pretty damn likely-or you might even try to run away from me.
Novica: 'Course you can trust me. I told you, I ain't gonna leave you again, and 's far as I know that means I ain't gonna run away from you. And if I throw a tantrum... sorry in advance.
Loren: I knew I could rely on you, Novie.
Novica: Lorie, I know what you could do if you're too scared to tell me the thing.
Loren: Uh huh, what?
Novica: Pretend like nothing don't matter and then it'll be damn easily just to let it slip outta your mouth cuz nothing don't matter. Not how I react, not nothing.
Loren: That's a good idea, Novie. I can just pretend like we're on the water slide all over again.
Novica: Yeah, Lorie. Pretend that or else that you're in the wilderness with Papling.
Loren: Are you kidding? No, in order for myself to ever feel it again, I gotta be somewhere with you. If you ain't there, then something does matter, which is where you are, if you're safe, if you're loved.
Novica: Just forget 'bout me, then.
Loren: No. No, I can't. Let's just go with the water slide, how 'bout that?
Novica: Whatever makes you feel it, Lorie.
[The girls walk in silence for a few minutes, until Novica seems to remember something she wanted to ask her sisling.]
Novica: Lorie?
Loren: Yeah?
Novica: I don't know if you're gonna like what I'm 'bout to say, but I'll say it anyway. Y'know everyone in this town hates us?
Loren: Not everyone, Novie. But yeah. I know.
Novica: Remember we were talking on the way to the foodshop 'bout how Mr Haughton came on your birthday to say happy birthday?
Loren: Uh huh.
Novica: Well he don't hate us. I just got the feeling that he don't hate us. In fact loads of people don't hate us. They're just... scared of us.
Loren: I mean, that would make sense.
Novica: How come?
Loren: I told you Novie, I'll tell you everything when we get home.
Novica: Cuz this is what happened, Lorie. Mr Haughton rings the doorbell. We get really scared but you tell me you gotta open it whether you wanna or not. So we go, you open the door and there he is. And he's shaking, Lorie, he's actually shaking, like he's damn terrified of us.
And he tells you happy birthday, Lorie. Now we know it ain't no one bad, you're recovered, and you invite him in for lunch. He's still shaking. He says no, but so politely, so politely. He seems so sorry for not being able to come in but at the same time he's really scared.
I say hello and he says "You must be Novica" and I put out my hand for him to shake but he backs away from me, like I got some kinda disease. It makes me feel sick. And then he says goodbye, still so polite, and he walks off. And I feel... I dunno what I feel.
Loren: People are people, Novie. They listen to gossip, listen to rumour, and they damn well act accordingly. Mr Haughton's got a good soul, but like the rest of 'em, he listens to gossip and rumour, and it stops him doing what he really wants to.
Novica: But what gossip? What rumour?
Loren: I told you Novie-oh, never mind, we're here.
Novica: Huh. About time. I waited long enough.
Loren: Home sweet home.
Novica: Home sour home.
Loren: I'm gonna ignore that - get outta the way Novie, you're blocking the door.
[Novica steps away from the door. Loren fumbles in her handbag for her keys and, finding them, unlocks the door. Novica immediately collapses in the hall, while Loren gently closes the door and locks it again. With a heaving sigh she sets down the foodshopping against the wall. Novica glances at it, and scowls.]
Novica: Damn foodshopping.
Loren: Damn foodshopping is right, Novie.
Novica: I don't wanna go foodshopping never again. I'd rather die than set eyes on Mrs Hidlump ever again. She's a witch.
Loren: She sure is the witchiest person I've ever met outside of fairytales.
Novica: Maybe we're all in a fairytale, Lorie.
Loren: Maybe.
Novica: And we're the heroines.
[Loren gives a little, sad laugh.]
Loren: I doubt that, Novie. More likely the people of the town are the heroes and heroines, and we're a force that needs to be defeated. And of course, the fairytale ends with our defeat.
Novica: But none of that's true, is it? We ain't the bad guys, and they're not gonna defeat us.
Loren: Well, we ain't the bad guys, that's true. We're just... misunderstood. But the other thing you said, that probably ain't true.
Novica: They're gonna defeat us?
Loren: Almost for sure. We're just two girls 'gainst the Lings' boundless power.
Novica: The Lings don't got boundless power.
Loren: Oh yeah, they do.
Novica: We're gonna die?
Loren: Oh no, we're too precious to die.
Novica: Damn it. That's a shame. I'd rather die than whatever else'd be in store for us, I'm sure.
Loren: Me too. Oh Novie, I'll tell you, I'll force it outta myself. You gotta know the truth.
Novica: Yeah, tell me the reason for this fairytale fight.
Loren: I will. I will. Come on into the kitchen, Novie, and I'll tell you everything. Now, where'd I put that chocolate bar?