โThis is ridiculous!"
Her failed attempt not to flinch seemed to only encourage the enraged man as the bass was slapped down on the counter before her.
"You're delusional if you think I'm gonna pay that much for one lousy bass!โ
Well... that's half true. I suppose I am a little delusional... she mused, waiting miserably for the man to finish his ranting and raving. She should have made sure he had properly read the prices before scaling and deboning it. She rubbed her thumb along the slimy handle of her cutting knife, staring at the 'Be a Legend!' pin the man was wearing on his vest.
A legendary pain... she half smiled to herself.
Oops."You think this is
funny, fishwife? Are you even listening to me? I DEMAND you give me a fair price for this fish!"
Felicia stifled a yawn as she glanced over the boothโ several fish were laid out to sell as well as a few of her specialty lures. The fish prices were indeed high. Normally Felicia would be ashamed, but with the major supply and demand problem that had been going on at Lake Hylia latelyโฆ she had little choice. Sheโd already been verbally attacked for closing her fishing pond to the public due to so many people taking advantage of it. If sheโd kept it open one more week, Felicia was certain it would have become nothing more than a large, barren, oversized puddle. She stifled yet another yawn.
"
I'm really sorry, sir, but I can't do that. This is the cheapest price I can afford to sell them at," she said, looking gloomy as ever.
Perhaps it was pity or perhaps the man was simply tired of arguing. He slid 120 rupees across the counter and sighed loudly. "This is gonna be my last fish for a loooong time," he grumbled, not looking her in the eye as she wrapped it up in paper and handed it to him. She frowned, blinking irritably as he walked away. He didn't
have to buy it.
Linda, the enthusiastic young teen sheโd hired to help, gave her a concerned sideways glance as she tried to make the prices sign more visible, โAre you alright, miss? You look crazy tired. Are you tired?โ
The answer was yes without a doubt. The luxury of a good nightโs sleep had once again eluded her. Felicia felt certain that her mind was really coming undone now. Every night for the last monthโ the same voice. The same message. And the same inexplicable feeling in her gut that told her not to ignore it.
โ
Iโm fine,โ Felicia muttered, absentmindedly scratching her shoulder. Linda shot her a doubtful look, to which Felicia attempted to reassuringly smileโ something she really appeared to be getting rusty at doing. The disturbed creasing of Lindaโs brow only seemed to confirm this. โ
Anywaysโฆ why donโt you go ahead and take a look around before it gets really busy and prices start to go up. Iโll take the first shiftโฆ. Hey Kamo!โ
Felicia called to a young, skinny, dark haired man staring up at the sky and leaning up against her cart, which was a ways behind all the stalls where most of the vendors were instructed to leave them. โ
Do you want to check out the booths with Linda?โ The boy glanced at his pretty blue-haired coworker before quickly shaking his head no and turning away. Felicia noticed the slightest trace of red in the boyโs ears, but said nothing, simply turning back to Linda. โ
Go ahead,โ she shrugged, to which Linda thanked her gleefully and absconded to see the many wares.
Felicia took a seat in the shade behind her booth, drumming her fingernails on the counter just behind the sign that read โFRESH FISH! Only 50 rupees for a small!โ Kamo soon joined her, sitting as still and quiet as ever, as they watched the crowd begin to thicken.
โA lot of people collect things as a hobby,โ Kamo commented suddenly as he and Felicia observed a spindly woman towing a resentful young green-clad lad behind her whilst she attempted to purchase what looked like a very expensive plate. โMe, I just like to sit and gaze up at the night sky. That's all the hobby I need."
โ
I canโt wait for this day to end either,โ Felicia responded, well accustomed to her employeeโs cryptic manner of speech. With the setting of the sun, perhaps Felicia would finally be able to sleep through the night for once in a long while. She didnโt need anything else enhancing the dark circles underneath her eyes.
That was when it happened. Like the chiming of a bell, but in voice form, she suddenly leaned forward in her seat, her eyes unfocused as it filled her mind, blocking out all thought.
ยขฯะผั ัฯ ัะฝั gัฮฑฮฝััฮฑัโ.
ยขฯะผั qฯ
ฮนยขะบโั.
ัฮนะผั ฮนั ฯฦ ัะฝั ััััฮทยขั....
Kamo gave her a slight look of concern as she stood up suddenly. It seemed her day was only just beginning.