Chapter 9: At The Market

its quite long, sorry

When we got to town, there weren't many people but this was usual.
"Sweets, sweets!" Beth chanted.
"No wait, I wanna visit the book shop and see if they have the book that I want to give to Andy."
Andy was my best friend. We'd met each other at secondary school and have been friends ever since. He was the best artist I'd ever seen and there was an art book, that I wanted to get him for his birthday.
Beth grunted but walked by my side patiently. The book shop was only a few blocks away from where we were. When we reached it there was a note on the door saying:
Be back at 3:00
Sorry for any inconvenience.

"Two hours until their back… I think." Beth said looking at her pink and purple watch.
"No two an a half," I countered pointing out her mistake. She frowned "sweets?"
The word seemed to lift her spirits. We walked along the cobbled stone road and standing behind the stall was an old tall, skinny man with a thin moustache. Not really someone you would look at twice but something didn't seem right.
"50p for two tubs of sweets." he had a weak Russian accent. I looked at Beth who was deciding what she wanted.
"Four tubs please." she said casually. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a pound coin. As I gave him the coin his hand touched mine sending me into a burning shock. I thrust my hand away an Beth looked startled. She didn't see the smirk that the man gave. His eyes looked deeply into mine as if he could see all my thoughts and dreams. I blinked, glaring at him angrily. I grabbed Beth's hand and took the pound back.
"Typical… of…" his last words were muffled so I couldn't hear them.

Beth trailed hopelessly after me. But it seemed I was walking to fast for her little legs.
"Beth, come on!" I half snapped turning back to look at her. She was stumbling through a crowd of people that had suddenly appeared out of no where. I could barely see her.
"Carmine!" Beth's voice shrieked
"Beth?" I replied back "Beth I'm coming!" I ran straight towards the middle of the crowd, barging passed masses of moving bodies. I noticed Beth on the floor holding herself. Someone dressed in a long black coat and a black bowlers hat, walked straight towards Beth. The figure stepped straight over her but kicking her in the leg hard. Anger was over flowing inside me. I started racing after the figure.
'no Carmine don't,' Violet's voice filled my head 'just get your sister and go! Don't get angry in public it can all fall from there, please Carmine go!'

I didn't listen, I ran faster after the figure until I was in reach to grab the collar of their coat. As I did I turned them round. A woman with bright red hair turned round by my force and hissed at me.
'Leave. Them. Alone. Carmine!' Violet urged from the inside of my mind 'just let them go and get Beth.'
This time I listened
"Sorry, I thought you were someone else." I lied apologetically
"Well you better be sorry," she replied hastily "I feel sorry for the person who you thought was me, treat people nicer, you pesky little girl."
"Don't kick my sister and I might!" I argued letting her go and storming away from her. Beth was looking at her leg.
"Are you okay?" I asked kneeling down and holding her tightly "I didn't mean to snap I'm sorry, how's your leg?"
"It's okay but I just want to go home." Beth whimpered a little, as I set her on her feet.

When we got home, I put some ice on her leg and left her on the sofa for rest.
"What happened, sweet?" mum said sympathetically.
I gestured my hand as a knife cutting across my throat, meaning to Beth not to tell what actually happened.
"I, er… tripped and landed awkwardly…" Beth replied looking at me. I nodded in response.
"Mum, I'm gonna go see if Andy's around," I partly lied, if Andy was around I would go see him and if he wasn't I would go see Violet or Ricky. "I'll be back around three, is that alright?"
"Sure, your dad and brothers have gone out fishing in the woods, so cross through there and you might see them!" mum went back to looking at Beth's leg.