Today's Saturday Snippets theme is Taste so here are Cassandra and Marcellus on a trip to the supermarket in my latest work in progress, Lords of the Dark Fall - Marcellus by Candy Nicks. (Book Two of the Lords of the Dark Fall series) This is an unedited draft.
The brightly-lit supermarket hall paled in comparison with the great markets in his capital city of Brenna. What a soul-destroying experience to wander the sterile aisles devoid of scent and smell, the fruits and meats all neatly portioned and wrapped. To listen to the insistent sound laughing referred to as music. To follow the sheep-like tide of humanity to the place of payment.
“How do you live this boring life?” He hefted the shopping into the small boot of her car. Shoved the cart away.
“No, don’t do that.” Cassandra pointed to a small shelter, under which were parked more carts. “Park it over there and get the deposit back. And for your information, my life so far has been fulfilling and interesting. I have no complaints.”
“I mean this place. It has no…soul. Food should be bought with the senses. It should speak to us, seduce us with scent and taste. The markets on my world. I wish you could see them. So much colour and noise.” He raised his eyes to the gloomy sky hanging heavy above them. “Your world is so grey. No wonder everyone looks miserable.”
“Miserable? Well, it’s winter. Everything’s dead. But you wait, come next week they’ll be stringing fairy lights, singing carols and everyone will positively explode with jollity.”
“This is the festival of winter?”
“We call it Christmas here. I’ll explain it all to you sometime.” She took the cart herself, sensing he wasn’t about to demean himself to collect the small coin they’d used for its hire. Such trivial matters were beneath him. While waiting, he cracked the crusty loaf in half and tore off a bite. Utterly tasteless pap. The cheese fared better. Crumbly and sharp, he’d polished off the whole square by the time she returned.
Guiltily, he wiped crumbs from the corner of his mouth. “Tell me there is better fare to be had than this. I would feast with you, Cassandra. Celebrate our alliance in style.”
“Well, I’m fresh out of oxen,” if that’s what you had in mind. And if it’s colourful markets you’re missing, we’ll see plenty of those in the New Republic. Get in, it’s starting to rain.”
Lords of the Dark Fall, Book One Fabian will be available this spring. Book Two, Marcellus will follow shortly. I'm writing both of these together so I can get them out with only a short gap in between.
The brightly-lit supermarket hall paled in comparison with the great markets in his capital city of Brenna. What a soul-destroying experience to wander the sterile aisles devoid of scent and smell, the fruits and meats all neatly portioned and wrapped. To listen to the insistent sound laughing referred to as music. To follow the sheep-like tide of humanity to the place of payment.
“How do you live this boring life?” He hefted the shopping into the small boot of her car. Shoved the cart away.
“No, don’t do that.” Cassandra pointed to a small shelter, under which were parked more carts. “Park it over there and get the deposit back. And for your information, my life so far has been fulfilling and interesting. I have no complaints.”
“I mean this place. It has no…soul. Food should be bought with the senses. It should speak to us, seduce us with scent and taste. The markets on my world. I wish you could see them. So much colour and noise.” He raised his eyes to the gloomy sky hanging heavy above them. “Your world is so grey. No wonder everyone looks miserable.”
“Miserable? Well, it’s winter. Everything’s dead. But you wait, come next week they’ll be stringing fairy lights, singing carols and everyone will positively explode with jollity.”
“This is the festival of winter?”
“We call it Christmas here. I’ll explain it all to you sometime.” She took the cart herself, sensing he wasn’t about to demean himself to collect the small coin they’d used for its hire. Such trivial matters were beneath him. While waiting, he cracked the crusty loaf in half and tore off a bite. Utterly tasteless pap. The cheese fared better. Crumbly and sharp, he’d polished off the whole square by the time she returned.
Guiltily, he wiped crumbs from the corner of his mouth. “Tell me there is better fare to be had than this. I would feast with you, Cassandra. Celebrate our alliance in style.”
“Well, I’m fresh out of oxen,” if that’s what you had in mind. And if it’s colourful markets you’re missing, we’ll see plenty of those in the New Republic. Get in, it’s starting to rain.”
Lords of the Dark Fall, Book One Fabian will be available this spring. Book Two, Marcellus will follow shortly. I'm writing both of these together so I can get them out with only a short gap in between.
