The New Project

Cass yanked viciously at a weed struggling to take root in the hard, cracked soil. She flung it unceremoniously into the rattan basket, along with the other yellowing, shriveled weeds she had uprooted in this manner.

A biting breeze nipped reproachfully at the stray strands of hair that had fallen from her ponytail, whipping them across her face.

To her right a hefty woman with a dirty apron emerged from the shadows of the tumble-down shack. Brandishing a grimy soup ladle, she snapped, “Move your carcass, girl, and get me some vegetables for dinner. You better move it, you dimwit, or you’ll only get half your share of dinner, see if you don’t.” With that she sank back into the shadows once more.

“Yes, Ma. That’s right, I love you too,” Cass murmured under her breath. The weeds would have to die another day, she decided. She turned her attention to selecting the vegetable that looked the least wilted and debilitated (it was a tough call) and, after deciding on a rather doubtful cabbage, wrenched it from the rocky vegetable bed and trotted indoors.

As she was hastily picking the caterpillars from the heart of the cabbage, she heard a rasping voice call her name. It was Max. She went over and plopped herself down on the edge of his mattress, its indignant rusting springs squealing shrilly.

“Hiya, big brother! What’s going down?”

He rolled his eyes. “Your levels of sanity, that’s all. Gross, are we eating THAT for dinner. Just what my poor stomach needs, another bout of food poisoning.” He gripped his stomach and pulled a dramatic, martyred face. Cass giggled at drollness of it all.

“Oh be quiet, nobody here’s ever died of food poisoning. Because I am such a fantastic gardener.”

“There’s always a first.” Suddenly, Max’s mock seriousness turned genuine and he frowned. “Spots of yours still not going away?”

Cass pulled back her sleeve to reveal the dark pigmentation that flecked her thin arm. “Nope, but hey, so long as I wear long sleeves, I’m sure I won’t die an old maid,” she joked, winking cheekily.

“I’m serious. Perhaps we should call the doctor…”

“Yeah because Ma would so love to have me adding to her financial burden. It’s nothing, really! I’m sure it isn’t anything serious. Besides, I feel swell.”

Max sank back into his pillow and closed his eyes, clearly exhausted from the banter. “Whatever, man. Just saying.” And Cass knew this was her cue to get up and leave him to get some rest.

Poor Max, she mused. Surely he misses playing football with his friends, or just running around and smelling the fresh air. But ever since he (along with half of the village) had fallen ill and developed symptoms baffling to physicians far and wide during the mysterious epidemic the year before, Max had been confined to his bed 24/7, too easily tired to do anything else.

Having de-caterpillar-ed the cabbage during the time spent with her brother, Cass handed it over to her impatient mother. “Good grief what took you so long. I can’t trust you to do anything right. What is this, dying lettuce?”

“Cabbage, Ma.”

“Keep your nasty mouth shut. I can never trust you to do anything right. Just my luck to be landed with a daughter like you. Well dinner isn’t going to cook itself. I suppose you’ll just have to run down to the market and pick out something for the soup. Make sure you get your money’s worth, and do it right this time!”

“Yes ma’am.” Cass hurried from the kitchen, before her mother could notice the tears of frustration that swam in her eyes.

**Author's note: This is a new story I am trying out. It is quite long and with way more action that the previous ones. I'll probably only put up this chapter (If you want to read the whole thing, BUY THE BOOK WHEN I BECOME RICH AND FAMOUS), but if you guys like it maybe I'll throw in Chapter 2. Maybe...

All depends on the kind of reviews i get.