A Talk Under the Sun
The sun was so warm. Warm and absolutely blinding. It hurt Malik’s eyes to stare into its raze and yet he couldn’t stop staring. He’d never been so close to it before! It almost felt like he could reach out and touch it! Which was just what he did, reaching out both of his arms and coating them under the bright light.
“Isis! Look!” he chirped brightly. “The surface is so bright!”
Isis was less in awe and more riddled with anxiety. “Malik, we don’t have much time--!” she huffed as soon as she closed the trap door to the tombs. “We need to make this trip quick!”
Malik’s happiness dampened a little at that reminder. “I know...” he sighed before turning to face his sister. “You know where the market is, right?”
Isis gave a nod and reached out her hand for Malik to take. “Stay close to me and don’t run off!” she said sternly.
“Okay!” Malik replied, honestly only half listening to her. His mind was already racing with thoughts of the exciting things he’d get to see at the market.
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It was a twenty minute trek under the hot sun before Malik would reach the market. For a place so isolated from modern cities, it was still bustling with people.
Malik’s eyes were wide with curiosity and excitement. He tugged sharply on Isis’s hand. “Isis! Isis! Look!” he exclaimed, pointing at colorful woven tapestries left out on display. “They’re so pretty!”
Isis smiled softly at her brother’s excitement.
Soon, Malik was the one pulling her along through the street. Every so often, he’d stop and gaze in awe at an object he’d never seen before.
“Is that a radio?!” he asked loudly to his sister when he caught sight of one. “That was in one of my books, right?” He was certainly turning heads, but it was nothing too out of the ordinary. “It sounds like it’s making music!” He was practically bouncing on his feet.
“Malik, keep it down!” Isis chastised.
The young child turned a corner and skid to a halt when he noticed another boy up ahead. What was most peculiar about this child was his very pale skin and white hair. He almost looked divine, like someone sent down from the Gods themselves.
Malik gawked in silent fascination before abruptly letting go of Isis’s hand and weaving between the groups of pedestrians to get to the boy’s side. He idly heard his sister yell for him, but he was far more focused on getting closer to the stranger.
Once he finally did, he lit up with a smile. “Hi!” he greeted with a wave. “I like your hair.” All of this was said in Arabic. It didn’t occur to him that the stranger would possibly not be able to understand him.
@hostofthering













