Page 51 - The Muse 2019-20 Issue

“That was a decision they made a long time ago, G. The white houses reflect the bright sun and prevent the planet from absorbing its heat. We don’t want to make the same mistakes as the people before us.” Her mom went pale for a second.
“People before us? What do you mean!?” Gianna asked.
“It’s nothing, G. Don’t mention it,” she said, hesitantly knowing that she had made a mistake. “I always hear you adults talking about them, and I don’t know who they are. Anyways, what’s
there for dinner tonight?” Gianna asked, looking around.
“A green salad with fresh veggies and some algae incorporated in the vinaigrette,” her mom replied.
This was Gianna’s favorite meal. The dark green leaves, bright red tomatoes along with the sweet orange carrots that slowly rose from the garden beds and the weekly mix of random veggies made this meal her favorite. Just thinking about the salad dressing made her mouth water. The nutritious algae and proteins hidden in it made her grow like the beautiful vegetables outside.
“You know, Mom,” she said chewing through a piece of avocado, “I sometimes think of us like vegetables.” She pushed her fork down into a tomato and continued, “We take in the protein and nutrients from the ground and as a result, we grow!”
“I’ve never thought of it like that, G. It’s cool isn’t it?”
Just like the thrift store, Gianna thought smirking.
She cleared the table and helped her mom put everything back in its place like always. Then she
went to her room.
She couldn’t stop pondering what she had learned that day in class. History was her all-time
favorite subject. It fascinated her. The thought of studying past events intrigued her. She lay down in her bed thinking of the Twin Towers and what the people inside were doing when it all went down. How bad she had felt for all of them. Their families left without a member, like a hive without bees. Phew, she thought. Gianna knew terrible atrocities like that could never happen where she lived. She went to sleep peacefully and felt thankful for such a great government.
Gianna woke up the next day and followed her usual routine. She brushed her teeth, then took the compost outside, mixing it with the fertile soil. She loved how everything was a continuous cycle in life. She then went to the garden beds and harvested the fruits that she would later eat for breakfast. She went back inside and prepared her meal.
“Mom, where’s the milk?” she shouted. “Do we have to make more?”
“Nope! There’s some in the fridge on the left-hand side next to the condiments,” she shouted back.
Gianna loved the smooth nutty taste of the milk made from the almonds fresh off the trees in her yard. She poured herself a glass along with a bowl of fruit and got ready for school. When she finished, she took her bike and left for class.
“Bye, Mom!” she shouted as she left.
School had ended and she biked all the way to the thrift store where she found Mitch at the desk as always. The door chimes made a sweet melody as she opened the door.
“Hey, Mitch!” she said with enthusiasm.
“What’s up, kid?” he replied.
“Nothing much, although school was amazing today!” She walked through the stores looking at
the coats that were hung on some racks. “What a cool vest!” she said. Neon sequins covered the whole back part spelling out rockin’. She kept on walking and stared at a display of books that were locked in a display case. StarWars, 1984, and The Age of Miracles.
“Mitch, why are all of these books locked in this case?” she asked him.
“I don’t know, kid. I’ve never found the key and don’t expect to either. Those are the only copies in the whole town.”
“Can you open it?” Gianna wanted to read those books so bad for some reason. She wished they weren’t locked in that display case. She tried to see if she could somehow open the glass case. She tried pulling the glass, but It didn’t budge.
“Were you not listening? I don’t have the key,” he said impatiently. “You shouldn’t be touching that case anyways.”
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