Member-only story
Annat sat with a dull demeanour outside her home, she was the heaviest woman in the neighbourhood with nothing to do the whole day, much like the rest, since the invasion of the city by the Malria’s. She wasn’t just heavy physically but also held the unquestionable repute to be the city’s champion backbiter, gossiper and slanderer. No one escaped her tongue-lashing, but all these qualities created an artful skill where people got drawn to her as well. Why, because there wasn’t much to do around and she had the best and the latest news on everyone. Married to an even grumpier husband who ran a butcher shop in the morning and a busy tavern at night, she got to see very little of him. Her two children, both crippled were her only companions and the daily visitors coming in to discuss their ailments and news, kept her company. Someone once said that a lot of problems would disappear if we talked to each other instead of about each other, but what can one do when there’s not much to talk about? Guess no one ever told Annat that if one has nothing nice to say then don’t say anything at all.
The town used to brim with activity once and then with the passing times and the cowardice of its people, fell into the hands of the enemy. They used to fight valiantly and then laziness started creeping in and so did wealth, yes, a lot of wealth entered into the life of these sedentary people who once took pride in their simple ways of life.
Zobel had to pass by Annat’s house and even if he ran, she would have called out to him, he was after all at the top of the slandering food chain, a failed warrior bringing shame to the whole village. Surprisingly, he was able to cross to the edge of her overgrown garden when he heard the shriek of her crippled son. This boy used to lie in his bed the whole day and croon to some unknown being, without functional legs and movement in just one hand he didn’t have any utilization, just like his sister next to him. But what he missed physically he made up by absorbing the happenings of the surroundings. Informing his mother about Zobel’s sudden appearance would make him look grandiose in front of his mother, even for a few moments.
“Maa, Maaa, Maaaaa!”, he yelped and yelled at the top of his voice, almost losing balance, and tripping off the wooden bed.
