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By: Kate McMillan

Sandra led her little dog down the road from her house to the town. There wasn't much to look at, just a few cacti and the occasional tumbleweed. Though drought had taken away the clouds, the humidity was unbearable and Sandra thought she was going to vomit from the thick air that was choking her.

In town, the market was going on, and later there was to be a celebratory festival. The township of Peachley was not pretty any more, but the residents had their spirit. There was always a festival or party, and if not that, then a gathering of sorts at the town hall. The only person never to join in was Mr Garth. He lived in the woods, in an old shack and harboured negative feelings towards everyone but his cattle. He had never married and thank the Gods he had never had kids. Mr Garth shot at anything that tried to enter his yard. Even the children knew to leave him alone. Occasionally he came to town in order to purchase razors and the like, but verbal intercourse was brief. Sandra's mother told her that she'd do well to steer clear of folk like Mr Garth, but if approached she should be courteous just the same.

Sandra returned from the market with enough strawberries, cheese and wine for the week, even though she'd be back later. No need to make her way home at night, overburdened with groceries. She put the cheese in the strawberries in the cooler and the wine in the hold, then went outside. Art
was already there with his tail wagging. "Come on Art, let's us go for a swim." They went to the stream at the bottom of the hill.

Sandra picked up Art as they walked by the stalls. A cute boy offered her a fairy floss on a stick, which she graciously accepted. She slipped him a cheeky grin with "I'll be back later" and blended into the crowd. Sandra always needed more models for her paintings and photographs, and this boy would suit a work she had planned for some time. The work was to capture the light and dark, good and bad, polar opposites of everything- she needed a model to be dressed on one side with an angel wing, the other side with a black wing and talons. This guy could be made to suit, what with his build.

The trio walked to the outskirts of the moderately crowded marketplace. The bipeds wandered slowly with Art nipping at their heels, pausing from time to time to smell a spot of ground. "So what's a city-type like you doing hanging out around here? I haven't seen you around before." She said. "My Aunt lives out here. Apparently I'm a bit of a handful, what with my liking of museums and libraries and such. Mum doesn't want a nerd for a son, so she sent me out here, hoping I'll turn into a sports-obsessed meat head. "

"Oh."

"Yeah. Mum was a popular kid in school, and as her only descendant apparently I'm a letdown."

"You seem fine to me."

"Meh. What about yourself?"

"I've been here since I was about eight. I don't remember much before then."

"Ok." There was a brief silence.

"Let's go for a walk."

Back towards the market, John bought them both some ice cream with hard candies in it.

"This is really sweet" Sandra commented. John mumbled. Sandra laughed. Art barked and pulled on the leash.

"I think he wants to go off on his own" John chuckled. Sandra unsnapped the leash from Art's collar and he went off to a toy stall. A few minutes later, Sandra was looking for Art. John had to go back to work for another two hours. She wandered back to the toy stall and found Art curled up beside a large, fluffy dog toy. She gently prodded Art with her finger and he opened both eyes with one eyelid going higher than the other. Sandra giggled.

"Let's go home." Art looked at the dog toy with pleading eyes.

"Oh alright." Sandra paid for the stuffed animal and went to wait for John.

"Butterfree, use Confusion!" Sandra was watching Pokemon on her laptop when John found her.