Sanctuary Uprooted

As weekend sunlight steadily warmed city roofs, strains of traffic mingled with chatter spilling about in the farmer's market. In an economy flat right above the fruit stall, the new tenant Adri watered her lily. With dry hands darkened brown with moisture, she sprinkled the remnants of her cup onto the leaves. 

Adri smiled, content in an oasis of familiarity. The lily looked good—almost as radiant as it had been in her village. Her doorbell buzzed, blaring two times more as she wiped her hands and walked to open the door. Despite having texted her that he'll be late due to traffic, her boss had arrived early.

With a pet carrier in one hand and tins of cat food in the other, he peeked through her doorway, and promptly walked in. "Beautiful morning, Adri. How are you? Ah, thank you so much for taking Mia for the weekend! I've got her food, don't worry. Tuna or Salmon, you decide. I couldn't!" He chuckled as he gave her the tins.  

"Thanks, yessir I will. Hullo, Mia." Adri smiled as she took the pet carrier. Her boss grinned. "Oh, just call me Rohan, dear."   

Adri set everything down on the table. "Yessir, Rohan. Sorry. That I live a little further away than expected," she said while ushering him to take a seat. Rohan shook his head and laughed. "Aha, it's totally fine! I would've entrusted a neighbour, you see, but I don't really know them." He tilted his head, and tugged at his moustache. "We never talk, in fact. But who needs neighbours when you have a trusty employee?" He winked, straightened, and looked around, suddenly aware of how small and bare her room is. 

"So have you moved in well?" he asked.

Adri started. The grief of losing her home began welling up again. "Ah, I guess so." her mouth replied.

"Good, good. What about your family? Have they found jobs yet?"

Adri saw landslides thundering, churning her village's river into a murky brown.
"They're still...acclimating to city life, sir." The air felt thick enough to slice with a knife.

Rohan didn't seem to notice. "Well, if I remember correctly, you're from Riverod?"

Yes. She nodded. 

"Beautiful place. But thoughts and prayers to you and your family" he added, shaking his head. "A tragedy. The indigenous sanctuary got demolished, for a...what was it. Real Estate?" 

Tractors clanked louder in Adri's ears. She shrugged.

"But on the bright side, you've managed to secure a job with us!" Rohan smiled. I don't know many indigenous people with qualifications. Bad government, bad education. What to do? 

"Mhm." Her lilies torn up, along with the rambutan trees. Sawdust and dirt whirled and speckled her vision.

Rohan rumbled on. "But anyways, what a coincidence! I'm actually off to Riverod to glamp, you know, get in touch with nature. Who knows? The company might go-

Adri found her room becoming smaller, suppressed, and she looked out the window, only to find more concrete blocks suffocating her view.

The room shrunk so much it squeezed, hard. And so Adri looked out the window, her lily framed against it — only to find more concrete blocks suffocating her view. 

Boss shifted his feet, and coughed "-would you look at the time! So sorry, but my family is waiting. Thank you again, love!" and strode out the door

thinking about the streams and clean air, vegetables that do not taste like chemicals 

Her lily looked limp, she thought.

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As weekend sunlight steadily warmed city roofs, strains of traffic mingled with chatter spilling about in the farmer's market. In an economy flat right above the fruit stall, the new tenant Adri watered her lily by the window. With dry hands darkened brown with moisture, she sprinkled the remnants of her cup onto the leaves. 

Adri smiled, content in an oasis of familiarity. The lily looked good—almost as radiant as it had been in her village. Her doorbell buzzed, blaring two times more as she wiped her hands and walked to open the door. Despite having texted her that he'll be late due to traffic, her boss had arrived early.

With a pet carrier in one hand and tins of cat food in the other, he peeked through her doorway, and promptly walked in. "Beautiful morning, Adri. How are you? Ah, thank you so much for taking Mia for the weekend! I've got her food, don't worry. Tuna or Salmon, you decide. I couldn't!" He chuckled as he gave her the tins.  

"Thanks, yessir I will. Hullo, Mia." Adri smiled as she took the pet carrier. Her boss grinned. "Oh, just call me Rohan, dear."   

Adri set everything down on the table. "Yessir, Rohan. Sorry. That I live further away than expected," she said while ushering him to take a seat. Rohan shook his head and laughed. "Aha, totally fine! I would've entrusted a neighbour, you see, but I don't really know any." 

Rohan tilted his head, and tugged his moustache. "We never talk, in fact. But who needs neighbours when you have a trusty employee?" He winked, straightened, and looked around, suddenly aware of how small and bare her room is. 

"You moved in well?" he asked.

Adri started. The grief of losing her home welled up again. 

"Ah, I guess so." her mouth replied.

"Good, good. What about your family? Have they found jobs yet?"

Adri saw landslides thundering, churning her village's river into a murky brown.
"They're still...acclimating to city life, sir." The air felt thick enough to slice with a knife.

Rohan didn't seem to notice. "Well, if I remember correctly, you're from Riverod?"

“Yes.” She nodded. 

"Beautiful place. But thoughts and prayers to you and your family" he added, shaking his head. "A tragedy. Demolishing an indigenous sanctuary, for a...what was it. Theme park?" 

Tractors clanked louder in Adri's ears. She shrugged.

"But hey, you've a job with us!" Rohan smiled. I don't know many indigenous people with qualifications. Damn government. Bad leadership, bad education, right? 

"Mhm." Her herbs, torn up along with the rambutan trees. Sawdust and dirt whirled and speckled her vision.

Rohan rumbled on. "But hey, what a coincidence! I'm actually off glamping in Riverod, you know, get in touch with nature. Who knows? The company might go-

The room shrunk so much it squeezed, hard. And so Adri looked out the window, her lily framed against it — only to find more concrete blocks suffocating her view. 

Her lily looked limp, she thought.