The Questions Unasked

The next store also had barely any customers inside. Security guard didn't even look at the rare pair, too busy solving his crossword. Sally was worried for a moment that the space between shelves might be too tight for her, but it was a large store, so she fit everywhere easily. Andreas was pushing the cart and putting the future possessions inside.

"I'm still overwhelmed by the amount of thing in your stores. All of that available for purchase, for people. And the luxuries, like, some of those things look like they should be way more expensive."

The Lamia was inspecting a shiny - but ultimately unimpressive - can with beans. Andreas took it from her hands and put it in the cart.

"The luxuries definition shifted in like last century to other expensive things." He began to explain. "What was once a rare and unavailable for masses started to be mass produced." Voigt was holding a pack with some shrimps before deciding to put them away.

"And what is expensive now?"

She asked while almost lying on the floor reaching towards the very bottom shelf. She was trying to choose between two different brands of packed pasta, with the only real difference between them being a price.

"Rare stones and metals turned into ornaments. Some diamonds, or diamond rings, chains, bracelets cost even more than my house. Also, houses. If you own the house, not rent it, that's basically like having a treasure on it's own in current age."

The Lamia finally chose.

"Can you help me get up?" Andreas did lend her a hand so she could stand up again. "Thanks, I didn't want to damage any of the shelves when trying to do that on my own."

"So what are luxuries in the world you came from?"

Andreas asked, putting even more small, but important kitchen things into the cart. He couldn't believe this morning he ran out of baking powder, so he planned to stock high on it again.

"I suppose aristocracy owns most of the things, but that's a given. They didn't work for it, they just got it from kings. Or where born with it..." She stopped moving, and was thinking about the answer hard.

Andreas almost ran into her with a cart, but he managed to stop and go around her just in time.

"People."

"People?" Voigt raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Slavery is a sign of either an ultimate poverty, or being rich to the point where you can afford to buy someone's life."

Andreas shook his head.

"I..." He started, but chose to not continue the thought.

"What? If you have something to say on the matter, just tell me."

Andreas looked her in the eyes.

"It's not my place to judge or comment about your world."

She wasn't satisfied with the answer, but dropped the subject. It was clear for her that Andreas didn't want to talk about it

With a cart full of groceries they moved to the cash register. The process of scanning all of the products was slow, and Sally was observing every move of the cashier. When it came the time to pay, Andreas had his credit card ready, so paying for everything was nice and easy.

On the way out each of them carried a bag full of bought stuff.

"It's still hard to wrap my head around the fact that you have all your money on that piece of plastic."

She commented on the way out.

"Not all of it. Just a fair bit."

"How does it even work?"

Andreas shrugged.

"I truly don't know. I think it has something to do with the internet, but I don't know how exactly."

She nodded, and smiled. He responded in similar fashion. That's it, she thought. They were alone, in relatively good spirits, and going in the same direction, so none of the had any real reasons to just interrupt the conversation and run away. The only thing that was making this moment imperfect, were the loud noises coming from the cars with sparkling blue lights on top of them.

Sally opened her mouth to speak, to ask and explain a few things she had on her mind and soul. To tell him that she can't stop thinking about him. To confess...

"We should hurry up." He said before she could even opened her mouth.

"Why?"

"All those police cars are heading towards our home!"

He popped a pain killer for the future pain, grabbed a bag from her, and started to jog with those. The Lamia was doing her best to keep up.

Andreas had a very bad feeling about what was going on at his house.