It was packed in the centre of town when Lauralie and Drake arrived. The market was open today and there were many attractions and sights to take in. Money exchanged hands at stalls which had been set up outside the regular shops, stalls selling all kinds of things. One sold interestingly shaped helium balloons, another sold take-away snacks as well as little gifts and trinkets, and one was selling masks made of the most fabulous and colourful designs. Lauralie danced past stall after stall, eyeing up its merchandise, skipping past a figure wearing a plague mask, and sparing it only a glance. There were dream catchers and candles on one stall, another that sold all bags, one garden accessories, another did engravings. Lauralie fussed and hurried around the market, picking up everything she could get her hands on. She reached the end of the row of stalls, then turned back and started all over again. Trailing after her Drake followed patiently, feigning interest in the things she tried to show him.

‘Hey look a Ferris wheel!’ Lauralie suddenly called out excitedly.

Drake glanced at it, amazed by her short attention span.

‘That wheel is there every year’ he said in an exasperated tone.

‘I know. But I get so excited.’ She moved away from Drake and towards the Ferris wheel, weaving in and out of the crowd of people. ‘I keep forgetting how busy it gets’ Lauralie said to Drake, who was struggling not to lose her in the crowd as he followed behind.

The wheel was located very close to the town centre where the brothers would perform, but Lauralie and Drake’s progress moving through the ever thickening crowd was slow and tedious, especially when Lauralie stopped at every opportunity to look at everything. Her excuse was that she was attracted to things that shine. Little trinkets, cut glass in the shape of tiny animals, earrings with too many digits, she even found a silk scarf that sadly didn’t match her hair colour. Drake in turn would occasionally risk going off on his own to look at things that interested him, watches, shirts with brand names, she would find him soon enough as he never wandered far. It was easy enough to get lost with so many people around.

‘I told Alice I would meet her in the town centre’ Lauralie was saying. ‘She should be there somewhere. But we might need to get to higher ground to find her.’

The scene in the town was wonderful in all its bright colours. Closer to the centre near the Ferris wheel were tents of red and yellow, blue and white, and green and white. Some of them were hosting sideshows and stalls which featured games like the coconut shy, and others which involved rubber duckies.

Lauralie and Drake passed a merry go round on their way, with its insufferable and repetitive music. They paused again briefly and Drake bought each of them a toffee apple.

We’d better go meet your friend’ he said at last when they had finished. ‘She must be wondering where we are.’

‘Well’ Lauralie winked at him. ‘We would get a better view of the town from the Ferris wheel. She would be easier to find.’

‘How did I know you’d say that’ Drake smiled wearily.