A boy is standing at the counter of a bakery, watching the pounding rain. He hears something and moves past the ovens to the back door. His mother grabs a broom and slams open the door.
"I hate you brats from the Seam, always pawing through my trash!"
The boy shifts so he can see. His eyes land on the girl he fell in love with at age five.
"Do you want me to call the Peacekeepers on you?" The girl backs away, stunned and terrified. Hitting the apple tree, she shakes her head.
"Good!" his mother screams. She closes the door and moves to the counter, muttering obscenities under her breath.
The boy glances outside and sees the girl, at the foot of the apple tree, hunched over in the muck.
He backs away, his hand hitting two fresh-made loaves of bread. It's the best seller, the one with the raisins and nuts. Making a decision, he picks them up and puts them in the fire. Just as their crusts hit the flames, his mother comes in. Realizing what the boy had done, she hits him full-force across the cheekbone.
"I knew I didn't need another child!" she yells. "But noo, another little bundle of joy will do us good!" She opens the door wide.
"Feed it to the pig, you useless creature! No one decent will buy burned bread!" She pushes the boy out for good measure. He goes to the pig pen and starts to feed small, blackened parts to the animal. The bell rings in the front of the bakery, and the boy's mother walks towards the sound. Making sure the coast is clear, the boy throws both loaves of bread to the girl. When they land safely, he runs back to the bakery, a smile lighting up his bruised face.