Pinar pushed the shop-door open and sauntered inside, followed by Prya. A little bell tinkled and they were greeted by the smell of fresh baked goods. The teenager behind the counter looked up at them, dusting flour off his hands.

"You came," he said, sounding mildly surprised.

"Of course we did," Pinar tossed her long red hair, turning on her lazy charm. "We promised we would."

"Ah, so you did. Well, thanks. Business is slow today. I've been very bored. Honestly, it's-"

"Oh, we can chat for a few minutes," Prya tucked a strand of her own vivid hair behind her ear. "If you want to."
The boy grinned. "If you want to know what time I get off work, I-"

"Tomorrow." Pinar interrupted. "What time tomorrow?"

"Three."

Prya bit her lip. "Oh. That's only an hour before the festival starts. We haven't been in this town for long, and we wanted to see how they celebrate!"

"I've lived here all my life. Say, I could show you around. I know which sales are the best, stuff like that."

"Would you really?" Pinar wore an expression of utmost gratitude.

"That's so sweet of you." Prya smiled.

"See you at three, then." He responded, pleased. The boy watched the two girls leave. He never saw the third.

As soon as the door closed behind them, they burst into laughter.

"What a simp!" Prya scoffed.

"He didn't see you, did he?" Pinar turned a withering glare on their third companion.

"No," She assured them, holding up a paper bag. She had the same cloud of red hair, but was much smaller and thinner, and her voice still had quite a bit of squeak to it.

"Give me that," Pinar hissed, snatching the bag. She opened it and peered inside at the warm, buttery rolls and quarter-loaf of freshly baked bread.

"But Pinar, you promised I could have some this time!" The child protested, grabbing the older girl's arm.

"You will!" Pinar slapped her hand away. "Just be patient, you little brat. Besides, you ate the most of all of us yesterday."

"I did not. You didn't give me any yesterday, or the day before that, or-"

"You're lying! You're just trying to make sure you get more than the rest of us tonight, too! That's what you said last night!"
"It was true last night, too!" the girl insisted.

"Stop lying, or you won't like what I do to you." Pinar threatened, her blue eyes flashing with contempt.

"I just want something, anything at all…"

"And you'll get it, like you always do."

"I do not! And this time I even helped steal it!"

"What are you talking about? Your job was to stand there and look hungry while Prya and I convinced him to give it to us."

Prya glared at her. "We wouldn't ever steal bread, you nasty little trickster."

"Are you crying?" Pinar asked in disgust.

"No," the child whimpered miserably, turning away to hide her tears. It was useless to protest. Pinar would always insist that things had been one way when she knew quite well that it had been another. That her youngest sister had had plenty to eat when she knew that they hadn't given her anything all week. She had learned better than to fight them for it. Pinar was seventeen, and much, much bigger than she was. They had beaten her before, and she was in no mood to try it again.

When they reached the cave where their other five sisters were waiting, she waited patiently as Pinar divided up the portions among her sisters, finally casting aside the bag and taking a last bite out of a core that had once been an apple.

The little girl eagerly picked up the bag, then frowned in disappointment. "There's none for me!"

Prya scowled at her ferociously. "You've already had your portion! Don't you come back here begging for more! We all saw you wolfing it down."

Tal crossed her arms. "Not to mention that Pinar gave you the biggest portion. We're all hungry, but do you hear us complaining?" the others nodded in agreement.

Pinar shoved her youngest sister into the mud.. "Don't you dare pretend you haven't had any so that you can get more! You're the dirtiest little liar I've ever met!"

"Please," she begged, "I'm hungry!"

Pinar hurled the apple core at her. It hit her in the eye and fell on the ground. The girl picked it up, trembling, then carefully brushed the dirt off of it and hid behind a rock to gnaw on it hungrily. She ate it down to the last seed before licking the juice off her dirty fingers. It eased the pain in her stomach, but only a little. Hopefully it would be enough until they actually fed her again. That was how she had to survive this. A little bit at a time.