Shadra Ashen ducked to avoid a tall storm trooper and tried her best to not stare at his dark visor. Once he was out of view, she ran as fast as she could to the small apartment-like building that she called home, which also housed multiple other families.

 She climbed up the dwindling old stairs at the edge of the building. And there, as always, stood her small, neglected house.

But to her--and her family--this was their meaningful, unkempt home. 

 Even though small cement bricks were chipped out near the front of the door, and a dying plant's--which they tried, but failed, to grow food with--yellow green leaves were splayed all over their door floor, this house would always have a special place in her heart.

She hollered to her children as she pushed the wooden door open. They came rushing toward her like a stampede of hungry animals.

"Dinner is served!" she cried, revealing a bag full of grubs, apples, bread, and meat. 

"You stole that."  a dry voice chastised Shadra. 

Shadra wished that Isileo would just start to understand the key to survival. Her son was always thinking of others, never caring about his own needs.

"Isileo. How many times do I need do tell you this? You have to eat, whether it's stolen food or not."

He replied in a sarcastic manner, "And what if I don't?"

Shadra gulped silently, "Then... you'll starve and die."

A chorus of gasps followed as her other two children--Peyala and Kiaaim, twins--stared at their mother, distressed.

"But." she continued, not wanting to scare her younger kids, "if you eat, then that won't happen."

The sisters sighed in relief and stepped closer to their mother, getting ready to eat.

"Wait. Where's your brother?" she asked the children.

"Leoeri? What do you think he's doing? Reading. AS USUAL." Peyala raised her voice slightly, hoping it would carry all the way to where her other brother was sitting and reading a article about... well, she didn't really know, actually.

"Not again..." Shadra muttered under her breath.

The process of pulling Leoeri away from a book was a very long and complex one, but--luckily for her--she had a secret weapon, an advantage, today.

"Oh. You're reading, huh?" she said. "Well that's unfortunate. Because today I brought home PEPPER PRETZELS."

Leoeri was caught off guard and looked away from the book immediately--just enough time for Kiaaim to quickly yank the book right out of his hands, while Peyala pushed him towards Shadra.

"Hey. So not fair." he grumbled in defeat.

Shadra smirked.

"Well, then, now that everyone's here, shall we eat?" she asked.

Her children all nodded in unison, granting their permission.

But as they started to eat, they heard--and felt--the ground tremble and shake underneath them.

Then, the door was knocked down as Shadra and her family screamed in terror.