Jinxed chapter sampler

‘Oi! Watch it,’ croaked the small man she had collided with. Cora quickly righted herself. ‘S-sorry.’ But the small man was already moving away. Cora shook herself. Focus . She took another deep breath, straightened her pack on her shoulders and set off down the street, careful not to run into any more small men. She did her best to step in time with the crowd that headed towards the factory. Around her, the main street in Urt was filled with people. They pushed and grumbled, sniffed and mumbled as they journeyed to where they needed to go. Some were factory workers, dressed in stained and grimy overalls. Others were dock workers. A few were shop owners. There weren’t any children. But Cora expected that. They would all be in school. She felt herself relax as swirling scents of smoke and sea surrounded her as she walked. Cora breathed them in. Looking up, the sky was grey but the sun peeked out slightly from behind the blanket of clouds. Perhaps collecting without Dot is going to be okay, she thought. Soon the street became wider and Cora could see that a few traders had set up stalls on either side of the road. Traders came in and out of Urt often,

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