NOISES : Treasure of North Britain

Thousands of protesters filled the entrance of the Thorn Enterprises building at noon in Blackpool. They waited for the company's CEO to come out and give a statement regarding the wage disparity at one of its subsidiaries, Thorn Construction. Blackpool police officers were deployed to form a barricade in front of the protesters to prevent any chaos from erupting.

"PAY US OUR DUE!"

"PAY US OUR DUE!"

"PAY US OUR DUE!"

The loud chants created a commotion as the workers thronged, filling the courtyard of one of Blackpool's skyscrapers. The crowd was so dense that the streets around the building were blocked, the protest obstructing vehicular access. This event also managed to capture the attention of journalists from various major media outlets, who had taken positions to cover the scene.

"Broadcasting live from Blackpool, as you can see behind me, the protesters, mostly Thorn Construction workers, continue to chant 'Pay Us Our Due' in response to the news about the injustice in the construction workers' wages. Right now, my fellow journalists and I are waiting for Sir Edric Arathorn to provide further comments to the protesters regarding this issue. This is Regina Palmer reporting for Fox News," a reporter said in front of the camera.

"I work 10 hours a day! I can't even see my kids! Is nine hundred pounds a month fair? What should my family eat? F#CK YOU THORN!" shouted a protester during an interview.

While scrolling through her phone, a young blonde girl dressed in a mini dress with a cardigan was leisurely walking on the sidewalk, bustling with pedestrians. She was heading to a bakery named Pound Bakery to meet her friend as promised.

After walking for a while, she finally reached her destination, where she saw her friend dressed in a grey shirt and a black coat, sitting at a table with an umbrella in front of the bakery. He was engrossed in reading a thick book, accompanied by a plate of croissants and a cup of espresso. The blonde girl put her phone in her bag and approached her friend, sneaking up to surprise him.

Slowly, she walked behind her friend's seat, grinning and holding back laughter, ready to startle him.

"Hello, Hana," greeted her friend, who quickly noticed her presence without turning around.

The blonde girl was stunned, frozen after her friend quickly realized she was there. "Could you at least pretend you didn't know I was going to surprise you, Elly? Hmph!" she pouted, puffing her cheeks in frustration.

"You need to be a fly first if you want to sneak up on me. Sit down," said Elly casually, inviting Hana to sit in the empty chair at his table.

"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzzz!" Hana muttered as she sat across from Elly.

Noticing her friend's arrival, Elly closed his book, stirred his coffee, and took a sip. Meanwhile, Hana called the store clerk to order a latte and a muffin.

Without waiting long, Hana's order finally arrived. The store clerk gracefully brought a tray containing a cup of latte and a plate of freshly baked muffins, the steam rising from the food and drink making them even more enticing.

"It's not like you to read thick books, what is it?" asked Hana while biting into her muffin.

"Marry, Queen of Scots. Want to read it?" asked Elly, showing his book to Hana.

"Elly, you know I can't read what you read, right? I'll look for the original version at the bookstore later," she said.

"You just need to learn how to read like me, it saves you money and you can eat more muffins. So you can be fluffier," Elly teased.

"Mean! You're mean, Elly!" Hana whined, puffing her cheeks again.

"Hehe. I'm joking, Hana. So, why did you ask me to come here?" Elly asked.

"Why do you ask that, Elly? We haven't seen each other for four months, you've been too busy grilling the media. What if you end up in jail? I miss you," Hana said worriedly.

"Every job has its risks, Hana. Including my job as a freelance journalist, and yours too," Elly explained.

"Elly, I work at Baskin Robbins, what could possibly go wrong? Maybe just spilling milkshake," she replied.

"Well, how about you accompany me to Houndshill? I want to buy new shoes. I'll buy you a pair too, I just got a bonus," Elly invited.

"Really? I love you so ... so much dear! Okay, I'll order an Uber now," Hana said, finishing her drink and reaching into her small bag to get her phone.

Hearing Hana's excitement, Elly also took another sip of her drink, though she couldn't finish it all. She then put away the book she was reading and took out the white cane from her shoulder bag.

Elly was blind, which was why Hana refused to read the book Elly offered. The book she had been reading was printed in braille.

After waiting for a while, the Uber Hana ordered finally arrived. They both left the umbrella table for the Uber. Hana got into the back seat first, while Elly followed, carefully stepping in with the help of her white cane.

Like typical young girls, Elly and Hana enjoyed their ride to Houndshill, gossiping happily. Although Elly couldn't see Hana due to her lost vision, Hana continued to chatter cheerfully with her friend, making the Uber driver smile as he watched them through the rearview mirror.

After a long ride, they arrived at Houndshill, a shopping center located right across from the Blackpool Tower. After paying the fare, they got out of the car. Hana guided Elly with her white cane, walking into Houndshill.

Inside Houndshill, they visited a clothing kiosk with a sign that read YOURS, where many women's clothes and shoes were displayed throughout the store. Hana browsed through the shoes, spotting a pair of loafers that caught her eye, while Elly folded her white cane, put it in her bag, and sat waiting for her friend to choose a pair.

"Elly, I got the shoes, loafers! Red for me and black for you," Hana said excitedly, holding two pairs of loafers.

"Whatever kind is fine, Hana. I just need something durable. My shoes are almost falling apart. What's the point of looking cool if I can't see how cool they are, right?" Elly said.

"HUSH! That's not nice to say, Elly," Hana scolded. "By the way, what kind of article did you send to the media? You got a bonus and can buy me shoes?" Hana asked, sitting beside Elly.

"You might want to watch TV to find out," Elly replied with a smile.

Hana quickly turned her gaze to the TV above the gown display, which was broadcasting news about the protest in front of the Thorn Enterprises building. There, an elderly man with a bald head and white hair, dressed in a brown suit, who was none other than Sir Edric Arathorn, was seen giving a statement to the media, speaking in front of numerous microphones from journalists.

"Regarding the allegations of wage injustice, we will immediately address this issue by reviewing the financial outflows. As the CEO, I want to apologize profusely to all affected parties, including investors and construction workers," said Sir Edric Arathorn on Fox News, with the headline 'Underpaid, Thorn Construction Workers Protest'.

"The minimum wage in the UK is ten pounds per hour. If you multiply that by a month, the workers should be getting around three thousand pounds. If they're paid nine hundred pounds a month, then they're effectively receiving three pounds per hour. Quite a difference, isn't it?" Elly explained proudly.

Hana listened to Elly's explanation while still staring at the TV, wide-eyed. "Umm, Elly? You're a good person, I know you wrote that article for the greater good. But, are you okay?" Hana asked without looking away from the TV.

"What do you mean, Hana? Of course, I'm okay," Elly replied, puzzled.

"I mean, you just made trouble with Thorn Enterprises, Elly! Sir Edric Arathorn is the second most powerful person in the UK after Queen Lizzie and the richest person in Blackpool and Manchester! If I were you, I'd head straight to the airport and book a ticket to Wales!" Hana scolded, worried.

Elly reached out into the air until her hands managed to grasp Hana's shoulders. "Hey, hey, Hana, calm down, remember every job has its risks. Besides, I didn't use my real name, just my pen name, Ether, remember? I'll be fine, don't worry," Elly said, trying to calm Hana down.

"How can I be calm!? Being reckless is your habit, isn't it? When will you realize that your writing could bring danger to you, Elly?" Hana scolded again. "If something goes wrong after this news, you'll need to hire an expensive lawyer to face the Arathorn family in court!"

Not long after their conversation, two men in black suits, complete with sunglasses and earpieces, entered the clothing kiosk and approached them.

"You two, come with us. The Young Master is waiting," one of the men ordered.

The arrival of the two men in suits shocked Hana, leaving her speechless. Not wanting to cause trouble, Hana and Elly followed their lead. They were escorted to Starbucks located across from the clothing kiosk.

~TO BE CONTINUED~