Marché Message

 Day 22 Flash Fiction Marathon: Something unexpected is found at a Farmer's Market

Every Saturday, the small French village's center was taken over by the marché. It was possible to buy almost everything from local vegetables, fruits, meat, sausages, olives, pastries and cheeses. Watches, clothes, shoes and toys were for sale. Amelie had found a beautiful leather jacket for her husband there last year for only 10 Euros, but since it was the only time she ever saw that vendor, she suspected as the Brits say, it fell off a lorry.

This Saturday Amelie took her old straw basked and headed out to buy the seasonal squash, Grenoble walnuts and figs. The smell of fresh roasted chicken drew her to the stand across from 14th century church.

A new vendor had laid out colored baskets on the church steps. She looked at her basket, which was at least ten years old. It was patched. She was prudent with her money, but buying a new basket did not turn her into a spendthrift, she thought.

Rather than buy a boring beige, she found a vibrant pink one and transferred her purchases. When she passed a garbage can, she tossed her old basket away, feeling almost like it deserved a better end for so many years of service.

Her husband Yves took the basket from her at the door. It was their tradition that she shopped and he washed the veggies and fruits and put things away.

"Amelie, come here," he called from the kitchen. "I found this in the basket. It was a note.

"Help me. I'm being trafficked. There's ten of us at the Ducette farm outside Ceret."

"What should we do. It could be a joke,"she said. "But if it isn't..."

Before they went to the police, they drove to the farm. She saw people picking apples. In another field, orange-colored netting was spread under olive trees as other workers were shaking the fruit from the tree.

"It looks normal," Yves said.

"How did the message get into the basket from a farm?" Amelie asked.

The farm had a store where their produce was sold. "Let's check it out." As soon as they entered not only did they see all kinds of veggies for sale, but a table had colored baskets.

Their next stop was the regional police, fearing that the local police might not act. 

In the newspaper one week later, Yves and Amelie read about a raid on the farm. Immigrants being treated as slaves were found.