The Flower

"It's coming up, It's coming up!" Merta burst into the dusty living room of the old two room shack, set on a hillside full of two room shacks within a valley of gray soil and sky. Merta was dressed in her best outfit, a faded pink dress with white trim and brought with her the only sunlight in the room.
Derbin looked up from his newspaper. It was the thousandeth time he had read it. He knew all the headlines as it was from eight years ago, the last time a newspaper had been printed and available. He regarded Merta, full of life and excitement. That was what he appreciated most about his daughter. No matter what happened she was able to find joy where others found dreariness and stagnation. "What's coming up, Mer?"