Kris Atomic archive

"The sugared almonds were in a box and wrapped in cellophane and tissue paper and had three different coloured ribbons tied around them in a bow. Lewis had never seen anything like it in his life.

'Happy Birthday,' said Alice, then, conspiratorially, 'It's sweets.'

The only sweets he'd seen were in paper bags and smeary jars. There were no boxes, there was no having fun about them. This box was shiny and joyful. It was like a thing from another planet. The cellophane alone was extraordinary."

- from The Outcast by Sadie Jones (which I'm currently reading)