Amber was not having much luck finding any food. Being the
most precious commodity in this new world without adults, people were not very
willing to trade it away, especially for the pretty pathetic items Amber had
brought. She wasn’t bothered by that fact, though. She had used looking for
food as an excuse to get out of the mall. She didn’t know how much longer she
would have been able to take it.
Amber bit back the tears as she crept along the quiet city
streets. They still spooked her knowing that once her parents had probably
driven along that road. Now the only car that passed on the pavement was the
Loco’s police vehicle, and even that had been absent for quite awhile. Amber
could only assume they had run out of gas.
The air was a bit chilly and Amber wished she had thought
to bring her jacket when she left the mall, but she had been in such a hurry
and hadn’t been thinking clearly. She didn’t know why she was so upset. That
morning, before she left her bedroom, she had been annoyed that no one had
remembered it was Christmas, but now that they had, she was even more upset.
“What is wrong with me?” She murmured aloud while pushing
away the stray strand of golden blonde hair that had escaped her Zulu knots.
“That is a good question, Blondie.”
Amber spun around at the sound of another human voice. As
soon as she did, she almost wished she hadn’t. Somehow Amber had been so
engrossed in her own thoughts she had not heard the sound of anyone creeping up
behind her. Ebony stood there, a smug smile on her otherwise beautiful face, as
proof of that fact.
“Ebony.” Amber refused to let the fear that was coursing
through her body show on her face. “I, uh, didn’t hear you come up.”
“You ought to pay more attention to where you’re going,
Blondie.” Ebony sneered, taking several steps closer to the vulnerable Amber.
“Especially when you’re wandering the city all by yourself.”
“I, uh…” Amber trailed off. Her best bet was to run for it,
but for all Amber knew, Ebony had her overly eager Locos hidden someplace along
the buildings.
“I’m surprised at you, Amber.” Ebony continued as if Amber
had not spoken a word. “You seem like you have a good solid head on your
shoulders. Too bad I have to take it off now.”
“Aw, come on, Ebony.” Amber grinned recklessly. “You don’t
want to do that.”
“And why not?” Ebony arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow.
“You have been nothing but a thorn in my side since day one. Now that I have
the perfect opportunity to dispose of you, you’re telling me I shouldn’t.
Please, do tell me why.”
“Well…” Amber thought fast, her eyes scanning the streets
behind Ebony. If she ran really fast she might be able to get past Ebony before
the evil Locos had the chance to grab her. It was really her only hope.
“That’s what I thought.” Ebony cackled, advancing on Amber,
malicious intent glowing in her dark colored eyes. “Tell you what, though,
seeing as how you are so important to those pathetic little rats you like to
call a tribe, I may just hold you for ransom. See how much they really want you
back.”
“Ebony, please. You don’t want to do this.” Amber slowly
began backing away, silently praying that she wasn’t backing straight into some
crazy Loco’s arms.
“Oh, but I do, Blondie. I really do.” Ebony a wicked smile
played across her face. “Now, come here Amber. I promise you won’t feel a
thing.”
“Leave her alone, Ebony!” A loud commanding voice echoed in
the deserted streets, startling both predator and prey.
“Who’s there?” Ebony spun around so fast her braids came
loose and whipped her in the face, leaving long red welts across her skin.
“Show yourself! [I]Now![/I]”
Amber did not hesitate a single second. With Ebony
distracted by something else, she could escape easily! Turning on her heel she
raced down the streets, never looking back. The first alley she passed she
quickly ducked into then hid herself behind the abandoned trashcans. Ebony was
still standing in the middle of the road, shouting at Amber’s unseen
rescuer.
“Hey you.” A hushed voice whispered behind Amber, startling
her half to death.
“Bray!” She exclaimed in a low tone. “Was that you?” Amber
could not help but smile. The thought that Bray was her hero excited her more
than she wanted to let on.
“Yeah.” He grinned sheepishly. “I didn’t really know what
else to do. Ebony’s got several Locos hidden in the buildings behind her. I
knew even you and I together couldn’t take them on. I was just crossing my
fingers that you would run rather than challenge her.”
“I choose my battles wisely, Bray. You should know that.”
Amber murmured, her heart still beating wildly in her chest. “What are you
doing out here?”
“I should ask you the same question, Amber.” Bray inched
closer to the blonde Mall Rat. “You of all people know how unsafe the streets
are, especially when you’re by yourself. What were you thinking?”
Amber bit her lower lip. She didn’t exactly want to explain
to Bray why she had left the mall but she had to make up some plausible excuse.
“I was, uh, looking for food.”
“We have plenty of food to last us for several weeks.” Bray
look down at her a disapproving light in his eyes. “Come on, Amber, it’s me,
you can tell me the truth.”
“I know.” Amber tried to keep the tears back, but soon
found she couldn’t. “It’s just I miss my family so much. Christmas was always
such a special holiday to my family and me. We would start celebrating clear
back in September, but now that they’re gone…” She trailed off, her voice
growing thick with emotion.
“Hey, hey, come here.” Bray wrapped a strong arm around her
slender shoulders. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not okay.” Amber wiped away her tears with the
back of her sleeve. “I’m supposed to be strong, I’m supposed to be the one
comforting the little ones when they’re upset. I shouldn’t need someone to
comfort me.”
“Everyone needs somebody, Amber.” Bray’s face was only
inches from her own and she could feel his warm breath on her skin, sending
delightful little tingles up and down her spine.
“I…” Amber trailed off, her mind was a jumbled mess because
Bray’s nearness. She could hardly form any words at all. “I, uh.”
“Amber, there’s been something I’ve been wanting to tell
you for a long time.” Bray began slowly, looking deeply into Amber’s eyes.
“Well, well, well. So this is where you’ve gotten off to.”
Ebony looked down at the two Mall Rats, a triumphant smile on her face. “I knew
you couldn’t have gotten far.”
“Ebony.” Bray quickly stood up, positioning himself between
Ebony and Amber.
“Hello, Bray.” Ebony eyed him up and down seductively.
“How’ve you been?”
“Fine, Ebony.” Bray stated through clenched teeth. “What do
you want?”
“Oh, I thought that was obvious by now, Bray.” Ebony took
several steps closer to him, pressing her body up against him.
“What about Martin?”
“Martin? You mean Zoot?” Ebony giggled and rolled her eyes.
“He doesn’t have to know a thing.”
“He’s Martin to me, and he will also be my brother no
matter what.” Bray glared, untangling himself from Ebony’s arms. “For the
record, Ebony. I’m not interested.”
“Are you so sure?” Ebony traced a long, slender finger
along the hem of his shirt, looking up at him coyly. “What do you say we
rekindle the romance we once had?”
“Ebony!” Bray glared, his hands clenching into two tight
fists. “There will never be anything between us ever again. Why can’t you get
that through your thick skull?”
Ebony scowled, the seductress gone instantly. “Have it your
way, Bray. Just mark my words, I will have you one way or another. Spike!” She
called and seconds later four Locos came around the corner, forming a
semicircle behind her. “Take care of this garbage.”
“Amber, get out of here, now!” Bray yelled, motioning for
the crouching blonde to run down the alley the other way.
“Not without you, Bray.” Amber quickly jumped to her feet,
standing next to Bray, her eyes ablaze ready for a fight. “We can take her.”
“Oh you think so, do you, Blondie?” Ebony scoffed. “That I
would love to see. Get them.”
Spike and his goons pushed past the diminutive form of
Ebony and began to chase after Amber and Bray who had both taken off running
the moment Ebony had turned her Locos on them.
Amber was a few feet ahead of Bray, but the Locos were not
far behind. Amber could hear Spike and the others who she really didn’t know
the names of shouting insults and other unmentionable words at them. Amber
could only pray that she and Bray could make it back to the mall before they
caught up with them.
Amber and Bray were fast approaching the end of the ally,
an ally that ended with a very tall brick wall. She cast a glance back at Bray
and could instantly read the panic on his face.
‘Alright Amber, it’s up to you.’ She told herself,
commanding her brain to think, and to think quickly. There was no place that
she and Bray could duck into and hope to hide until the Locos passed, and Amber
highly doubted she and Bray could take four Locos plus Ebony on, especially in
their winded condition.
“This is no use, Amber.” Bray gasped as he and Amber
reached the brick wall.
“I have an idea.” Amber smiled up at him. “Just follow my
lead.”
~*~*~
“Alright, so who did you draw?” Cloe asked Patsy while
propping her chin up with her hands, lying on her bed watching Patsy primp in
the mirror.
“I’m not supposed to tell you.” Patsy responded, twisting
her long brunette locks into Zulu knots similar to Amber’s. “What do you think?
Should I start wearing my hair like this?”
“You’d be copying Amber.” Cloe snorted. “Why don’t you just
be yourself.”
“But don’t you think it looks good?”
“No.” Cloe retorted crossly. “What was wrong with your
pigtails?”
“They were just too ordinary. I want something different
and exciting, something that will make me look more mature.”
“Patsy, you’re only eleven-years-old. You don’t need to
look more mature.” Cloe scowled at the girl who was her supposed best friend.
“Now why don’t you tell me who you drew?”
“Because Salene told us not to, silly.” Patsy turned her
attention away from the mirror and faced Cloe.
“And since when did you start listening to Salene?” Cloe
queried, arching her eyebrows.
“Alright, fine.” Patsy gave in with a sigh. “I drew Brady.
I was going to tell you anyway. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Brady? You’re so lucky.” Cloe grumbled. “I got Dal. What
am on earth am I supposed to get him? I hardly know him.”
“I think that’s the point of the whole game, Cloe.” Patsy
informed her with a snooty air. “To get to know each other better.”
“Well, what do you think I should get him?” Cloe asked,
choosing to ignore Patsy’s dull routine of trying to start an argument.
“That’s your job to figure out, not mine. I’m far too busy
trying to decide what to get darling little Brady. How about that cute white
teddy bear we saw in the toy store a few days ago? Do you think she’d like
that?”
Cloe only shrugged. “Maybe I’ll ask Amber. She knows Dal
the best out of everyone.” She let out a long sigh and rolled over. “I wonder
if she’s back yet.”
“Not yet.” Patsy informed her. “Neither she or Bray are
back. I overheard Salene and Trudy talking about it. They’ve been gone quite
awhile.”
“Well, Bray always disappears for long periods of times.
But it’s really unlike Amber.” Cloe mused. “Though she did seem a little upset
this morning.”
“She did?” Patsy frowned, turning back to the mirror to
begin playing with her makeup. “I didn’t notice.”
“That’s because you don’t notice anything past your own
nose.” Cloe frowned. “I’m going to go try and find Amber. I’ll talk to you
later.”
Patsy didn’t even look up from her mirror as Cloe left the
room, leaving her alone to her makeup and hair. “That’s alright,” She whispered
to her reflection. “She’s just jealous, that’s all.”
~*~*~
Lex scowled down at the name written in very neat
handwriting on the slip of paper he had drawn from KC’s Santa hat – Patsy. Like
he knew what to get dumb kid! He hadn’t really wanted to play Salene’s stupid
little game in the first place, but he really needed to score some points with
Zandra after being so anti-Christmas that morning, so he consented.
Everyone seemed very excited over the game, and Lex
momentarily wondered who might have drawn his name. He grinned wolfishly. If it
was Zandra who had drawn his name, he could give her a very big hint of what
kind of present he would like to receive.
“Hey Lex.” Salene approached Lex a tentative smile playing
on her perfectly formed lips. “I was wondering if I could talk to you for a
minute.”
“Talk.” Lex shrugged his shoulders, discreetly checking
Salene out in the process. Salene sure was a looker, but he knew better than to
try and put his hand in the cookie jar. He had put far too much time and effort
into Zandra to blow it now. Besides, Salene was still sweet on Bray he was
sure. It would be a waste of his time.
Salene blushed as she took the seat opposite of Lex,
pushing her brilliant hot pink hair away from her face in the process. “Well, I
was wondering if I could ask you a question.” Lex just stared at her wondering
when on earth she was going to get to the point. “I know I told everyone that
we shouldn’t tell each other who we drew for the Secret Santa thing, but I
kinda need some help.”
“Oh really?” Lex arched an eyebrow, smirking at her. “So,
who’d you draw? Me?”
“Uh, no.” Salene shook her head. “I drew Ryan.”
“Ryan?!” Lex spat. “And you don’t know what to get him? You
could find him a ball of string and he’d amuse himself with that for hours!”
Lex mocked.
Salene glared at Lex. “That’s not very nice, Lex. I thought
you were supposed to be his best friend.”
“I am.” Lex chuckled. “Pretty pathetic, huh?”
“Yes, you are.” Salene scowl deepened. “Why can’t you just
try and be nice? You’re always so mean and nasty to everyone. I’m sure people
would like you a lot more if every once in awhile you were pleasant.”
“Right.” Lex rolled his eyes at her. It was true that most
people found him rather antagonistic, but he liked having that image, even if
it meant that he didn’t have many friends. “So, you need some suggestions on
what to get ol’ Ryan boy, eh?”
“Maybe not. I’m sure I can think of something on my own.”
Salene eyed Lex hesitantly.
“Relax, Salene. I’ll help you out.” Lex panicked. If he
didn’t help Salene out he probably wouldn’t be able to recruit her help in
return and he really had no clue what to get Patsy. “I just heard Ryan saying
the other day that he’d run out of hair gel.”
“Nice try, Lex. Ryan doesn’t have hair. This was a bad
idea. I need to go.” Salene began to get up.
“Wait!” Lex grabbed her hand. “Please, don’t go yet. I need
help.”
“What, you need help?” Salene scoffed in a fashion similar
to the way Lex had mocked her earlier.
“Please, Salene. I really do.” Lex muttered sincerely. “I
drew Patsy.”
“Patsy?!” Salene couldn’t control the giggles. “Lex, you
drew Patsy. That’s so rich. Boy are you going to have fun!”
“Come on, Salene. You’ve gotta help me out. What does she
like?”
“That, Lex, is your job to find out.” Salene stood, patting
him on the shoulder sympathetically. “Have fun!”