“I left them all in the mall, but there wasn’t many left, Bray, Ebony, Lex, Dal and Amber were the rebels trying to get us out the last time I saw them, Alice, Ellie, KC they were still at the mall” Looking at Patsy ( @Patsy) “I had no idea where you, Cloe or Jack were”
Trying to remember if I had missed anyone, not sure who had been captured and who was still free
I nod my head listening to what Ryan is saying, it sounds like a lot have happen. “well lets go and see if it truly is kc” I say with a smile to Ryan. Oh how i hope he’s right that kc is there, not that i want him to be like us a prisoner, but it would be great to see yet a another friendly face. Thought one of our last conversations hadnt been all to pleasant. He had been taken up the stairs by some chosen guards, the other conversation was more pleasant but i can’t remember what we talked about.
“you coming?” I ask Ryan as i take a step away.
Not really wanting to see anyone else, I sigh, knowing Patsy would want me to go with her, slowly I stand up, I wobble as I get the feeling back in my legs, I had been sitting or laying for 2 or 3 days maybe longer, Patsy takes my hand and together we walk between the other prisoners down to the end of the cage… Looking out as we move, making sure the guards don’t see us…
“Patsy” I whisper “Where are all the guards”
Looking out towards the compound
“Where…where is everbody, there are normally guards everywhere” I whisper “Whats going on? I don’t like this!” Confused as I look at her…
We get to the end of the cage and look into the one opposite… Looking for any familiar faces, hoping no ones there…
I smile as Ryan decides to come. My stomach feels odd, like im nervous, what if the girl only said things to get our hopes up? I wonder. I take a hold of Ryans hand maybe things will get even better? I wonder. I look up at Ryan as he whisper my name. Looking around i see what he’s talking about. I can’t see any guards either.
“I dont know” i whisper taking a better hold of his hand. Starting to think that this is a bad idea. “Maybe we should go back?” I say in a whisper, maybe its a test? Maybe they are just checking to see where our loyalties are? “Im scared”
I scan my own cage, trying to catch Alice…she would be just as excited to see the other Mall Rats and I wonder if she has found any one else in the other cages.
I still can’t believe that Ryan and Patsy are here and also Zandra, it’s like the Mall Rate were really destined to be together…I shake my head as I realise I’m sounding like Tai-San. So much has happened over the years…so many innocent life’s ruined by the Chosen and then the Techno’s.
I let out a sigh as I think back to our time at the Mall, I miss the place I have only called home since the Virus. I have spent so many months pushing the memories of the Mallrats to the back of my mind that they slowly became a dream, like an old movie but their faces were blurred and their voices muffled…it was better not to think of the past to much, it hurt to much… they were my only family…
I’m pulled away from my train of thoughts as I see two figures walking towards the fence, they have both changed so much but I knew it was them straight away.
Patsy grips my hand tight, I hear her whisper
‘I’m scared’
“Shh” I say “I am right here I won’t let anyone hurt you”
Hoping thats enough to reassure her, I know exactly how she feels, this feels strange, are they testing us to see what she does, I look towards the cage and see a face I recognise, he had grown up, no longer the little kod running every scam he could think about, even becoming the oracle to that fruit cake the guardian…
“KC” I whisper as we get to the cage… “Is that really you”…
They come towards me and I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry…I had been alone for so long and then Alice came back into my life and then today I see Zandra…Ryan and…Patsy.
“Guys it’s me” I say I hear my own voice break “Alice is also here” I explain.
I look at Ryan he looks like the shell of the teenage man he used to be, he’s lost weight and dark circles lie under his eyes. Patsy still has a young glow to her face but her eyes look sad, like she has seen things no teenage girl should see…I would hate to see my own reflection…I don’t think I would even recognise myself.
“How you guys holding up?”
I nod my head slightly hearing Ryan say he’s there and that he wont let anyone hurt me. I look at the other cage, and the familiar face that is there. Watching him i dont say a word for the first few seconds, hearing Ryan whispering his name and asking if it really is him.
Of course it is him, its KC. “KC” I say with a small smile growing on my face. “it really is you” i want to give him a hug, just to see if he’s there and not only in my head. Only one problem, theres fences between us.
Hearing KC say Alice is there I look behind him…
“Have you seen any of the others, Jack, Cloe, Ellie, Dal, or anyone else?”
Still not asking after Salene, as we talk my eyes dart around incase a guard comes, as I look around my eyes fall on a man muttering to himself, his hair matted, he looms a proper fruit cake, suddenly I hear him speak…
“Oh zoot, mighty zoot”
I feel anger bubbling in the pit of my stomach as I look at him and realise who he is…
“The Guardian!!” I say angrily and harshly “I am going to kill him” I growl
Letting go of Patsy’s hand as I look around for a way to get to him. He is the reason I lost Salene, he is the reason I was thrown in the mines
“This is his fault” I growl through gritted teeth…
Seeing Ryan kick off at the Guardian, I know we need to calm him down before he draws the guards attention.
“Ryan we might not have long to talk so please calm down…just ignore him…it’s what we have been doing since he got here”
Ryan also questions about some of the other Mallrats and he mentions Dal’s name…I get a wave of sickness.
“Chloe, Jack and Ellie were all back at the Mall when I was taken by the Techno’s” I explain “Alice was also taken during the invasion…as were Andy and Tally” I don’t know why I’m telling them about the twins it’s not like they knew them…“but Dal…he died…he was being chased by the Chosen…and fell to his death”
“Have you met Trudy?” I shrug. He’s right what we were doing was stupid but try telling the people in charge that.
Ram lets out a scream and starts flailing around, complaining something bit him. “Welcome to the real world Ramie.” He’s obviously not going to leave me alone so I get up from the sand and walk off down the beach officially ending the conversation.
Alice is there, suddenly i wanna take a step back. What if she’s disappointed with me being caught? The nervous feeling is back, Ryans questions is just words messing around in my head. My hand reach out and touch the fence resting it against the fence. “what happen Kc?” I ask him. Him of all people is probably the last one i had expected to see here. He’s always been good in avoiding being caught. Thought things always seemed to catch up with him, like the sunglasses and the watches. I can’t help but to smile slightly remembering Kc trying to teach Cloe and I.
Dal is dead? “no, no he can’t be dead” i whisper, and i feel sad, tears velling up
I dont expect him to let go of my hand. “Ryan!” I shout and try to grab a hold of him to stop him from running anywhere.
Going at the guardian I hear him say Dal’s dead, I stop and look at KC
“Dead??.. Dal’s dead”
I just stand and look at him, the feeling of loss hits my heart, glad Cloe, Ellie and Jack were ok, Do I want to ask about Salene, do I want to ask about my baby, standing looking at KC still trying to process the news that Dal is dead, I look at the guardian, a mumbling wreck and realise hes not worth it…
“Are… are you ok?” I whisper…
My eyes remain on Ruby and my son for what feels like the longest time, when in reality I know it’s been mere seconds. Glancing back at Trudy I watch her for a moment, the way she’s keeping Brady close makes me feel uneasy, but we couldn’t just stay here out in the open like this. Turning my head when Salene joins us I shrug slightly “We found an abandoned building, a possible base for a few days - it looks safe enough at least while some of us venture further afield to see what we can discover.” I tell her honestly. “Something spooked Trudy.” I say in a much quieter voice, so only Salene will hear me.
Glancing around I watch Lex and Ram for a moment and shake my head “Can you keep an eye on Trudy and tell everyone to get ready? We can’t stay out in the open like this.” I say to Salene as I look back at her, yes I was concerned about what had spooked Trudy, at the same time though I had to think of everyone, we were like sitting ducks right now , until we knew if we were completely alone here we couldn’t take any risks.
My eyes return to Lex as he stands up and I sigh slightly, I should have talked to him on the boat - there were less places for him to hide “I need to talk to Lex.” I say shooting Salene an apologetic look before jogging off in the direction Lex was walking in, I was tired of secrets, if we were stuck here I wanted the truth and I was going to get it somehow “Lex!” I call out to gain his attention, slowing to a walk as the gap between us gets smaller.
I shake my head as I try to piece together the past…so much as happened, but at least we were coming back together.
“Patsy…please tell me you saw her…that I wasn’t making it up…please tell me you saw Zandra?”
I give Ryan a half hearted smile to show that I am ok…the truth was I was so confused I wasn’t sure what emotion I was feeling.
I make it a good ways down the beach in my aimless wondering when I hear Amber’s voice, I don’t stop and continue walking maybe she’ll think I didn’t hear and give up pursuit. Instead she calls out my name I come to a halt unable to ignore her that time and rub the back of my neck.
“What now?” I mutter. I swear if anyone asks me to help build a shelter when we have a perfectly good abandoned building a short walk away, their face is going to have a meeting with my fist.
Following behind him I wonder for a moment if he’s purposely ignoring me, calling out his name again I watch his retreating form, I wasn’t against the idea of grabbing his arm and making him stop, but I feel relieved when he comes to a halt without me having to make him, or attempt to make him. Continuing towards him until I’m at his side I look at him for a moment.
“I’ve asked Salene to make sure everyone is ready to leave, we can’t stay out in the open like this. That building will be safer than our current situation.” I explain as I take a minute to get my thoughts in order. “I want answers Lex.” I say as I look at him carefully, “I want to know what you know, want to know what Mega meant when he said you know everything. What exactly does ‘everything’ include? What are you keeping from me, from all of us?” I question.
I shake my head at Amber and chuckle, I knew that was going to come up eventually. I expected Slade or Ram to ask, not Amber.
“Forget you asked and go back to the others.” I turn back around and start walking again. It’s a can of worms what Mega told me. Once you know you can’t forget and it complicates everything now that we are stranded on this island.
Hearing him chuckle I feel a sudden burst of anger filling my body, I wasn’t even sure where it had come from and it didn’t really make sense to me at all, but now really wasn’t the time for him to start avoiding the questions, we needed to work together, needed honesty more now than ever; there was already so much uncertainty, I really wasn’t in the mood.
“No Lex.” I say, stepping forward as he turns around and starts to walk away, my fingers close around his wrist; in a vice like grasp, I knew he could pull his hand free if he really wanted to overpower me, but the truth was I was too tired to play games. “I want answers and you’re going to provide them, even if I have to follow you all over this Island to get them.” I say an added determination to my voice. “Don’t fight me on this Lex please.” I say in a quieter tone, my fingers keeping a firm hold on his wrist, although not enough to hurt him.
“Lex!” I screech after him. “Don’t– Yowch! –walk away! Lex! I need help!” Something’s really nipping at my back now and, the more I move about trying to get it off, the harder it bites… and it’s getting lower… “No, no, no!” I viciously yank my shirt’s zipper downwards and practically tear the thing off my body, throwing it to the ground.
For a moment I stare intently at the motionless shirt. It can’t hide in there forever… Then, sure enough, a tiny blue crab comes creeping from the crumpled black fabric, crawling frantically toward the sea. Trying to escape.
“Ohhh, don’t think you’re getting away with that!” I snarl, stomping towards the crustacean. “Disgusting, filthy, ten-legged… – Die!” The crab is no match for my boot and within moments its pieces are been well and truly crushed into the beach. I throw back my head and laugh a triumphant cackle. I needed that. Hell, I feel better already! Sometimes it’s the little things, you know? And the violent annihilation of them.