We should go to the mall today :)✨✨

I look up from my book to see a text from Flanna.

Is it safe? That road seems dangerous. I reply it's only been eight days since the attack, and Flanna's wound still hasn't fully healed. It could be fatal for her to get into a fight since her movement is so reduced.

It'll be fine! Just bring that knife🔪

Is this about testing your theory about sensitivities to certain metals? I ask, not wanting to put Flanna in danger over an unsound hypothesis.

Maybe...👻 I sigh, she's been going on about this theory of hers for a while now, and I don't know how I feel about it. It would be nice to know what these things are sensitive to, but it means deliberately putting ourselves in mortal danger.

How about, I'll bring it, but we won't go looking for trouble. We'll go shopping, and if we stumble across a Shadow-Creature, we'll test your theory. If not, we'll go home. Okay? There's a pause. I watch the 'typing' dots go up and down, then disappear, and re-appear again.

OK. Bring a few kinds of metals, ok? Just in case 😜

I'll meet you at your house. I'll see you in a little while. I get up and put on a dress and my hiking boots. It's a long walk to the shopping district. I pack a basket and put in three knives, one bronze, one iron, and another silver. I just hope they're not picked up by the metal detectors. That would be difficult to explain.

I walk out of the house, locking it behind me, and carry on down the street, all the way to Flanna's house.

When I arrive, she's outside on the steps, wearing one of her many, many sweaters, and a pair of cargo shorts.

"Hiya, Linnie!" She calls, waving to me. "I brought some metal stuff, too!" She jogs up to me and gives me a quick hug.

"You really should walk. It's bad for you to jostle yourself around that much with your leg." I state, and she laughs.

"It's not like I was running! It was only a 5-second jog!"

"Jogging is worse for you than running because it jostles around your insides, which can cause the re-organization of them, which can lead to further health problems. Not to mention it's effects on your spine. All the joints click together when they're not supposed to. Jogging is worse than running- especially for you." I explain, ending with a pointed look. Flanna chuckles nervously, her face flushing to match her hair.

"Well, I didn't know, so there's no harm. Besides, I'm getting better. Honest." She holds up her hand in the Girl Scout salute, and I roll my eyes.

"Fine. I just don't want you getting worse."

We get going down the long, winding roads to the shopping district.

"We're coming up on the wooded part, Linnie. We gotta be careful here." Flanna reminds, and I nod, taking ahold of my knives. Flanna buries her hands in the pockets of her cargo shorts, holding onto something.

I'm on edge the whole way through. We stay silent, turning to look at the slightest of sounds, be it a rustling, the wind, or a twig snapping. Nothing comes out of the woods.

Flanna sighs once we come out on the other side, slouching over.

"That was so scary... I was so tense! I can feel my shoulders knotting from the stress!" She exclaims. "But it's over now, so let's go to the mall!" Flanna grabs my wrist and drags me over to the mall. We pass through the metal detectors at the front- and they don't go off. I breathe a sigh of relief, and then Flanna drags me into a Hot Topic.

"You look like you'd like something from here! It's all so dark! Ooh~ Is that band merch? Be right back, Linnie! Find something you like!" Flanna marches off, deserting me at the front of the store.

I wander up and down the aisles, looking at everything. I decide upon some new jewelry, a set of headphones, and a pair of boots. I walk back to the counter and find Flanna already there, buying a Fall Out Boy T-shirt.

We buy our things and leave, and as we wander around the mall, Flanna chatters.

"I know I don't really look it- but I really like bands like FOB. I don't wear a lot of merch, 'cause it gets me strange looks. People know me as the bubble girl or the freak who sees things and don't really like it when I wear anything other than pastels. I guess I shouldn't listen to them, though. Kinda the entire mantra of the genre, right? Do you like FOB? You look like you'd enjoy it. But you also seem like you like classical. Do you?"

"I do," I reply with a nod and Flanna looks at me quizzically.

"FOB or classical?" She asks again.

"Yes." Is all I say, and she laughs.

"I know that one! Do you have a Tumblr, too?"

"No. I don't have a Tumblr. I just answered honestly."

"But that- that's a meme. Don't tell me you just acted out a meme and didn't know!"

"I guess I did. I thought memes were pictures, though. Not conversations."

"Eh- I guess it is more of a text post, but y'know tomato tomato." Flanna shrugs. "Ooh! The smoothies here are to die for! You just have to try one!" She grabs my wrist again, dragging me into a cute little cafe-like restaurant. "Two strawberry bananas, please." She orders, holding up two fingers.

"Sure thing, Flanna. What would your new friend like?" Asks the girl behind the counter.

"I'm ordering for both of us, silly!" Exclaims Flanna, giggling.

"I know- I'm just teasing. So, care to introduce me to the newbie? I haven't seen her around before." Replies the girl, blending our drinks.

"Her name's Edlynne! She moved into the old Willis' place, all by herself! She's kinda quiet- but she believes me about the Shadow-Creatures!"

"The Shadow-Creatures? Really? That's a rare one- I think the only other person who believes us is Angie."

"You've seen them, too?" I ask, and the girl spins around suddenly, throwing her hands up in the air.

"She speaks!" She shouts, imitating Dr. Frankenstein. "And yeah- I think Flanna and I are the only ones who have, though. Everybody else just thinks we're crazy. Oh! My name's Jenny, by the way, nice ta meetcha!"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, too, Jenny," I reply, and she laughs.

"No need to be so formal! We're friends now!" Jenny shouts, her ponytail bouncing around behind her.

"Nah, she just always talks like this, Jen. She's from the city." Flanna says with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"Weird- most of the city kids I've met aren't so uptight when they talk. Oh! You're smoothies! I almost forgot!" Jenny whips around and goes back to blending our smoothies.

"Let's grab a seat, 'kay, Linnie?" Flanna suggests, walking over to one of the metal tables. We sit down in the brightly-colored chairs that resemble bar stools, at a table near the window-front. Jenny comes over a little later with our drinks- and one for herself, which is a weird shade of purple.

"So, girls, tell me everything," Jenny demands, sitting down in the remaining chair and taking a long sip of her smoothie through a neon-yellow straw.

"Everything about what?" Flanna asks, taking a sip of her smoothie.

"How you met, how long you've known each other... Everything!" Jenny elaborates, matching her words with exaggerated motions.

"Oh! We've known each other for... Eight... Nine days!" Flanna replies, ticking off days on her fingers. "We met when I brought over some pies to welcome her to the neighborhood! And then I gave her a tour of the town the next day! We've been hanging out since!" Flanna giggles and I stare down at my smoothie before taking a sip.

It takes forever to get up the unusually-wide straw, and when it does, I feel like I'm out of air, and my mouth's been inverted. But it's delicious! it's sweet and tangy, and really cold! It's perfect for a hot day like this! I wonder how Flanna knew I'd like it...

I look up and notice Flanna and Jenny are staring at me.

"What is it?" I ask, and Jenny giggles.

"You really like the smoothie, huh?" She asks.

"Sorry for staring, Linnie- but it was really funny to watch you try to drink your smoothie!" Flanna adds, laughing.

"If it's so funny, perhaps you both should look in a mirror while drinking one. I'm sure it would be enough entertainment to last you for days." I reply sharply, glaring at nothing in particular.

"Aw, come one, Linnie- we're just telling you the truth. There's no need to be rude!" Flanna pouts.

"I'm not being rude- I'm just disagreeing with your opinions on the matter," I argue, and Jenny bursts out laughing.

"I'm- I'm, hah... I'm sorry- you just- you just sound so aristocratic! It's like you're always mid-debate!" She says, pausing every now and then to catch her breathe or laugh.

"I'm not aristocratic. I am- however- very familiar with high society." I reply, and Jenny freezes.

"What? You rich or somethin'?" She asks accusatorily, gesturing at me with her straw.

"You could say that, yes. My parents are quite successful in business, and I live off a monthly allowance from them that pays for food and other such things." I reply, holding my smoothie with both hands. It's so cold...

"Wait, really?!" Jenny shouts.

"This makes so much sense! I mean- you even know how to ballroom dance!" Flanna shouts in agreement, making over-the-top 'mind-blown' gestures.

"I don't see how this is so surprising. I mean, you've been to my house, Flanna. I practically told you all of this already."

"Yeah! But I didn't! I didn't put the pieces together, Linnie!"

"Edlynne does sound like a rich-girl name..." Mumbles Jenny.

"This smoothie is very good, Jenny." I compliment, changing the subject.

"Thanks. I've been making them forever- as part of the family business. But you're rich! Why aren't you in the city?! Why did you come to this run-down stink-hole?!" Jenny shouts. Some people really can't take their minds off a subject, can they? There goes my topic change...

"Because I kept getting kicked out of schools. My parents- I'm guessing- figured somewhere with smaller classes, and a low expulsion rate would do me well. However- it seems that their research wasn't done all too well. Flanna has informed me that the school is overrun with bad grades." I explain. I'm not too sure why they sent me here either. I'd I'm not sure I'm glad that they did. I like Flanna and all, but a monster attack? And Shadow-Creatures?

"Actually- as much as the students complain about it- our school is actually good. It got 8th in the state, as ranked by the mid-term national standardizes test. The students just don't like it. I mean, the entire third floor is off-limits to everyone but the 'gifted' class- who are separated from us in every class and even given their own sports teams. The teachers are jerks, and none of them actually care about us- or what we're going to do with our lives. Not to mention that the supplies are bad, the arts program is horribly under-financed, and morale is low. Just another American school, huh?" Jenny shrugs, picking up her smoothie and drinking straight from the cup, the straw falling on her forehead and leaving some smoothie there.

"Jenny!" Flanna giggles. "Don't go pretending it's beer! And you left some on your forehead, too!" Jenny sighs, and wipes her mouth and forehead, slamming her drink down on the table.

"Y'know, if pretending smoothies are alcohol gets me through high school, then lemme," Jenny says, acting like she's actually drunk by wobbling in her chair and slurring her words. She then falls to the table, and lets out a loud, exaggerated snore, causing Flanna to burst out laughing.

"Jenny! C'mon! You know that's not O.K.! Someone might see!" Flanna exclaims in between laughs, and Jenny sits back up, laughing.

"Don't worry, Flanna! It's just a joke!"

Flanna and Jenny continue to laugh and joke as we drink our smoothies, and when they're gone, Jenny stands up.

"Alright, back to work for me. You two better get home quick. It's not safe to go through those woods when it's dark- especially with the Shadow-Creatures." She says, and Flanna and I thank her before leaving.

We get through the woods without incident, and it's dusk when I get back home. I can't help but let a smile creep across my face. Today was awesome.