A truck trailer is opened up at the back, revealing a variety of furniture, appliances and tools. Dusty jumps inside and lifts one end of a couch, while Vik grabs the other. "Lift more!" the cowboy warned. "I'm trying!" The two struggle to carry the heavy item all the way inside the old mechanic shop. Rust had formed on much of the metal building, including the garage doors. Snow coated the roof and surrounding ground, even the streets weren't safe. The block had been long abandoned, so no tire tracks could be seen on the road.
Finally the couch was carried through the open garage door and placed in the front lobby area. Boarded up windows prevented any light from entering; only a single bulb hung above. An office door with a large "V" carved into it stood behind the front desk. True to his name, Dusty wiped dust off the cashier counter and pulled down the mask from over his nose and mouth. "You sure we're gonna have enough power to get everything runnin'?" he asked. Sparks danced on Vik's gauntlet. "Of course we will. Just gotta steal it from somewhere first."
Now stepping back outside in the cold, Dusty's eyes widen to three times their size. Pamda held a paint bucket and brush, decorating the side of the stolen truck with black and white colors. "Babe, what in the sam hill are you doin'!?" he asked with both hands on his cowboy hat. The masked girl innocently replied, "What? I always paint pandas." "But not on our truck! How are we gonna blend in with traffic now?"
Joining the bickering couple outside, Vik said, "It's fine. To start the gang we'll need more vehicles anyway. The Zion Outlaws will soon be a big name in the underworld." "We'll need fuel too," Dusty added, pulling the mask back over his nose, "Don't suppose you got any of that lyin' around." The artistic Pamda stopped mid stroke and shouted, "OH! What if we stole a fuel truck!?" Both Vik and Dusty looked at each other in surprise and said, "That'll work."
____________________________________________________________
A light snow began to blanket the rooftops of Central State High School. Thin sheets of frost covered much of the classroom windows, where Gren could be seen at his small desk. All students shared the same outfit: a white polo with dark, teal pants and snow boots, though some wore their coats. The teacher leaned over and pressed a few icons on Gren's tablet, which opened the test he had just taken last week. "Yes!" "Shhhh!" the teacher scolded. Once she left, Gren turned to his right. "Komo, I got another A+!" he whispered, "What about you?" The bulky girl doodled with her stylise, then turned her tablet around. A poorly drawn 'A' was drawn over the D+ she received.
Ellia received her grade as well and smiled. Behind her, Delle didn't even bother looking. "I got an A-, Delle. That's way better than last time." The lack of reaction concerned the pixie, so she tapped her friend's desk with her purple fingernails. "Delle? You good?" "No...I can't stop thinking about yesterday. We could've stopped Victor if I had done more." Ellia sighed and said, "You tried your best." Delle's eyebrows lowered, and her tone sharpened. "That's what you keep telling me. It doesn't make me feel better!"
The teacher made another harsh, "SHHH!!" and Delle turned her frustrated face towards the frosted window. Still trying to help, Ellia spoke in a quiet voice and grabbed her arm. Her soft skin felt warm. "I'm just trying to help you." "Well stop. It's not helping." The bell rang, and Delle quickly left her friends behind. "Delle, wait!" but she didn't.
Suddenly a spit ball struck the side of Ellia's nose. Her head slowly rotated with the sound of rusty gears, and she found the smirking Komo holding a straw and Gren looking nervous. "Komo, you're gonna get detention," the boy whispers. "Yeah, yeah. Throw the book at me." Gren ducks just in time to dodge Ellia's thrown book, which slams Komo's face. "Ow..."
Comments (0)
See all