"Firla! Firla! Wake up!" The high-pitched whine pulled the brunette from her favorite type of dream- the ones with magic and fairytales and happy endings and no bad things lurking in the corners. She rolled over and reached out; waving her arm in the direction the whine came from. "Go away, Star. I'm sleeping."

"No. Not anymore. Rise and shine, it is time to go out."

Firla groaned and opened one eye, peering out of her covers at her best friend, "It's too early to go out. Why did my mother let you in?"

"Your brother did, actually. Now get up. We need to get to the sales before everything good is gone," Starlit yanked the covers off her best friend and grinned.

Firla groaned again and reached for the blankets that were kept just out of reach. She sat up and glared fully at the blonde, "Go shopping by yourself. I'm trying to sleep."

"Maybe if you weren't up so late reading fairytales, you wouldn't be so tired," Starlit flipped over a book on the floor next to Firla's bed with her foot before she put her free hand on her hip and stared down Firla. "Pleeeeease go with me? I need a second opinion on clothes. You know I can never decide."

"You don't like my opinion, Star. We like different things," Firla pointed out as she sat up, swinging her feet over the side of the bed. She rubbed her eyes and ran a hand over her loosened ponytail, pulling the rubber band out.

"Fine. We'll go out and just walk or something. But you need to get out of bed, lazy butt." Star went over to Firla's closet and started going through her clothes, making faces while Firla couldn't see. "You can't sleep away the last days of your summer! And judging on this wardrobe, you need new clothes."

Firla stood and went over to stand next to Starlit in front of the closet, bumping her to the side with her hip and grabbing the first things she touched- a black screen printed crop top and pink skinny jeans. "Go wait downstairs. Now. Bye-bye."

Starlit sighed and rolled her eyes as she carefully made her way across Firla's mess of a room and to the door. "Five minutes," and she closed the door behind her.

Firla let out a slow breath as she listened to her friend trudge down the staircase and into the living room. She could hear her younger brother begin his never-ending chatter to Starlit. Firla smiled to herself, her brother always had liked Star. She glanced over at a picture of her mom, her and her brother; her brother, only two at the time, grinned and reached for the photographer as Firla clutched him close, her mother next to them leaned in so their faces were right next to each other marking the differences between the three that Firla had not yet been able to force her brain to completely block out- the starkness of her mother's and brother's pale blond hair compared to her own dark red-brown, and their wide, clear green eyes made her own stormy grey-blue eyes stand out. She pulled her eyes away and sighed, yanking her nightgown over her head.

Twenty minutes later, the two had made it to town. They walked down the sidewalks, waving to the people that they knew and calling greetings. They enjoyed the sunshine and warm weather as they approached the park. They chatted between themselves about the events of their summer and the quickly approaching beginning of school. Neither was looking forward to school, but Starlit was excited to have another reason to get a few new outfits. Firla just wanted out of the house and to have something to do.

Starlit's cell phone rang suddenly and she answered it, sitting down on a close by park bench and cupping the phone, whispering hurriedly as she sat down and fixed her skirt. Her eyes scanned the park, never staying on one object for more than a moment.

Firla, used to the odd way Starlit acted whenever her phone rang, sank down on the grass by her blonde friend's feet. She studied her friend's face for a moment; Starlit looked almost worried, which was unusual for these calls. She leaned her head on the bench arm and closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of the sun against her pale face. She'd ask her about it after.

Starlit closed her phone and looked at Firla. She nudged the daydreaming girl with a sandaled foot and stood. "Do you want to hit the mall?" She asked, without giving Firla a chance to question her phone conversation.

Firla stood up and brushed herself off, nodding. "Fine, Starlit. You got your way, but only because getting out of this heat would be nice." Firla made a mental note to keep a closer watch next time Starlit made one of her whispered calls while she was around.

Starlit laughed and moved onto the sidewalk, "Maybe you shouldn't wear jeans in August if you don't want to be too hot," She teased, falling in step with Firla as they made their way through the crowds of their hometown. She nudged her friend with her elbow and grinned.

Firla stuck out her tongue and nudged her friend back, "I like my jeans. They're a good fit and a fun color." She picked a stray piece of grass off her hip. "And I'm less likely of having guys peeping up my skirt whenever I sit down or walk or just about do anything."

Starlit rolled her eyes and made a face at Firla, "No one looks up my skirt. Nor would anyone look up yours. They know that if they did, we'd kick their behinds into next year." She smiled at the thought, making Firla laugh as she looped her arm through Starlit's.

The two fell into a comfortable silence as they walked down the sidewalk, enjoying the summer-y scent of cut grass, recent rain, and the flowers that lined the sidewalk.

A few minutes later Firla stopped and pulled her arm from Starlit's, looking around. "Do you hear that?" She tilted her head a bit and listened carefully.

Starlit turned to her friend, an anxious look on her face, "Hear what? I don't hear anything..." She started to walk again, going a bit faster. She glanced back, "Come on Fyfy."

Firla stayed where she was, looking around. "It sounds like... crying almost. Like a baby." She glanced into the woods. "It's coming from there," She nodded towards the woods in the park. "Shouldn't we check it out? What if the baby was left?"

Starlit sighed, and muttered something to herself before speaking up, "Then we'll go check it out. But I swear that I didn't hear anything."

Firla ignored her, climbing over the low fence that separated the woods from the rest of the park. She disappeared into the trees and Starlit rushed to follow her, knowing something was about to happen. Her natural instinct to protect Firla was screaming at her for letting Firla get as far away as she was.

Firla carefully climbed over roots and ducked below branches, calling out for whoever was in the woods. The crying sound seemed to be getting farther away, and Firla sped up as she pushed farther into the woods. She tripped a couple times, getting dirt all over her jeans, but she kept going.

Starlit lost sight of Firla quickly and rushed to catch up, regretting her decision to wear a dress and sandals. Dead sticks on the ground stabbed at her feet and low hanging branches pulled at her dress, slowing her down.

The sounds stopped suddenly and Firla slowed down, calling out again. 'Maybe the baby's mom found her...' Firla thought, looking around her. Everything seemed darker suddenly, and Firla felt as if someone was watching her. "Star?"

Starlit found Firla and rushed to her side, "See, Fyfy? It was nothing. There's nothing here. Now let's go, before all the good sales are done."

Firla shook her head, "I swear I-"

"Oh come on, sissy. We're nothing?"

Starlit scowled and turned towards the voice.