As the Mallrats and their other friends settled onto the boat leaving the city, they felt a mix of emotions. Each person keeping their feelings silent.
Fear, Worry, Uncertainty but most of all - 'sadness' . This wasn't just a scary time with god knows what lying ahead, but the silence that ran through the air left them only with their thoughts. The sadness for the loss of some of their closest friends... Leaving the Mall behind, the place they first formed their tribe, the place they called their home. That was the hardest thing they'd ever had to do.

And Trudy was feeling worse of all.. The place she'd called home.. the place she'd given birth to her baby would always hold dear in her heart.
"What are we going to do? Where are we going to go? , The mall was our home!" She pondered in worry. Alerting Ruby who was stood beside her. "And Liberty was mine, we've all had to make sacrifices Trudy. You're not the only one" the former barmaid whined.

Trudy dismissed Ruby's comment but was eager to shoot back "You wouldn't understand... You only think of yourself" she spoke with truthful bitterness.

Daryl was absolutely loving this, "Girl fight" he announced loudly, alerting Amber who was within ear shot and now approached the two girls and Daryl. "Go away Daryl, there will be NO fight" she spoke, dismissing Daryl with a hand gesture, watching as he walked away to sit with Ram and Amber spoke to Ruby and Trudy. "Look girls... it's pointless arguing. Yes it's hard and we've had to make some difficult sacrifices but we've got each other. We HAVE TO look to the future now, there's no point in looking back. It won't change anything, We have to take life as it comes and try to build something from it, try to make the best of what we've got and forget the past."

Ruby sits in silence and Amber's speech does little to lift Trudy's spirits "And how do you feel Amber? Can you just forget the past? Forget everything you and Bray had there once?"

Amber takes a seat next to Trudy "I could NEVER forget, Bray was my one true love but Trudy he's never coming back." She could feel herself fighting hard to stop tears from welling in her eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat knowing that she had to keep it together for all of them and do what she was here to do, lead. "I've had to face that. Yes it is SO hard, but I couldn't just lay down and die. I had to go on, for the sake of my son. Mine and Bray's."

Trudy's jealousy arose at the mention of Bray, Bray had meant so much to her and she'd never even gotten a chance with him. "And Jay now, too right?" Amber had to answer. "Of course... Jay's part of my life now, things change. But my feelings for Bray could never, and Jay will never be little Bray's father."
Trudy's memories of how Bray had always looked out for them, and how things had taken a turn for the worst without him around. She was scared. "How are we going to survive Amber? I mean at first I was a little excited it meant a new life for all of us, a fresh start, then the more I thought about it, I grew scared and now add the sadness..." Amber says nothing in response, she too was quite afraid of what lies ahead.

The Boat suddenly stops mid-sea, sending everyone flying back. Lex is the first to question it. "What's going on?" May answers easily "He won't take the boat any further." Lex takes a threatening tone. "Why not?"

"Because you don't have anything to give me in return" the boat owner replied.
Lex becomes more agitated, especially when he notices the boat owner who goes by the name of Connor, giving the women on the boat a creepy look up and down. "Or perhaps you do" he corrects himself, his sleezy tone and raised eyebrows say plenty, and Lex watched Connor's attention turn to the girls as he sets his sights on Trudy and Amber, checking them up and down.
"You lay a single finger on ANY one of those girls and you're history... Am I making myself clear?" Lex threatens, aggressively.

Connor feels uneasy and less tough after hearing Lex's threat, so he immediately re-starts the boat.
Ram took his turn to get a word in and asks curiously. "Where are we landing the boat exactly?" Lex rolled his eyes. "We'll worry about that when it comes to it... Right now lets just survive and get as far away from the city as possible, the sooner the better."

Salene's stomach began to grumble, and with the grumbling came complaining. "Isn't there ANYTHING to eat on this thing? I'm starving."
May nodded. "Lower deck, there's some snacks but nothing much else" that's when Ebony chipped in, it was HER turn to complain. "Great.. So if the new virus doesn't kill us, Starvation will"

- "I'm good at finding food" Lottie answered positively. May snorted "You mean you're good at stealing it" she corrected, honestly. "little thief". she mutters
"We're not going to starve, we'll reach dry land soon... we can search then. Make food our first priority." Jay said. But Slade wasn't liking the way Jay was beginning to act like he was in charge. "Nobody orders me around, Ebony and I will search for shelter." Slade replied and Ebony's concerns made her question again "Ok, but what do we do for NOW?"

"There's beds on the lower deck, but it's cramped and there's only two. The kids could share one and someone could have the other. The rest of us will have to make do with the floor and a blanket" May shrugged. She didn't care where she slept as long as baby Bray's crying didn't wake her.

"Oh how cosy..." Ebony bitched "we'll be in paradise on this floating piece of junk." May's jaw dropped and she yelled, "Look, don't blame me ok? This was the best I could do to save you all from the city, just be glad I managed to arrange THIS" Salene agreed, "Yea the least you could do is be grateful, May did her best"

Ebony's glare darkened, "Well she didn't do good enough". May sighed "Look if you don't like it Ebony. you can always jump out and swim. See how long you last then". Ebony grew angry and she challenged May, "You better watch your mouth" she warned. "Or WHAT?" May bravely responded.
Lex suddenly stood between the two girls "Hey, leave it out. The both of you." For once Amber actually agreed with Lex, "Lex is right, we have more pressing issues to attend to, without the both of you creating additional problems"

"Hey Lex?" Gel called and Lex turns to face Gel waiting for her to speak. The ditzy girl began fluttering her eyelashes "I'm cold". It was clear as day that she wanted Lex to put his arm around her but Lex was taking no notice. He wasn't into Gel any more. "It's warmer in the cabin." He told her, coldly. Gel pulls a face, upset by Lex's lack of interest in her.
Gel inches closer to Lex, she rests her head on his shoulder giving the largest hint of all. "I thought maybe YOU could keep me warm." she said, in a second desperate attempt for his attention. But all she got in return was another rejection from Lex, "What can I do that one of the blankets can't?" Gel stands up disappointed and heads to the lower deck.

Meanwhile Ebony seems to have started yet another fight, this time with Ruby. "Why didn't you tell me you were faking about the baby?" she outright accused.
"I didn't fake anything Ebony, the test was negative ok?"
Ebony was having none of her excuses. "I don't buy that, You knew there was no baby but you lied about it to try and keep your hold on Slade. Admit it." she ordered
Ruby snapped at Ebony's accusations "Whether I was pregnant or not, is NONE of your business Ebony."
"Well I'm making it my business., Slade is MY man and you'll stay away from him if you know what's good for you." Ebony hissed.
"Is that a threat?" Ruby asked, "No..." Ebony replied, and just as Ruby turned to walk away Ebony continued. "It's a PROMISE. Not many people who crossed me, got to live". Ruby has nothing else to say and leaves Ebony to go and sit with Ram.

As Gel enters the lower cabin it was dark but the parts she could see were quite an eyesore to look at, Definitely not to Gel's taste at all. She is joined by Sammy who asks "What are you doing down here?"
Gel rubbed her uncovered arms "It's too cold up top, and the wind has messed my hair" she says attempting to sort out the parts of her hair that had been blown out of place.
"I think it still looks great" Sammy smiled.
"Well Sammy, YOU know I always look great." Gel answered giving her ego a good feeding.

At the top of the boat Jack and Ellie are speaking of the past, "It's sad isn't it?" Ellie asked, feeling very saddened, herself. "What is?" Jack asks, looking at his girlfriend. "Leaving the mall?" Ellie sighed, "...it was your home before the rest of us, Jack. How come you don't seem upset like the rest of us?" she asked.
"I'm not a very emotional person I guess." Jack was kidding himself, just trying to keep his own hopes up.
Ellie frowned, she knew that was not true. She knew Jack well enough by now. "Not emotional?" she stared at him like he'd lost it, or something. Jack Jack rolled his eyes a bit "Well ok, Maybe I am. But I'm optimistic too."
"I miss the mall" she pauses and managed a tiny smile when a happy memory came to her mind. "remember the first time we wrote the Amulet together?"
Jack's eyes lit up and he smiled, "Like it was yesterday". But Ellie's next words dampened Jack's raised spirits, "We can't do that out here, We can't do ANYTHING out here. - We won't be living, Just existing."
"There's a difference?" Jack asked. "Of course, living is enjoying life Jack... Existing is just - being here, having no purpose - doing nothing." Ellie clarified.
Salene happened to overhear Jack and Ellie's negative conversation and tried her best to cheer the couple up. "Hey guys, there's more to life than what you're expecting" she said "when we get off this boat; well, who knows what we'll find?"

Salene was beginning to sound like Tai-san, it was a good thing Lex wasn't within earshot. The last thing anybody needed was him throwing a fit about people trying to take her place. The girl had never left his mind, just like Bray never left Ambers.

Authors note

Hi guys, I moved my stories from facebook notes over to if you recognise this story, that's why. My name on facebook was Keep The Dream Alive

* All the other chapters that I still need to copy over to this site I will keep in the same format they're written.
The conversations in the future chapters are written in script form, just like they were originally but I think it's still a good enough read and so did the people who've read this on my facebook account.

{And if you're new to reading my stories then I hope you liked this chapter. Please review}