Early the next morning, Jack woke up, performed his usual stretches, packed up his knapsack, slipped on his skates, and wandered out the door, just as he had done for the past few weeks. However, this time his mind was fresh and buzzing with excitement and preparation. With the advent of Kylie, Jack felt as if his heart had been opened to new opportunities, more so than when he had first met the Diamond Dogs. The girl's intrigue, and her tempting promise to meet him that day, kept Jack clear-headed and looking forward. As he scanned the skyline for a black-clad figure, he also warily searched the landscape for any sign of the dog pack that had attempted to attack him the day before. Fortunately the area was all clear on the dog front. Thank Bog they didn't make it to our domy, Jack thought, a shudder passing through his body that he tried to quell. Once more, they're only DOGS, Jack. Get a grip on yourself.

His heart lifted as he approached the hill and caught sight of a familiar girl standing atop it. For a moment Kylie didn't appear to have seen Jack as she brushed the hair out of her eyes and squinted into the sun, her fingers stretching out an elastic band. With expert skill, she tied up her hair in the band, frowning a bit as a few brown wisps escaped and collapsed against her cheeks. Jack was somewhat enchanted by this singularly womanly gesture, before giving himself a mental slap on the face. What, are you turning all gloopy and like soft all of a sudden?

Kylie turned her head at that moment and noticed Jack for the first time. She raised her hand and gave a wide wave. Jack felt himself break into a grin, and he ran clumsily up the hill to meet his friend. "Hi hi hi there, Kylie."

"Hi-hi-hi there yourself," she said, her brown eyes dancing with mirth. "Man, that's a long way you have to skate to get here! I've been waiting since the sun came up."

"Do you like live on this hill, then?" Jack snorted, playfully ribbing her. "How come I've never viddied you around?"

"I don't live on this hill," Kylie rolled her eyes. "I live on the other side of town. I bet you've never been there before." Her "bet" was a dare lying in wait, a challenge as interpreted by Jack. He had half a mind to blurt that of course he had been there before, but the other half of his mind caught up and reminded him of the truth. Jack shrugged noncommittally. "I bet you've never been out there before, fair devotchka Kylie," he said, pointing in the direction of his home. Now the challenge was reversed, and Kylie had to respond. She smiled knowingly.

"I've never been there, Hallowe'en Jack. You'll have to show me someday." Neither the tone of Kylie's voice nor the language of her body hinted as to whether or not she was kidding. Jack found himself hoping that she wasn't. He turned to stand next to Kylie as she scanned the view from the top of the hill, facing the direction of the Manhattan Chase building. "Is that where you live, Jack? That skyscraper way out there?"

"Yes," Jack said. "My em- I mean my mom- named it the Manhattan Chase building, after a building on Earth. She told me that our domy- that is, our home- must have once been a part of Hunger City, but the builders probably like changed their rassoodocks- I mean, minds- about the like location of the city, and didn't like bother in tearing our domy down." He smiled lightly, self-conscious of the way he was talking. Kylie seemed a bit flustered from trying to keep track of the nadsat-talk words, but masked it in a surprisingly sharp demand. "Jack, can you please try not to use those nadsat-talk words around me? I'm sorry, it- it's hurting my head…"

"As you wish," Jack murmured, submitting. He himself always felt impolite when he used nadsat-talk around people who didn't speak it, like his mother. When in Rome, speak Latin.

There was a brief pause, in which Kylie placed her hands on her hips and Jack shifted his weight from one foot to another. He tried desperately to think of something more to say. Then Kylie filled up the silence with a question. "I- I'm sorry if I'm being nosy here- that is to say, intrusive." She smirked, and Jack averted his eyes. "But I have to ask, what happened to your eye? Is it hurt or anything?"

Oh. Jack chuckled in a self-aware manner. "No, Kylie. I wear this eyepatch for like fashion." Such a thing now sounded silly when he revealed it to another person.

"Like fashion," Kylie said, "or just fashion?" She turned her head to stare at him with a not-amused gleam in her eye. Jack was sure that her irritation was just a farce, and shrugged away her joke. "Okay, I wear it for fashion. The Diamond Dogs think it makes me look tougher."

"And what do you think?" Kylie asked, blinking in the sunlight.

Jack made a neutral gesture. "I think it looks cool. It does kind of impact my gl- eyesight, though."

"I would think so," Kylie said, nodding, and from the sound of her voice Jack could tell that her interest was now otherwise diverted. She jerked her head in the direction of his home. "Who do you live with out there, Jack? Your mom and… anyone else?" Jack gave her a "look-who's-being-nosy-now" glance, and Kylie rolled her eyes, although a trace a nervousness was on her face- have I gone too far? "I mean, I'm sorry if I'm prying you too much… I just, I get really curious about things…" She giggled once, reproachfully. Jack, wanting to reassure Kylie, reached out to touch her. He wasn't sure what would be the most appropriate place to touch- her face, her arm, her shoulders? Finally he made his move just as his mother had done the night before and took Kylie's hand. She stared at him, surprised.

"It's okay, you're not bugging me," Jack said, suddenly realizing that this connection might be more intimate than he had thought. "It's okay to be curious. I know I'm curious quite often too… Just last night I was asking my mom all about how Hunger City was founded and about the people from other planets. She's the only person I live with, by the way," he awkwardly finished, remembering to answer Kylie's question. "My father died before I was born."

"I'm sorry," Kylie said sincerely, and Jack muttered another "it's okay," retreating his hand from her grip. He didn't meet Kylie's eyes, feeling embarrassed that he'd made a move on her without realizing it. How was he to have any experience with the opposite sex? He'd only ever lived with his mother…

"I live with my parents and my sister," Kylie said, but Jack could tell that the subject was no longer holding any interest for her. Was her mind lingering on that accidental display of affection, wondering what it could mean? Jack wanted to slap himself, not for the first time that day, for being so stupid. Friends didn't hold each other's hands, did they? He figured it was time to apologize.

"Appy polly loggies, Kylie," he said without thinking, the nadsat-talk slipping out of his mouth all too easily. "I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable by holding your r- hand. I, I didn't know it wasn't something that friends do… I haven't had experience with any devot- girls your age before, or any girls at all really…"

To Jack's relief, Kylie started to laugh. She pulled away from Jack and threw back her head, and her laughter was sweet music to Jack's ears. "Jack, it's perfectly all right! It's not unnatural for friends to hold each other's hands. I know you didn't mean it like that." Hesitantly, Jack offered a tiny smile, which Kylie returned in full force. All was forgiven, and Jack felt his heart melt at the sight of Kylie's sunbeam grin.

"Come on," Kylie said, changing the subject again. She skated backwards and pointed to the other side of the hill. "Let's skate." She zipped down the hill while Jack struggled on his feet, walking down tripping over himself. As soon as they reached the asphalt at the bottom, Kylie took off like a rocket, and Jack hurriedly followed her, trying to catch up. He was painfully aware of the squeaks his skates gave off, and Kylie seemed to be too.

"What's the matter with your roller skates?" she called over her shoulder as Jack neared her. "Don't you ever oil the wheels?"

"I wasn't like aware that they needed oil," Jack muttered dryly. He made his way to her side and they began skating in sync, the pace a little too fast for Jack's liking, but he didn't complain. Kylie snorted good-naturedly beside him.

"Of course your skates need oil! You might not notice it when you're skating with your friends, who have equally noisy skates, but the squeaking really isn't ideal when you're trying to shoplift or what have you. It totally gives your position away. And on top of that, I bet it's not good for the skates either." She stuck out her chin defiantly, as if daring Jack to find wrong with her statement. He grunted, annoyed with her lecture. His skates were no worse than hers!

"I bet I can out-skate you any day of the Earthly week," Jack proclaimed. Ah, here it was- the kind of challenge against Kylie that the two of them had both been longing for. Kylie grinned mischievously, a wild spark flaring in her eye. "Shall we make this a contest, Hallowe'en Jack?"

He nodded, already gearing up his body in preparation. Kylie braked in the middle of the street and waited for Jack to line up in place with her. Standing so close to Kylie, Jack could feel quivers of excitement running off of her skin, vibrations that he undoubtedly shared. "All right…" Kylie murmured, relishing the words and the power that lay within them.

"On your marks… get set…" Jack leaned forward.

"GO!'

They took off speeding down the street, careening at top speed. For the first few minutes all Jack could focus on was beating Kylie, but he soon forgot his goal as the breeze caressed his cheek, made cold by the velocity at which he was traveling. The world around Jack became a blur, and he closed his eyes, content that there were no obstructions in his way. The conspicuousness of his squeaky wheels was now insignificant, transformed into a sort of pleasurable music. Jack could almost feel sparks flying from his feet as the metallic wheels ground firmly into the concrete street, rubbing flame-hot friction… His breath came in pants as he moved even faster. For Jack, the race against Kylie had no end. If she grew exhausted, he would leave her behind and keep going and going and going, basking in his victory. He wouldn't stop until he could no longer go on or until he reached the furthest edge of Hunger City- or maybe he would travel even farther, exploring locations unknown.

And then-

"Jack! I won!"

Jack was pulled from the clouds in his head to come crashing to the ground. He slowed down and braked, turning as he came to a stop. Kylie stood behind him, her chest heaving, a delighted smile on her face. She pumped the air as Jack came back over to her.

"I reached the finish line first!" Kylie exclaimed, practically glowing with triumph. "This proves it- my skates are far better than yours!" Her hand shot out to punch Jack in the arm, and he stared numbly at her, his mind still catching up to his body.

"This was the finish line?" He scuffed the ground beneath his feet, dumbfounded. "You cheated! You didn't tell me where we were supposed to stop!"

"No, but you were the one who let me overtake you," Kylie said smugly. "You were enjoying yourself so much that you didn't even notice."

Jack turned slightly away, waiting for his heartbeat to regain its normal tempo. Finally when he was able to talk again, he faced Kylie again, forcing a smile to let her know that he wasn't put out about his loss, and jabbed a finger at her chest. "I call for a rematch. Right now."

"Oh, that's easily-" Kylie began, but a noise coming from within an alley stopped her in her tracks. Jack cocked his head as his ears picked up the familiar squeaking sound of boys on wheels. The Diamond Dogs were coming.

"Um," Jack blurted, unsure of what to do or say. His instincts told him to get Kylie away from his friends. "Um… maybe you'd better leave, Kylie… I hear the Diamond Dogs coming."

"What, no rematch?" Kylie whined sorely. "You sure you don't want to try and fail again, Jack?"

"I'm sure," he said, peering down the alley. The shadows cast by the boys' bodies were now on the wall of the building. "I- I'm sorry, Kylie, but you'll have to go now… I don't want them to-"

"I understand," she said, making to leave. "Goodbye, Jack. See you tomorrow, maybe?"

Jack smiled. "See you tomorrow morning. Same place, same time." With that, Kylie skated off, and Jack's shoulders slumped as Jagger, Sledge, Widdy, and Dice broke out of the alley and made straight for him. "Hallowe'en Jack!" Jagger cried, skating over to Jack in a few bold strides. "Hallowe'en Jack, we have been like looking for you everywhere! Come with your brothers and droogs and slooshy us govoreet about last nochy, which you so gloopily missed out on! We had a real horrorshow time, oh my brother."

Jack smiled weakly at Jagger and the rest of the Diamond Dogs, his mind hurriedly flipping the switch from his normal language to nadsat-talk. "I would love to slooshy you govoreet about last nochy, oh my brother and droog Jagger." Jagger beckoned Jack forward with a smile on his face, and Jack followed along, slipping into the group of Diamond Dogs easily. Widdy and Dice welcomed Jack back with smiles, but Sledge only nodded at Jack and narrowed his eyes, his expression severe. Jack wondered why he was upset. Had Sledge seen Jack with Kylie? But why should he disapprove? The day before, Sledge had actually defended Jack when Jagger tried to force him to go to a concert and pick up a prostitute, almost as penance for the apparent sin of hanging out with Kylie. If Sledge was on Jack's side, why was he frowning now?

Stop it, Jack, Jack's mind said, calming him down. You're overthinking this. Maybe Sledge didn't feel like smiling at you. You probably just misinterpreted his actions.

Coming back to the real world, Jack turned all of his attention on Jagger as his friend led the Diamond Dogs back into the alley they had just come out of. He stopped and turned around, rubbing his hands together with relish in preparation for telling the tale. Widdy, Dice, and Sledge took an unseen cue and sat down together, Jack quickly following suit. Jagger's gaze roamed over the Diamond Dogs, satisfied.

"As you well like know, oh my brother," he began, "we viddied one of Bog's Angels perform at a malenky mesto that goes by the eemya of the Club last nochy. The mesto was packed wall-to-wall with dozens of lewdies, many of them peeting their alcoholic drinks, but us Diamond Dogs took no part in that, oh my brother Hallowe'en Jack. The Angel performing was a bolshy veck who called himself-"

"Eel Monsoon," the Diamond Dogs chorused together in reverence.

Jagger continued the story. "You have never slooshied better music in your jeezny, brother Hallowe'en Jack. We of course have, because we have viddied Bog Himself perform. But this Angel's concert was a like close second to Bog. Each warble was a like prayer, the shoom very gromky so that it nearly hurt our ookoes, oh my brother. The guitar was fierce and jangling, the drums pounding into our chests. The goloss of-"

"Eel Monsoon…"

"-was smooth and clear and oh so heavenly, my brother. He did not sing in our nadsat-talk, but we will allow it, for only the great and mighty Bog can sing in our like language. When the show was over we like emptied out into the nochy and ittied off to find ourselves some sharps to spend the rest of the nochy with." Jagger's smile began to grow wider in remembrance of the second half of the night, and Jack shifted once, starting to feel out of place.

"We came across several horrorshow devotchkas downtown, oh my brother," Jagger said, his voice hushed. He was caught in memory, reliving the moment exactly. "They were dressed in such tight tight platties that you could viddy the exact like shape of their plotts. Their shirts were cut low and their skirts were too short. They asked us for advance payment, oh my brother, and we agreed to it. Not having any cutter with ourselves, we traded in some of the supplies we crasted yesterday- a heavy price, maybe, but one that was truly worth it." Jack wondered how sex could be worth giving up supplies.

"We privodeeted the devotchkas to a basement that I had found just a day or two before, oh my brother. Down in the basement, in the dark, there is nothing but a few like mattresses lying around, perfect for lubbilubbing on. We made those devotchkas shake and moan and sigh for more and more, and then we zasnooted until morning came. The sharps had like left us all on our oddy knockies, down there in a basement. We dressed and ittied off, and now I am here, oh my brother, govoreeting with you about how the nochy was. What have you to skazat in like response?"

Jack, his head buzzing from exposure to new nadsat-talk words that he hadn't heard before, gathered his wits carefully to form an appropriate reply. "It sounds as if you Diamond Dogs had quite a lot of ultraviolence, oh my brother and droog Jagger." Jagger dipped his head. "We did indeed, Hallowe'en Jack. We did indeed."

"Someday I will itty with you to viddy and slooshy Bog's Angels," Jack said, trying not to promise anything, but knowing that Jagger would be upset with him if he didn't at least hint at the likelihood. "I have never slooshied of anything like these concerts in all my jeezny, like you skazatted."

"Oh, and that is exactly why you need to come with us, my brother," Jagger said. He rocked back on his skates, eyes sparkling. "I told you, Hallowe'en Jack, that you have not like lived until you have seen Bog and All His Holy Angels. You have not lived until you experience the greatness that is rock and roll!"

Rock and roll… The name for the music triggered something in Jack's head. That and guitar… He recalled suddenly the headline on his Earthly newspaper, the article about his father. BRITISH ROCK SENSATION ZIGGY STARDUST…

A voice came back to him, a voice from long ago, nine years earlier. "Your father's name was Ziggy Stardust. He was a musician- a singer and a songwriter. He played guitar like no one else in the history of music." Yes, it was all adding up now. Jack's father who was now dead had been a sort of Earthly Bog's Angel. And Jack, being his son, was therefore descended from a God.

"Jagger!" Jack exclaimed at once, his mind on fire, ready to blurt out what he had just realized. "Listen to me for a malenky bit, Jagger, oh my brother and droog." Jagger skated forward again, blinking carefully, and the rest of the Diamond Dogs perked up in interest, turning towards Jack. "What have you to skazat, oh my brother?" Widdy asked.

"Do you remember that starry Earthly newspaper that you nearly razrezzed on the day that you met me, oh my brother Jagger?" Jack questioned. Jagger nodded. "I remember, Hallowe'en Jack."

"The article was about my old pee, you know, who has snuffed it," Jack said. "According to the article, my pee was a rock musician, just like these Holy Angels you govoreet so often about. Does that mean that my pee was an Angel too?"

In a flash, Jagger's good mood had faded. He stared coldly at Jack, his eyes no longer sparkling, instead taking on a metallic glint. "What are you like skazatting, oh my brother?" He crossed his arms and wheeled forward. "Do you mean to skazat that you believe your old pee was holy, and you are like holy too?"

"I suppose," Jack said, afraid that he'd made a mistake but not knowing how to get back on Jagger's good graces. "If rock musicians are Bog's Angels, and my pee was a rock musician, then he was one of Bog's Angels, and that makes me-"

"Stop stop stop!" Jagger cried, zipping in quickly and giving Jack a sharp tap on the arm. He glared angrily, his lower lip pushing out. "You should not skazat the veshches that you are skazatting, oh my brother. 'Tis unwise to declare yourself as holy. It is a vonny crime and like sacrilegious, a sin against Bog Himself, oh my brother!"

Widdy, Dice, and even Sledge had snapped their heads up to watch the mounting altercation. Jack absently rubbed his arm on the place where Jagger had tapped it, confusion filling his head. Why was Jagger so opposed to his musings, which if Jack had figured out logically, should be true? The confusion was quickly replaced by cold anger that washed through Jack's stomach. What right did Jagger have to tell him what was holy and what was not? Jack's belief in Bog as a God was sketchy at best, as he had never gotten the full idea of who Bog was and what he was supposed to do, but as far as he knew, Bog was a rock musician, and if rock musicians were holy, why was Jack's father not considered as such?

Jack got to his feet slowly, reaching into his knapsack to draw out his Bowie knife in its sheath. Slipping it out of the sheath, he stalked forward towards Jagger, the rest of the Diamond Dogs falling silent as they realized that Jack was truly offended.

"It was unwise of you to insult my pee like that, oh my brother," Jack whispered, running his finger along the blade's edge.

Jagger met him with a contemptuous glare. "It was unwise of you to compare your sodding pee to Bog, Hallowe'en Jack."

Jack glowered right back, the cold anger freezing his body. He lifted the knife to his waist, taking a few more menacing steps forward. "I don't want to fight you, oh my brother, but if you continue to like insult my pee, whom I love dearly even though he has snuffed it, there will be a bitva."

"I could easily like defeat you, Hallowe'en Jack," Jagger sneered. "You are far too skinny to be a real like threat."

Talk about adding insult to… insult. Jack's brow furrowed further, sensitive about his size. He had never known that he was underweight for his age until he met the Diamond Dogs, and no amount of food could fill him out, burned quickly away by his high metabolism. Angry now beyond the point of return, Jack rushed forward on his skates, making for Jagger. But a cry rang out behind him.

"Stop!" Widdy cried, distressed. "Is this not the day after a nochy of worship? It is not right to start a bitva, brothers! We must not do a veshch today!"

Jagger held out his empty hands in front of him as Jack skidded to a stop, gripping his Bowie knife in an iron fist and glaring. Jagger spoke softly, trying to calm Jack down. "What Day-viddy-widdy says is right, my brother. After a nochy of worship where we go to see Bog and All His Holy Angels perform, us Diamond Dogs never fight or crast or give devotchkas the old in-out-in-out or any of the like usual veshches we do on normal days. It is like what they called on Earth…"

"The Sabbath day?" Jack suggested. He was starting to cool off now, regaining his temper, although he still held the knife clutched loosely in one hand.

Jagger nodded, uninterested. "It is like that, oh my brother. 'Tis not wise to fight on the day after a concert." Just as Jack thought that conflict had been avoided, Jagger's tone filled with scorn. "Not that you would know of anything like that, oh my brother. You chose to go out with that devotchka from the city instead of go out with us. You didn't even like allow us to share your catch, my brother Hallowe'en Jack! That is a veshch that I do not pony. You found a perfect, willing devotchka, and then you kept her all for yourself!"

"And you left nothing but hookers for us!" Dice laughed. "You are like very selfish when it comes to sharps, oh my brother."

Jack growled unconsciously, trying his best to keep his head. It seemed as if Jagger was trying to rile him up on purpose. Today, Sledge didn't come to his rescue and tell Jagger to knock it off. Jack was on his own to defend himself with words.

"Do not govoreet about Kylie like that, oh my brother Jagger," Jack said carefully, a warning edge in his voice. "She is a droog to me, just like you Diamond Dogs are. I did not give her the old in-out-in-out yesterday, and neither she nor I would have wanted to anyway."

He lifted his knife again and stared at his reflection in its shiny surface. "There are two veshches that you cannot like insult around me, my brother Jagger. The first is my poor old pee, and the second is Kylie and my relationship with her. We only like met for the first time yesterday, and I do not think it is fair of you to like leap to conclusions about what we did together. I know that today is not a day for tolchocking and fighting, but if you continue to knock Kylie I will knock your litso in, oh my brothers."

Jagger blinked once, his expression unreadable, and Jack sheathed his knife and went skating back to the rest of the Diamond Dogs. As he sat down among them, he could feel some kind of respect and awe radiating off of them. Widdy and Dice stared with wide eyes, and Sledge gave an near-imperceptible nod, a movement that spoke volumes. Good for you for sticking up for yourself, oh my brother, Sledge's eyes seemed to say. Good for you for not letting Jagger insult you such.

"Hallowe'en Jack," Jagger called, skating forwards a bit, wary, as if afraid of approaching his own friends. Jack detected the smallest sliver of worry in his body language, worry that he was losing control of the group that he led. But this worry was quickly pushed down so as not to be evident when Jagger spoke. "I pony your demands quite well. Appy polly loggies, brother, I did not mean to like offend you." He seemed to be hating the words that were crawling out of his mouth. "I will never say such veshches again."

"Thank you," Jack murmured, and the boys beside him seemed to exhale a collective sigh of relief. A fight had been averted. Jagger smiled, but did not sit down, to show his dominance above the rest of the Diamond Dogs. He skated in a figure eight while Jack murmured, "And for your like information, my brother and droog Jagger, I did not leave you to be with Kylie. I left because I was worried my em would think I was like missing."

Jagger grunted, having nothing to say to that, and it suddenly occurred to Jack that none of the Diamond Dogs had ever mentioned having families before. They never went home, never worried that someone might be looking for them, never took more supplies than they themselves needed. Jack was at once curious to know what had happened to the Diamond Dogs' families.

"Jagger," Jack said to catch his friend's attention. Jagger raised his eyebrows inquiringly. Jack started to feel a bit self-conscious, but he forged ahead anyway.

"Have you, and your other droogs, ever had like families? You must have had pees and ems at some point in your jeeznies, oh my brothers. What happened to them?"

Jagger paused for a moment before grinning evilly in response. "I myself have never had a 'family' as you call it, my brother." He pointed to Sledge, who looked up with a disgruntled expression- "why can't you leave me alone?"

"Sledge here is a runaway," Jagger explained, and "Day-viddy-widdy and No Dice Bryce-" he pointed to them- "are cousins who decided to like tag along with us Diamond Dogs, oh my brother. As you can see, Hallowe'en Jack, none of us have what you call 'families.'" He spoke the words with relish, almost seeming to be proud of the fact that he had no family. Jack blinked thoughtfully, wondering what it must be like to be an orphan. He couldn't imagine a world without his mother. She was the solid rock in his life, the one person he could simultaneously depend on and look after, the one person who would always be there for him when he got lonely. In short, Jack's mother was his best friend, and he couldn't imagine anything different.

The alley had fallen quiet. Jagger was skating aimlessly, practicing his tricks, and the rest of the Diamond Dogs were still sitting down, fiddling with their skate wheels and fidgeting. Widdy and Dice had started a conversation in quiet voices, and Sledge rolled the wheels of his skates in his fingers, a look of boredom on his face. Jack was starting to feel the same way, so he stood up and brushed himself off, pushing his lengthy hair behind his ears. "Jagger? As I did not viddy the concert of Bog's Angel that you viddied last nochy, does the like Sabbath Day not apply to me?"

"Don't call it the Sabbath Day, oh my brother," was Jagger's immediate response. "The like religion of rock and roll has nothing to do with the Christian religion or whatever you call it."

"It doesn't apply to you either way," Sledge spoke up. "You are allowed to itty off, Hallowe'en Jack."

Jagger pouted, looking out of sorts because Sledge had stolen his line. "Pay Sledge no mind, brother Hallowe'en Jack. He only wishes that he didn't have to like observe this day himself." With that, Jagger stuck his tongue out at Sledge, who sighed and rolled his eyes back. Turning his attention back to Jack, Jagger said kindly, "Of course you can itty wherever you want to if you do want to, brother."

"Thank you," Jack said, nodding. "I have some supplies to crast." He began to skate away, the Diamond Dogs yelling their goodbyes from behind his back and his mind already bursting with things to do and say- steal those supplies, and then go find Kylie again.

To his sadness, Jack did not meet up with Kylie again that day, and he went home from Hunger City with a heavy heart that he tried to hide from his mother. Why should he care so much about Kylie's absence? He had never felt lonely when by himself before he met her. But the image of her dark brown eyes, her wispy hair and her playful smile haunted Jack all the way back to his home, and he wished fervently that she was with him at the time. Was her personality really so fascinating to Jack? Or what the simple fact that she was the first real girl he had ever met the only thing that enchanted him?

As Jack traveled the barren landscape, he saw a large gray lump of a creature lumbering in the same direction he was headed. Jack's muscles tensed, and he reached for his Bowie knife. It's a dog. It was to be hoped that he would be able to escape the animal by himself without help from a certain person who was not here. Thank you, Kylie, thank you very much…

It turned out that Jack didn't need to wish Kylie was around. The dog paused up ahead and dropped something it had been carrying in its mouth onto the ground, pawing at it. As Jack warily passed it by, he could see that the dog was clawing apart a scrap of meat. It lifted its head when Jack walked past it and sniffed the air, its eyes glittering with what Jack felt for sure was undiluted hatred. A shiver ran up his spine, and he quickened his pace. The dog, thankfully, went back to eating its meal.

There was something altogether too human about those dogs, Jack decided. Inhumanity would normally be what freaked him out, but when applied to a creature like a dog, who was already inhuman enough, any trace of humanity in its eyes would terrify Jack to the extreme. They might be from another planet, Jack thought, but there's no way they can be from this one. Nothing that evil looking could have come from our Utopia. The image of Kylie's face escaped Jack's mind, to be replaced by the malicious stare of the dogs. Chills bit into him as he hurried the rest of the way home, not wanting to be out when the sun sank below the horizon. He felt he couldn't take such fear.