Jay:- Right. I think we should send a group to search the surrounding area before we all go in.
Lex:- Who put you in charge?
Jay:- I'm not but I do think we need to be organised and prepared for what lies ahead. We all have a say.
Ebony:- Well I am up for going in a search party.
Lex:- I will as long as I'm not in her party.
Ram:- I second that.
Trudy:- This has got to stop guys. We are a tribe. We are heading to a new land. We should make a pact. Everything that happened in the city is now in the past. We are all friends. We make our future from here.
Salene:- I agree.
Trudy:- Everyone in favour of this?
Lex:- I'm sorry but I can't forget what Ebony did to Siva.
Trudy:- We won't ask you to. But you need to forgive.
Ebony:- I'm willing to give it a shot if everyone else is.
May:- Of course you would.
Ebony:- Excuse me snitch?
May:- Least I didn't create a cult.
Trudy:- Please guys?
May:- Fine.
Patsy:- I think we should have a new stamp. If we are starting fresh we could use a little make over too. What do you think?
Gel:- That sounds great. I'm sick of having this star on me all the time..
Amber:- That star means everything to this tribe.
Patsy:- What about changing the colour to red or green?
Salene:- That's a nice idea Pats.
Amber:- As long as you don't change the pentagram. It is a reminder of the people we have lost.
Trudy:- I agree with Amber. But the change of colour will show that we have changed as people and as a tribe. New and old members.
Ram:- Do I really have to wear it?
Jay:- If you want to stay a Mallrat then yes you do Ram.
Ved:- I like red, we should vote red. Cloe's favourite colour is red.
Ved smiled at the memory of Cloe. I will find you Cloe and I will prove to you I love you.
Lottie:- I like that. Ruby would too.
Slade:- Yes Lottie, she would. Don't worry she should be awake soon enough.
Jay:- Ok, So Lex, Ram and Ebony are willing to go so am I.
Trudy:- Well I should really stay here with the kids and Ruby.
Sammy:- Can I go. Pleeeeeease?
Lex:- No way Sammy. You're just a boy.
Sammy:- No I'm not I'm a man.
Ved:- Yeah sure you are mate. I'm game I need the exercise after being cooped up in a basement for god knows how long.
Amber:- I'll stay here and look after the kids with Trudy.
Jay:- You sure Amber?
Amber:- Yes Jay.
May:- I'll go. So will Salene won't you?
Salene:- I suppose.
Jack:- And me I want to see if they have any equipment we could find useful.
Jay:- Anyone else?
Alice:- I'm going to stay here and look after Ellie. She is really bad at the moment.
Trudy:- Is she ok?
Alice:- Yeah I think it's just the sea. She is just having a sit down right now.
Jack:- Yeah she looked really bad on the boat at one point.
Jay:- Right ok. So Lex, May and Salene your together. Me and Ram and Ebony and Ved. Meet here at 7am in the morning ok?
May, Salene, Ved, Ebony, Lex and Ram:- Ok.
Amber:- Is that it? Can I go now?
Jay:- Err yes if you want. I need to talk to you though Amber in private.
Amber:- Not now, ok Jay?
Jay:- You keep saying that but we do really need to talk Amber.
Amber:- I know Jay and we will but not now. I'm tired.
Jay:- Ok but tomorrow after I get back you won't have a choice.
Jay walks off with the rest of the search party following.
Trudy:- Amber. What the hell is wrong with you? You need to tell him how you feel.
Amber:- Don't lecture me Trudy. You of all people should not be lecturing me ok?
Trudy:- How dare you Amber. I'm your friend and I want to help. You know what, fine be like that.
Amber:- Trudy I'm sorry.
Trudy was already walking off to the oceans edge. She was mad at the words Amber spoke. All I was doing was caring. Gee!
Ellie:- I feel like I am going to be sick again Trudy.
Trudy:- You weren't sea sick on the first travel Ellie, are you sure you're ok?
Ellie:- I don't really know, 've not felt this bad since when we were back on the farm.
Trudy turned and looked in her eyes.
Trudy:- I'm sure it will pass, try and walk around a little bit.
Trudy:- Alice I am really worried about Ellie. Are you sure she is just suffering from Sea sickness?
Alice:- Well we will find out in a few days if it hasn't worn off, what are you thinking?
Trudy:- That she could be pregnant?
Alice:- You mean, her and Jack? He finally got the balls?
Trudy:- Well they are pretty much 16 now, what do you expect in a world with no adults.
Alice:- Yes, which is still too young for my little sister to be having a baby.
Amber was walking down the beach with Bray J. Trudy watched her along with Jay.
Trudy:- Something's wrong with her too Alice.
Alice:- I think I know what but that isn't for me to tell. She will be fine eventually. But she needs help. No matter how hard she tries to be alone.
Jay:- I hope your right. Finding out Bray is out there must be very hard for her. Not knowing if he has moved on too, or if he is looking for her and Bray J.
The group split to cover more ground with Ram Lex and Jay going south for around half an hour when they had found the village. It was quite large but not like a city. They had a small market stall which sold fruit and bread. One of them sold seeds obviously so you could grow your own food.
Stall owner:- Hi boys I haven't seen you around here before? Wait are you Techno's?
Jay:- No we aren't we used to be but we left them. We are actually looking for clothes and food as we have a small tribe of people hungry and dirty.
Stall owner:- Hmm okay well my name is Gruff and I own this stall, I sell fruit and veg. Trixie sells bread and other items such as butter and milk. Mace sells fabric. That's about it. We don't have the means to make our own clothes and sell them. So we sell the fabric and you do the rest, if you want new clothes that is.
Ram:- Any software or computers lying around?
Gruff:- Does it look like it? The Techno's took all that stuff when they ransacked the place. You want to be careful boys, people may not believe you're not Techno's anymore if you keep wearing those clothes and talking about computers.
Ram:- Jay he is right. We should probably go back.
Jay:- Lex. Any chance you can get some of that fabric and meet us back in the forest? We will scout about afterwards.
Lex:- No problem. Haggling is what I do best.
Ram:- Hahaha course Lex.
Lex walks up to Mace.
Lex:- Hi mate, how much is the black fabric going for?
Mace:- Well what have ya got?
Lex:- Not much really, whatever we had before we had to leave behind.
Mace:- Well no trade no fabric "mate"
Lex:- Come on man. We need clean clothes. I'm sure we can come to some agreement.
Mace:- Like?
Lex:- How about I get back to you on that one?
Mace:- Get lost!
Trixie:- Hey, what seems to be the problem ladies?
Mace:- Trixie, butt out!
Trixie:- I'm only trying to help out a fellow citizen of Trinity. No need to get stroppy dude.
Lex:- I'm really desperate. If I don't find clean clothes for the children they will get dirtier and come down with illnesses.
Trixie:- You have kids?
Lex:- Not personally but part of my tribe do and a few of our members are children,
Trixie:- Help him out Mace, come on.
Mace:- No pay. No fabric!
Trixie:- Here I'll give you a slice of bread and a jug of milk?
Mace:- Hmm well ok then. Here that should cover it.
Mace passes Lex a long sheet of black fabric and red fabric too.
Lex:- Thanks, Trixie right?
Trixie:- Yeah and what may I call you sweety pie?
Lex:- Lex. I owe you one.
Trixie:- Don't forget it babe.
Lex winked at Trixie and ran back off into the woods.
Ram:- Took your time didn't ya?
Jay:- Next time scrap the flirting yeah?
Lex:- You're just jealous.
Lex Ram and Jay walked around scouting the area to see if there was any other sign of life other than the village. Other than a few animals they found nothing but a few lakes and the other side of the beach.
Ebony and Ved were searching through bushes. They hadn't found any sign of anything for at least an hour. They decided to keep searching for a little while longer but didn't see the point of going on much longer as there didn't look like there had been activity on this part of the island. Ebony was missing the city more than ever as she was surrounded by trees and yet more trees.
Ebony:- God, is that all that's here. TREES! I'd give an arm and a leg to see a sky scraper right now.
Ved:- I know what ya mean. It's been a lifetime ago since I was in front of a computer. I miss them surprisingly.
Ebony:- Oh well. Mega ruined all that for us didn't he. God I'm glad he is gone.
Ved:- Me too. He was a nasty piece of work even if he did see the error of his ways in the end.
Ebony:- We have all made mistakes. I have made enough for a city all in one go aha.
Ved:- True. But you never sent Cloe into a game.
Ebony:- Neither did Mega. He deleted you. But Ram got rid of Cloe.
Ved:- That was the only reason I saved Rams life to begin with. Because he knew where Cloe was. I hope she is out there somewhere looking for me as I am for her. I can't bear to think she may have moved on or that she is hurt.
Ebony:- Cloe is a smart kid. She will be ok.
Ved:- Shh. Do you see that?
Ebony:- Oh my god it is huge!
Ved:- Do you think anyone is living there?
Ebony:- Only one way to find out.
Ebony quickly and silently sprints to the side of the cottage. The walls are high and the garden is big. She walks round the front and peeks in the windows.
Ebony:- Its clear.
Ved:- You could of got us killed Ebony!
Ebony:- Shut up you wimp. You used to be a Techno remember.
Ved:- Yes until I got thrown into a bunker and nearly starved to death.
Ebony:- Come on there is dust in there it doesn't look like anyone has lived there in a while. Maybe your old tribe took them.
Ved:- I wouldn't put it past them to be honest. We needed slaves and lots of them.
Ebony turned the handle of the front door and opened it easily enough. The hall was long and had a few couches down the side. On one side of the hall was the stairs which were made from old oak. Very cosy for a cottage.
Ebony:- Look at this.
Ved:- What? Wow….
The living area had a high ceiling and on one side of it there was just one massive book case filled with books. The area was quite dusty and unlived in but was tidy and big. ]
Ebony:- We could move the couches in here so we have an area to meet and discuss matters.
Ved:- Sounds pretty good to me. What is in here.
Ved opened the door to the kitchen which had all the basics including cupboards a gas cooker and a huge centre island to eat in the middle
Ebony:- I must be seeing things. Is that really a fruit and veg garden outside? And… is that a sheep and cow? How in god's name have they survived here?
Ved:- Well if you look there's a bucket there which I'm guessing fills up when it rains. And they have grass to graze.
Ebony:- Weird. Amber will love it here with her animal instincts.
Ved:- Let's get back to the beach so we can tell the others about this place. It's getting late as it is.
Ebony:- Yeah your right..
Ebony and Ved were happy with what they had found. They walked slowly back to the boat to inform the others.
Jack, May and Salene's journey went by with not really much going on. They hadn't found anything at all and were hoping that the others had at least found some food.
Jack:- I can't believe we wasted half a day looking around and finding nothing.
Salene:- My legs are killing me. I need a drink.
May:- Me too. Next time I volunteer tell me to shut up Salene.
Salene:- Damn right.
Jack, May and Salene walked back onto the beach.
Jack:- Hey where is Ellie, Alice?
Alice:- Jack, she keeps asking for you and being sick still. By the way, if she is pregnant, I am holding you responsible.
Jack:- Ok… I'm going to take some food and try and get her to eat something.
Alice:- So Salene. Did you find anything interesting.
Salene:- Not a thing. It's pretty deserted out there in the forest.
Alice:- Yeah not many people go into the forest after the Techno's invaded.
Trudy:- Hopefully Jay and Ebony have found something. "Trudy walked in to the conversation while Brady ran around laughing."
Just as Trudy finished her sentence. Jay, Ram and Lex walked in. Lex was carrying the fabric he got thanks to Trixie.
Sammy:- Guys did you find any food?
Jay:- We found stalls but we didn't get any as we don't have anything to trade. We have plenty of food for now anyway.
Sammy:- What's with the fabric?
Lex:- Well we need clothes don't we?
Salene:- I'm good at sewing after the Chosen so I can probably make some kind of clothes for us out of that.
Gel:- Well I won't be wearing anything other than my own clothes.
May:- That's fine you can make your own then. Saves Salene a job.
Sammy:- Gel is just selfish.
Gel:- Sammy?
Sammy:- Well you are. You never help out and you moan all day about your hair and makeup. It's getting to be quite annoying. I miss Mouse.
Gel:- Humph "Gel runs off crying"
May:- Go Sammy. Maybe you are a man after all.
Sammy:- Really. You think so?
Lex:- Shh. Where is Ebony and Ved? Salene? What did you guys find?
Salene:- Nothing at all. The back side of the island is deserted. Nothing but trees and bushes.
Ram:- Did Jack have no luck either then?
May:- No he went to look after Ellie.
Trudy:- Well ill start making lunch. Hopefully Ved and Ebony are back soon. We don't want them to go missing again.
The mallrats sat patiently talking among themselves.