Chapter 2
The Day of the Voting
The city. It had no name anymore, it was just called the city. There were two types of people in this city, like there were two types of people anywhere in the world: either in a tribe or by yourself. That second part was me always after leaving the Locos.
But when anyone started to walk my way or in front of me, they would quickly sprint to the side. Even today, they still remembered me as Knightmare.
That was good thing in a way. At least no trouble was exploding out on the streets....as usual. Today might be a good day after all, I thought.
I'm not Sheriff of the city, nor am I deputy. But the job of being sheriff seems like the right kind of career choice for me. Trudy told me that and kept reminding me about it a couple of times. One time she did, Lex had overheard and was furious, so he just snapped at her. Being the protective brother, and being that I really hate it when people try to hurt my Trudy, I gave Lex probably the most hard left hook anyone had ever given him. He was out for two days, and I thought I nearly killed him. I regretted it all, but nobody...and I mean nobody messes with my little sister, especially not Ebony since the two are like "sisters" now like her and Amber.
I hear a sudden commotion up ahead. Angry shouts and people cheering. This could only mean one thing: a fight.
I quickly ran to the scene, and I was wrong. Four guys were beating on a boy younger than them. He looked about 14, while his attackers were about 17 to 20. There looked to be no serious injury from the youngest boy, and there wouldn't be.
I grab an iron staff that was supporting up a tent over a vendor's market and walk slowly up to the closest of the bullies.
I tap him on the shoulder, and he turns, then he spun again so fast with blood spitting from his mouth after I whacked him across his face with the staff.
I have their full attention now, and the bullies attack me. Ha! They tried anyways.
I slammed the end of the staff across the closest bully's knee. The bully had clutched his leg, not able to see me bring my staff behind him and take his legs out from under him. He fall hard on his backside just one of the last two came at me.
I landed a spinning roundhouse kick square in the closest bully's chest, and he went flying and smashed into one of the nearby markets. I threw the staff down and looked to the last of them. "You're call." I tell him. "You can either go home and think of what you did, or you can either go home and think of what you did with the most violent headache you'll ever have."
"Sure." he says. "I'll go home, after skinning you to Hell!" He takes out a butterfly knife, then tosses it back in forth in his hands to impress me. "I'm going to be famous for this. The guy who killed the warrior Knightmare."
Dream on, I thought. I swung my arm up, and there was a skit sound right before a clang when the butterfly knife flew out of view. One of my short swords was now pointed at the bully's throat, whose look of confidence had turned to pure terror. He thought he was going to die. He would have, but I was not like that anymore.
"Go," I tell him, "Think of a more better way of living besides preying on the younger ones. If I ever see you or your friends doing this or causing any more trouble, I will SKIN YOU straight to Hell....slowly." I growl the last part like a ferocious beast. He nods his head so quickly that I thought it could fall off his shoulders.
Gathering his friends, or more like scraping up his friends, they ran off. Then I saw a girl with brunette hair race up to the boy. I recognized her as the bartender at the Tribe Circus casino.
They looked like friends. Seeing he was in good hands and not waiting for any thank you's, I sheathed the sword back under my sleeve and headed off. Whoever says I can't be a good sheriff would be eating their words along with their foot.
I had gone over the city for an hour now. Quickest probably anyone's ever done. I remember Trudy telling me that it took Lex and Dee half of the day just to scale at least four of the sectors in the city.
There was no more trouble, except for Zoot riots chanting that Zoot lives. So Mega and Java were still up to their plans.
Ebony and Siva had discovered the truth about their "god." That his real name was Darryl. Darryl looked exactly like Zoot almost, just with a tatoo.
It wasn't enough for the city to be in danger...yet. Might as well go back and report, I thought.
That is...if the Mallrats have accepted me.
I'm walking down the sewer entrance to the mall, but stop when I come across Amber. She usually comes here to have some quiet time to herself.
"Too noisy for you in there?" I scare her though, making her jump then hold her heart as she lets out a breath of relief. "Sorry." I frowned. "It's all right." she reassures me. "I just...have so many things on my mind right now."
Funny how people could say the exact same thing you say in your head.
"Wanna talk about it?" I ask her.
Amber shrugs with a appreciative smile. "It's nothing really." I stand next to her with my hands in my pockets. "We're about to vote on you to be one of us." she admitted.
I nod my head and laugh. The moment of truth was coming to get me.
"If it helps, so far you have Trudy, Jay, Sammy, Ebony, and ME on your side." I notice how deep she uses ME in that sentence and look down at her, only to see her gazing at me.
Ah dang, I thought. So Eb was right about Amber. Amber was the one who bared Bray's child, but it was too bad that child would never get to know who is father was. It was sad enough to just tell him stories of his father's bravery when he stood up to the Chosen.
Amber was beautiful, and strong. Like Ebony, only different though. But that's as far as it went. I had no strong feelings for Amber, just Ebony.
But Ebony looked to be torn between me and my buddy Slade. Though it looked like she chose me, I still wondered if maybe she wanted Slade instead.
But here was another thing. Siva had taken also an interest into Slade. Ah, love triangles. Just gotta love 'em.
"Thanks." I tell her honestly. "So, has Ebony and Jay gotten back yet?"
I noticed she flinched when I said Jay's name. Perhaps she still had some feelings for him.
I started to wonder if this girl could make up her mind.
"No. Not yet I don't think. They're who we're waiting on for the voting."
"Zell." she says my name this time, and for a moment she pauses. I feel worried about what she might say. From the look on her face, she was starting to become shy and that could only mean one thing.
"You really...really love Ebony, don't you?"
I smile and nod my head yes without speaking.
"But sometimes, when she's gone, do you ever get....lonely? Even when she's there?" she asks me.
And I am taken by surprise by that question. I never had seen this coming at all.
After a moment, the answer comes to me. "Sometimes, yes. But when I do, I'm not really alone because I know her love for me is there, and inside me....there is always conflict."
She looked like she was about ready to cry at that. She understood what I was saying. I may be in love, but nonetheless I am a warrior. A dark warrior some would say. That is why I am known as Knightmare.
But was it the answer she wanted?
Before I could speak again, Ebony and Jay come walking casually down the sewer.
When she sees me, she smiles and we walk right into each other's arms with a kiss.
"Jeez! Get a room." Jay joked. I was now regretting ever saying that to him and Trudy when I saw him making out with my little sister.
I don't trust him completely. Jay. To me, he's just another Bray. Bray was a good friend, but a lot of girls went after him and sadly Trudy was one of them. I thought they would've gotten together, but back in her cruel days Ebony had devised a plan to make Bray hers. Her plan caused the creation of my darling niece, Brady, so I had to thank Ebony on that.
Trudy admitted to me that she was just a little reluctant to have a real relationship with Jay. She had known Amber loved him, but Amber told her she didn't want him anymore. After that, Trudy and Jay had been an item. Their romance caused a fight between Amber and Trudy, a side I never had seen in Trudy. But the two were able to make amends. I just wondered if Trudy could still trust him.
"So," Ebony spoke up, "I take it it's time?" she asked. Amber nodded. "Yeah."
"I'll wait here." I told them. Ebony looked up at me surprised. Then her grin returned. "Worried are we, my love?"
"No. A true warrior is never worried." But her grin is still aimed at me. I roll my eyes. "Okay, maybe a little."
"We've got your back, mate." Jay reassured me with a pat on the back. I may not trust him with my sister, but he was ok for a friend. I nodded, and then they started to head back into the mall without me. Ebony stopped and turned back to me. "You know, I was thinking."
"Yeah?" I prompted interested. "Zell, if they vote you out and you have to...leave," I could hear a tiny pit of hurt in her tone, "I'm going with you like I should have before."
Well, either way I do win. I smile at her lovingly and mouth okay. Then she disappeared with Jay and Ebony into the mall.
I slumbered and sat down against the wall, and I felt myself starting to drift of.
Might as well catch some Zs. This was going to be a long meeting anyways.
And the nightmare came again. Like before, my eyes are blinded with color of blood. But not my blood. This is what they call the gaze of death. And death is all around me. I wipe the blood from my face, and my eyes go wide in horror. Thousands of corpses are laying all around me. Few of them are my friends. The others are familiar, but unknown. Then I felt something at my feet. I looked down, and saw my angel, lifeless but yet looking so peaceful. Even with the blood staining her hair, and the deep gash in between her breasts, right where her heart was.
She had died slowly.
I cradled her in my arms like a baby. And I let out a cry that was more of a beast-like roar that shook the earth and the heavens.
And then the dream ended again As I felt myself awakened.
I gasped and looked up to see Jay smiling.
"Congratulations. You're a Mallrat."
The Day of the Voting
The city. It had no name anymore, it was just called the city. There were two types of people in this city, like there were two types of people anywhere in the world: either in a tribe or by yourself. That second part was me always after leaving the Locos.
But when anyone started to walk my way or in front of me, they would quickly sprint to the side. Even today, they still remembered me as Knightmare.
That was good thing in a way. At least no trouble was exploding out on the streets....as usual. Today might be a good day after all, I thought.
I'm not Sheriff of the city, nor am I deputy. But the job of being sheriff seems like the right kind of career choice for me. Trudy told me that and kept reminding me about it a couple of times. One time she did, Lex had overheard and was furious, so he just snapped at her. Being the protective brother, and being that I really hate it when people try to hurt my Trudy, I gave Lex probably the most hard left hook anyone had ever given him. He was out for two days, and I thought I nearly killed him. I regretted it all, but nobody...and I mean nobody messes with my little sister, especially not Ebony since the two are like "sisters" now like her and Amber.
I hear a sudden commotion up ahead. Angry shouts and people cheering. This could only mean one thing: a fight.
I quickly ran to the scene, and I was wrong. Four guys were beating on a boy younger than them. He looked about 14, while his attackers were about 17 to 20. There looked to be no serious injury from the youngest boy, and there wouldn't be.
I grab an iron staff that was supporting up a tent over a vendor's market and walk slowly up to the closest of the bullies.
I tap him on the shoulder, and he turns, then he spun again so fast with blood spitting from his mouth after I whacked him across his face with the staff.
I have their full attention now, and the bullies attack me. Ha! They tried anyways.
I slammed the end of the staff across the closest bully's knee. The bully had clutched his leg, not able to see me bring my staff behind him and take his legs out from under him. He fall hard on his backside just one of the last two came at me.
I landed a spinning roundhouse kick square in the closest bully's chest, and he went flying and smashed into one of the nearby markets. I threw the staff down and looked to the last of them. "You're call." I tell him. "You can either go home and think of what you did, or you can either go home and think of what you did with the most violent headache you'll ever have."
"Sure." he says. "I'll go home, after skinning you to Hell!" He takes out a butterfly knife, then tosses it back in forth in his hands to impress me. "I'm going to be famous for this. The guy who killed the warrior Knightmare."
Dream on, I thought. I swung my arm up, and there was a skit sound right before a clang when the butterfly knife flew out of view. One of my short swords was now pointed at the bully's throat, whose look of confidence had turned to pure terror. He thought he was going to die. He would have, but I was not like that anymore.
"Go," I tell him, "Think of a more better way of living besides preying on the younger ones. If I ever see you or your friends doing this or causing any more trouble, I will SKIN YOU straight to Hell....slowly." I growl the last part like a ferocious beast. He nods his head so quickly that I thought it could fall off his shoulders.
Gathering his friends, or more like scraping up his friends, they ran off. Then I saw a girl with brunette hair race up to the boy. I recognized her as the bartender at the Tribe Circus casino.
They looked like friends. Seeing he was in good hands and not waiting for any thank you's, I sheathed the sword back under my sleeve and headed off. Whoever says I can't be a good sheriff would be eating their words along with their foot.
I had gone over the city for an hour now. Quickest probably anyone's ever done. I remember Trudy telling me that it took Lex and Dee half of the day just to scale at least four of the sectors in the city.
There was no more trouble, except for Zoot riots chanting that Zoot lives. So Mega and Java were still up to their plans.
Ebony and Siva had discovered the truth about their "god." That his real name was Darryl. Darryl looked exactly like Zoot almost, just with a tatoo.
It wasn't enough for the city to be in danger...yet. Might as well go back and report, I thought.
That is...if the Mallrats have accepted me.
I'm walking down the sewer entrance to the mall, but stop when I come across Amber. She usually comes here to have some quiet time to herself.
"Too noisy for you in there?" I scare her though, making her jump then hold her heart as she lets out a breath of relief. "Sorry." I frowned. "It's all right." she reassures me. "I just...have so many things on my mind right now."
Funny how people could say the exact same thing you say in your head.
"Wanna talk about it?" I ask her.
Amber shrugs with a appreciative smile. "It's nothing really." I stand next to her with my hands in my pockets. "We're about to vote on you to be one of us." she admitted.
I nod my head and laugh. The moment of truth was coming to get me.
"If it helps, so far you have Trudy, Jay, Sammy, Ebony, and ME on your side." I notice how deep she uses ME in that sentence and look down at her, only to see her gazing at me.
Ah dang, I thought. So Eb was right about Amber. Amber was the one who bared Bray's child, but it was too bad that child would never get to know who is father was. It was sad enough to just tell him stories of his father's bravery when he stood up to the Chosen.
Amber was beautiful, and strong. Like Ebony, only different though. But that's as far as it went. I had no strong feelings for Amber, just Ebony.
But Ebony looked to be torn between me and my buddy Slade. Though it looked like she chose me, I still wondered if maybe she wanted Slade instead.
But here was another thing. Siva had taken also an interest into Slade. Ah, love triangles. Just gotta love 'em.
"Thanks." I tell her honestly. "So, has Ebony and Jay gotten back yet?"
I noticed she flinched when I said Jay's name. Perhaps she still had some feelings for him.
I started to wonder if this girl could make up her mind.
"No. Not yet I don't think. They're who we're waiting on for the voting."
"Zell." she says my name this time, and for a moment she pauses. I feel worried about what she might say. From the look on her face, she was starting to become shy and that could only mean one thing.
"You really...really love Ebony, don't you?"
I smile and nod my head yes without speaking.
"But sometimes, when she's gone, do you ever get....lonely? Even when she's there?" she asks me.
And I am taken by surprise by that question. I never had seen this coming at all.
After a moment, the answer comes to me. "Sometimes, yes. But when I do, I'm not really alone because I know her love for me is there, and inside me....there is always conflict."
She looked like she was about ready to cry at that. She understood what I was saying. I may be in love, but nonetheless I am a warrior. A dark warrior some would say. That is why I am known as Knightmare.
But was it the answer she wanted?
Before I could speak again, Ebony and Jay come walking casually down the sewer.
When she sees me, she smiles and we walk right into each other's arms with a kiss.
"Jeez! Get a room." Jay joked. I was now regretting ever saying that to him and Trudy when I saw him making out with my little sister.
I don't trust him completely. Jay. To me, he's just another Bray. Bray was a good friend, but a lot of girls went after him and sadly Trudy was one of them. I thought they would've gotten together, but back in her cruel days Ebony had devised a plan to make Bray hers. Her plan caused the creation of my darling niece, Brady, so I had to thank Ebony on that.
Trudy admitted to me that she was just a little reluctant to have a real relationship with Jay. She had known Amber loved him, but Amber told her she didn't want him anymore. After that, Trudy and Jay had been an item. Their romance caused a fight between Amber and Trudy, a side I never had seen in Trudy. But the two were able to make amends. I just wondered if Trudy could still trust him.
"So," Ebony spoke up, "I take it it's time?" she asked. Amber nodded. "Yeah."
"I'll wait here." I told them. Ebony looked up at me surprised. Then her grin returned. "Worried are we, my love?"
"No. A true warrior is never worried." But her grin is still aimed at me. I roll my eyes. "Okay, maybe a little."
"We've got your back, mate." Jay reassured me with a pat on the back. I may not trust him with my sister, but he was ok for a friend. I nodded, and then they started to head back into the mall without me. Ebony stopped and turned back to me. "You know, I was thinking."
"Yeah?" I prompted interested. "Zell, if they vote you out and you have to...leave," I could hear a tiny pit of hurt in her tone, "I'm going with you like I should have before."
Well, either way I do win. I smile at her lovingly and mouth okay. Then she disappeared with Jay and Ebony into the mall.
I slumbered and sat down against the wall, and I felt myself starting to drift of.
Might as well catch some Zs. This was going to be a long meeting anyways.
And the nightmare came again. Like before, my eyes are blinded with color of blood. But not my blood. This is what they call the gaze of death. And death is all around me. I wipe the blood from my face, and my eyes go wide in horror. Thousands of corpses are laying all around me. Few of them are my friends. The others are familiar, but unknown. Then I felt something at my feet. I looked down, and saw my angel, lifeless but yet looking so peaceful. Even with the blood staining her hair, and the deep gash in between her breasts, right where her heart was.
She had died slowly.
I cradled her in my arms like a baby. And I let out a cry that was more of a beast-like roar that shook the earth and the heavens.
And then the dream ended again As I felt myself awakened.
I gasped and looked up to see Jay smiling.
"Congratulations. You're a Mallrat."