Chapter Six
They both walked out of the city. The trees became thicker and Siria soon turned off onto a dirt path. All the while Jay followed in her footsteps, buried in his thoughts about her.
As darkness fell Siria walked off the path into a small clearing. Gathering sticks around the area she sat down to build a fire. Jay watched the entire time with a curios look on his face. She looked up at him. "Well, are you gonna sit or stand there with that dumb look on your face?" He sat down but continued to watch her earnestly. "What do you want!?" she growled irritated.
"How did you end up by yourself? I'm mean where is your tribe?"
"It's a long story."
"I have all-night." He grinned.
"Siria looked at Jay. "When the virus hit, my brother and I formed kind of a tribe with two other kids from my neighborhood. My brother, Aseem, was naturally the leader.
"We did pretty well until Ebony became leader of the Locos. He was infatuated with her power and not long after that he joined her militia. We all began to worry because he never came home. Then one day the other two came to me and said they were leaving for a small town outside of the city. I tried to get them to stay, but they wouldn't."
"I went to see my brother numerous times but could never find him. By that time Ebony was living in the Mall. But when the Chosen came to power, I lost all my leads. After the Chosen I learned he had been thrown off a building for his loyalties."
I never really left the Loft when the Technos were around. I only went to the market."
Jay saw the sadness in her eyes. "And how did you become a Zootist?"
"When I was at the market they had grabbed me and made me join with little choice."
"I'm sorry it happened."
"It's her fault we fell apart. Her fault he died." She gave a slit sniff as she rubbed her face, smudging her makeup. "Get some rest we have the home stretch tomorrow."
Jay was apprehensive of asking another question. He watched as Siria quickly fell asleep on the ground. He didn't feel tired. Looking at her, he noticed how innocent she looked and smiled. She wasn't so bad. Jay lied down next to her and fell asleep. He didn't have one nightmare that night.
They both walked out of the city. The trees became thicker and Siria soon turned off onto a dirt path. All the while Jay followed in her footsteps, buried in his thoughts about her.
As darkness fell Siria walked off the path into a small clearing. Gathering sticks around the area she sat down to build a fire. Jay watched the entire time with a curios look on his face. She looked up at him. "Well, are you gonna sit or stand there with that dumb look on your face?" He sat down but continued to watch her earnestly. "What do you want!?" she growled irritated.
"How did you end up by yourself? I'm mean where is your tribe?"
"It's a long story."
"I have all-night." He grinned.
"Siria looked at Jay. "When the virus hit, my brother and I formed kind of a tribe with two other kids from my neighborhood. My brother, Aseem, was naturally the leader.
"We did pretty well until Ebony became leader of the Locos. He was infatuated with her power and not long after that he joined her militia. We all began to worry because he never came home. Then one day the other two came to me and said they were leaving for a small town outside of the city. I tried to get them to stay, but they wouldn't."
"I went to see my brother numerous times but could never find him. By that time Ebony was living in the Mall. But when the Chosen came to power, I lost all my leads. After the Chosen I learned he had been thrown off a building for his loyalties."
I never really left the Loft when the Technos were around. I only went to the market."
Jay saw the sadness in her eyes. "And how did you become a Zootist?"
"When I was at the market they had grabbed me and made me join with little choice."
"I'm sorry it happened."
"It's her fault we fell apart. Her fault he died." She gave a slit sniff as she rubbed her face, smudging her makeup. "Get some rest we have the home stretch tomorrow."
Jay was apprehensive of asking another question. He watched as Siria quickly fell asleep on the ground. He didn't feel tired. Looking at her, he noticed how innocent she looked and smiled. She wasn't so bad. Jay lied down next to her and fell asleep. He didn't have one nightmare that night.