Chapter 2

And thus began my odd day. When I went to the mall, I got this feeling, like I always do when I am nervous. It was that feeling that said, get out.

But I didn't leave, I wanted to get another PS2 game. I had my sights on the game Ratchet and Clank. I heard that was a great game and now it was cheap, like 20 dollars, so I was destined to buy it now.

I headed immediately to the electronics section, my favourite. I had so many things there I wanted. I even had the money to blow now. Couldn't say no to that.

When I got there, I could see people seemed to be bothered by something. I didn't know what, they weren't staring at me, so that was a good sign.

So I asked for some help getting my game, and they did. I got it and paid for it and everything, but then it seemed evident that they wanted me gone. Why, I didn't know. But I left. I made my way to the main mall, the one with all the stores and the food court.

I was going to browse some more, when something odd happened. I saw someone try sand get away with a purse. That was so old fashioned, but then again, people were stupid.

To top it all off, he was coming right at me. At this point, I had two decisions. I could either do the smart thing and stay out of it, or I would try to stop the guy...because I was bored. Well, I decided that if he got close enough, I would stop him. But only if he got within arms reach.

And sure enough, he got really close to me, so close in fact, that he hit me, shoulder on shoulder. I'll admit, I get mad easy, and this was no exception. In a fraction of a second, I spun around, grabbing his collar. He stoped dead in his tracks, stopped by only his neck.

I pulled him back, landing the back of his neck on a place on my knee. I let go of his collar and grabbed his throat. I squeezed. "You are going to give me that, right now." I said slowly. He didn't give it back, in fact, I had to squeeze harder.

Finally, he gave me the purse and I let go. He walked away, clutching his throat.

I turned around to walk back to the screaming woman. She was yelling at the guy who stole her purse, she obviously didn't see what I was doing.

"Shut up!" I said as soon as I seen her. "I have your Goddamned purse!" I threw it at her. She stared at me for a minute, not even a thank you.

Instead, she pointed a finger of accusation. "You s-s-s-stole my purse. And now you are pretending to give it back in hopes of money! Damn you!" She screamed. "Someone get this boy, he is a thief!"

I would have argued, but I could tell this was a stubborn bitch, so I left it alone. So I turned into the crowd and ran. I hated running, but I had to. The mall rent-a-cops were after me. Damn, I hated people.

But why would she say that? I mean, seriously, I did her a favour. Was I wearing the same clothes as the guy? Did I look the same? I conjured up the thought of what he looked like. Then I realized I was in a my Josh morph.

Come to think of it, I think that was the guy, and he was wearing all black. The guy I morphed was the guy who had me framed! Man, that was quite the coincidence.

I demorphed while I was in the crowd and slowed down, I didn't need an audience. I decided to head for the nearest exit.

Man, that was close. I was lucky enough to not have anyone follow me. But I was safe and sound with my game and CD player.

So I made my way downtown. I decided to get something for someone. In fact, I think I would hit the first dollar store I could find. I didn't know uptown very much, I lived for the most part on the outskirts and didn't go into town. Marco was the uptown guy, he lived in an apartment not too far away. But he wouldn't be home yet.

I was going to the dollar store because I wanted pipe cleaners. A lot of them. I make pipe cleaner figures with them. Eight inch tall, thick figurines. They are good decorations, if you ask me.

So I went in and bought the pipe cleaners. I had like three hundred by the time I was done, of all colours of the rainbow. Then I left.

I was unfortunate enough to be right in front of a car chase. I saw a car go by and three cruisers were chasing it. I was going to go that way, but I guess I didn't want to be caught up in that, there were hundreds of people on that side of the road and I didn't like people.

So I went the other way instead. I was just browsing, anyway. So I walked the other way. It wasn't a big deal.

Five minutes later, when I got to the next intersection, there was a car crash, probably the same car chase. They must have went around the block and back to there. Odd. There was yellow tape and stuff covering two of the four roads. This left me one choice to move.

I moved in that direction.

The traffic was really bad in that time of day. Especially at the time it was. So I simply went with the flow and reached another intersection. Wait a second, if the traffic was bad, then how could there be a car chase, especially one that made it so far so fast?

I eventually stopped to see what was going on. Sometimes I just like to observe what is going on. Take in the scenery.

But this time, I noticed something. A small girl in all black was staring at me. Darting her eyes in a certain direction. I looked in that direction, and there was nothing there. When I looked back, nobody was there.

I walked a bit, weaving through people to try to find her again. I found that same girl staring at me. She was a little off to the side. She didn't look like she was young, or old. Poor, or rich. She was unphased by the torrent of people. Once again, she darted her eyes down the road, and I looked again. Still, nothing was there.

I was getting curious, somebody wanted me to go somewhere, but didn't want me to know who she was. Oh well, I continued to follow her. Curiosity killed the cat....no, wait, fortune favours the bold.

I saw her go into an alleyway and I followed, just for kicks. When I got to the alley, she was gone. Somehow I figured as much. But I still went down the alley.

It was one of those alleys that was simply between two buildings and really just was a connecting area between two streets. I could see the cars and people going by. And in the midst of all the people, I saw the girl in the curb. I began to walk faster. I didn't know what was going on, but I was scared.

Maybe I was crazy, but I Was beginning to think this shadowy figure was just a figment of my imagination. Maybe I Was losing it. Had the war already began to take it's toll? I was mesmerized by a figure that could in no way be there, logic told me that. But I was magically attracted to her, and I didn't know why.

Usually, I would dismiss such things as a girl who was able to tell who I was, it seemed like it wasn't real. I was confused. Did she know who I was? If so, that could be bad.

I stopped in the alley, wondering whether or not following her was safe. I eventually began to suspect this wasn't real.

I was about to turn around and go on my way when the little girl turned around and walked into traffic.

I hesitated, and I watched her get hit by a car. She went flying and was dead instantly.

I ran towards the scene and tried to push past the crowd. I needed to see what was going on. People and cars had both stopped and were now investigating this stupid little girl.

I could se everything, everywhere stop, except for me. I looked up and around, wondering what was wrong. It was stopped long enough to see a man in the crowd who had slipped away and was now walking towards the campus behind him.

Then time started back up again. I was preoccupied by this new development and watched the guy walk toward one of the sheds in the middle of nowhere. He looked around nervously and used a key to open the door and go in.

Meanwhile, all around me the people were clamouring around the accident, but I was now more intrigued by this guy.

Why had time stopped to let me see that? How had time stopped? Somehow I knew I would figure it out soon enough.

Instead of watching over the little girl (which would have been more important, but for some reason I was now drawn to that guy.) And I used the distraction to walk across the road and investigate the shed.

I cautiously opened it and was surprised to see it wasn't locked. I walked in. It was what appeared to be a tool shed. But at the end, there was a door. It was still partially opened, so I opened it and heard the sound of people screaming, the kind of sound that nightmares are made of.

But it was all faint, in the distance. My friends, I think I found a hidden entrance.