SHORT FLASHBACK:

…She could already admire a few stars and saw lesser people on the streets. They had all disappeared into their homes. The only ones she did see, had just returned from work. Then she saw a group of teenagers walking across the street. They obviously saw her too, because they came her way…

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I own nothing except this particular storyline. So there, no one's gonna see me in court.

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CHAPTER 5: TOO DIFFERENT PartII

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Two boys and two girls. They were all wearing dark clothes and they were coming her way. She could also make out that their hair was a different color from what she had seen so far. It was either deep-red, purple or black.

"You must be new here, no?" the girl with the long red hair said. She seemed very spontaneous. "Yea, you must be. We know everybody here and everybody knows us. And by the way, you've got a cool outfit, girl." she checked out the girl's clothes. "So I'm Ivella and this is Sharon," she pointed at the black-haired girl, "Chris," she put her hand on the shoulder of the guy with the black spikes, "and T.J." she pointed at the guy with the short deep-purple hair.

She just smiled, noticing Sharon was the smallest among them, Chris the tallest.

"So, who are you and what made you come here? Maybe we can hang out for a while if you like." Ivella suggested. "That is, if your mother didn't put you on a curfew."

She made the same gesture she did back where she met David. She brought her fingers to her lips and shook her head. But then she pretended to have a pen and started writing something on her hand, making clear she could write.

"T.J., do you have a pen or something?" Sharon asked, the only one in the group who understood what the girl was trying to tell.

"I have one." Chris said and handed Sharon what she asked for.

"Anyone got a piece of paper?" Sharon asked.

"Well, I have something here." T.J. said and got a little notebook out of his pocket. "This what you want?"

"You have a notebook on you? For real?" Ivella wondered. "Why?"

"Cuz. Non of your business." T.J. said somewhat annoyed by Ivella's curiosity.

"Let me see what you've written in it." Ivella tried to get the notebook from T.J., but he grabbed it back.

"It'll do." Sharon ended the little argument between T.J. and Ivella. She took the notebook from T.J. and gave both the pen and the notebook to the girl. "So you can't talk at all?" she wanted to know.

-I know the words. I can hear them inside my head, I just cannot pronounce any of them. I still have my voice though.- she wrote and let all four of them read it.

"If you have a voice, then why can't you just repeat the words you hear in your head?" Chris asked, thinking it was that simple.

-I do not know how to use my tongue or my mouth.-

"Can't you say something like: paper?" Chris wondered.

-I am willing to learn.-

"So what about a name? What will we call you?" Ivella finally asked.

-Whatever you like.-

"Just give us your name." T.J. said a bit annoyed. He was never into those mystery kind of people.

-I can't.-

"Why not?" Ivella asked.

-I have no name.-

"You have no name?" Ivella explained.

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

-I was never given one.-

"How is that possible? Everyone's got a name. Where're you from?" Chris asked. He found the whole situation rather weird. He got more suspicious every second.

-I don't know the name of the place. Don't know this place either. Could you tell me where I am, please?-

Ivella gazed at her friends. They all shared the same puzzled and worried look.

"Well, I think the police is better to take care of you from here on. I mean, do you even know where you are going to?" Ivella wanted to know.

-I'm on my way to Suburbia.- she wrote, not comfortable to where the subject was going.

"But that's miles from here. Especially now they have closed down the road. You have to take the long route to get there. It'll take you at least two days on foot." Sharon pointed out.

Two more days? Let's see, it was Friday night, now. Add two more days and that'll be… Sunday night before she would reach Edward. Saturday night if she would keep walking without resting. -Do you think you can draw me a map?-

"I believe I can. My aunt lives there. We go to Suburbia on holidays, so I know the way." T.J. said. "But what's your business there?"

-I have to get something to a friend before Sunday.-

"It will be Sunday when you arrive, girl." T.J. laughed.

-Will you draw me a map, T.J?-

"Sure, give me the pen and I'll draw you a map on the notebook." T.J. said.

She gave him the pen and paper. While T.J. drew the map, Chris noticed the wire hanging beside her body. At first he thought it was just part of her clothing, but when he looked closer he knew it couldn't be. It was too complicated for it to be a simple rope around her neck. The end seemed to be cut off or something. When he looked at her neck, he saw the red scratches. She must've tried to get the ring off her neck, but why did she had it in the first place? Did she escape? If so, from what? Was she a fugitive? If so, what has she done to get a ring around her neck?

Chris couldn't resist the question entering his mind: "So, what's with the leash?" he asked her without shame.

She gazed at him in surprise and touched the ring around her neck. The memory of her inventor entered her mind. She really missed the old man. Especially in these kinds of situations. What was she to do? Chris seemed pretty aggressive.

"Chris, don't." Sharon spoke softly so the girl wouldn't hear, but she did.

"I think she's hiding something, Sharon. And I would like to know what. Wanna know something else? I believe she is lying too. She can speak." Chris grabbed the map right under T.J.'s nose he was still drawing and crossed his arms and then turned to the girl. "I refuse to give you the map until you tell me what's really going on." he said.

She reached for the map but Chris waved her hand away from it.

"No." he said. "You tell us first."

"Chris, give me the damn map, man." T.J. demanded.

But Chris refused to give anyone anything before he got some answers.