Chapter 4: A night on the town

Simon sat in the back seat of the car behind Bea and Mae. The ride had been quiet so far. After they band finished their song, Mae had suggested Bea take her to the mall and for him to tag along, had she not, he would have simply went home. He looked out the window at the quiet forest rushing by. The radio played silently in the car adding to the atmosphere as it drove over cracks and bumps in the road. Again, he questioned his motivation for joining them on their trip but the answer still alluded him. Perhaps it was the sense of belonging that brought him along. He wasn't sure anymore. Especially since... Well, they weren't human. Of course they acted like humans but still... They just aren't. Honestly, the situation only became more absurd to Simon as time passed but he still embraced the idea. It was fun. Besides, it's been a while since he had gone to the mall. Of course, he didn't have much money to spend but he knew how to make it work. After all, a college student living by himself does teach one how to conserve money. "Hey Simon."

He turned to look Mae. "Yes?"

"I'm sort of glad you stopped us last night."

"Why?"

"We were on the way to a party."

"So?"

"And my ex was there. It would have been super awkward. God. That would have been the worst."

"Oh, okay. I'm just glad I didn't bleed over the seat back here."

Bea snorted. "Yea, if you did, you were going to be the one to clean it up."

"I know."

An awkward silence permeated the car before Bea coughed. "I'm just going to turn up the radio."

She twisted the dial and the sound of music began to play louder as they headed to the mall.

Simon's mental image of the mall contrasted heavily to the one he picture in his mind. He remembered the mall in Sweden had been quite lively. Shops selling all sorts of goods lined each side of the hallway and vendors with stalls in the middle peddled various trinkets. It wasn't completely silent but it contrasted to the busy mall he remembered, very few people were walking about, empty rooms where stores would be were closed and gated off. It wasn't as lively as he had hoped it to be but he didn't mind all that much. After all, this was a dying town. He wasn't surprised by the decrepit state of everything here. He followed the two girls deeper into the mall. Mae had charged on ahead to investigate the stores and inquire as to why they were closed, to which, Bae simply said the internet. Simon knew perfectly well what the internet was but he didn't imagine it would be this powerful. Though, he figured he must have traveled in time somehow which wouldn't have been a stretch. He had seen phones with touch screens and sleek laptops which that contrasted to the big blocky computers and flip phones from back home.

He the followed them to a store they were staring at and the name of the place. U revolution. It looked like a sort of store that was trying to appeal to a younger demographic and instead coming off as ….. forced. Or perhaps that what they were aiming for. Simon couldn't understand the idea of any sensible parent allowing their children to shop there though. The Mae and Bea stood in front, both mocking it and remembering the days they used to shop there. "I can feel the edginess from here."

"Just looking in there makes me feel old."

"We are so gonna do this."

"There is no way I'm going in there."

Mae turned to Simon with a mischievous smile. He nervously swallowed and took a step back.

Simon, reluctantly stepped into the store. It's trashy pop music unintelligible despite the small size of the store. Posters lined the walls depicting various bands he had never heard of and a disco ball hung proudly in the center of the room. The store was currently being run by a female bear employee who was dressed in what was either the uniform for the store, or the poor taste of the clerk. This place was strange, and extremely uncomfortable for him to be in. Considering the fact that it was basically a 15 year old emo girl's paradise. Mae looked around, admiring the decor. "Ho..Lee...Crap... I'm fourteen again."

Bea smirked. "Yep, pretty nuts in here."

Mae pointed to one of the shirts. "Hey isn't that-"

"Shut up."

They walked forward. Simon followed behind them, taking a moment to look at the shirt Mae was referencing. He noticed that it was Bea's shirt. "Hey ladies."

Simon snapped up and looked at the clerk. Mae greeted the bear enthusiastically. "Hellllllloooooo lady."

"Just so you know, we have twenty percent off select t shirts."

"Oooh! T-shirts."

"Yep."

"Thanks a lot."

"Okay."

"Catch you later."

"Alright."

Mae turned to Simon. "Come on Simon."

He joined them at the racks they were staring at. There at various trinkets on the racks. Stickers, belt buckles and other miscellaneous objects Simon did not care for. "Dead party boy stickers? In two thousand seventeen."

Ahh, so he did travel in time. It was 2008 back in the real world... Wait, is that even the case? Is this world even real? Why did he refer the the human world as the real world? This world feels just like home. Just with an animal twist. "Simon!"

He shook himself out of thought. "Oh, yea, sorry Mae."

"Cover me, I'm gonna grab one."

"What?"

He looked to Mae who was looking at the stand with questionable intent. He quickly ran over and grabbed her paws. "Mae, are you crazy, you're gonna get caught."

Bea joined in. "Yea Mae, we aren't doing this."

Mae looked determined though and wiggled her hands out of Simon's grip. "SHHHH. Be cool. This isn't my first time doing crimes."

"What other crimes have you done."

"Shoplifting. Vandalism. Piracy. Shoplifting again now. I just do the easy crimes."

"How is this stupid idea easy."

"Our eyes evolved to notice movement."

"Like dinosaurs?"

"If the dinosaur is moving."

"Wait that's not... Nevermind."

"So long as you're perfectly still when the clerk is watching..."

"Like, you're gonna freeze when she looks over... Even if you are in the middle of putting it in your pocket... And this is gonna work because ... dinosaurs."

"Just like dinosaurs."

"I'm going to pretend I don't know you until your are done. Okay."

And with that, Mae continued her little mission to steal a belt buckle. Simon stood to the side and watched her nervously. Keeping an eye on the clerk. "Sweet"

Simon turned to Mae. "Ok, are you done."

"Awwww, yeah."

"Come on, lets get out of here."

The trio sat by at a table. Simon took another bite from the pizza taco be bought go-fer at the recommendation of Mae. It was disgusting but cheap. Despite Mae's constant pleading and nagging, she couldn't convince Simon to snatch a trinket and he cleverly used the bathroom excuse to get out of it. After Mae had stolen the belt buckle and Bea had taken the necklace. The trio met at a table in the middle of the mall and ate dinner. A few people milled about the area.

"Hey Simon?"

He shook himself out of his thought again and turned to Bae. "Huh?"

"You ever believe in god?"

"No...Not really."

"Why?"

"Well... It just never seems like he is there you know... When you need him most."

"I can agree with that. Though it did always help to think about it like that."

"How?"

"I don't know... It gave me hope. When I was little, and we came here for the summer daze event, this fountain would always be here, spraying water. I never know how it worked so I assumed it was god."

"Well, I won't blame you for that assumption. Everything seems magical when you are young... And as you get older, it all just... Leaves... We wake up and become cynical."

"Cynical and depressed."

"Yea."

Then, Mae spoke up. "Hey guys, you want to keep walking?"

Bae groaned. "Nope, I'm tired and sad now."

"What about you Simon."

He shrugged. "Okay..."

He stood up and joined her as the continued through the empty mall. "So, what are you thoughts."

"About what?"

"About possum springs."

"Oh... It's alright...It's quiet though... Kind of reminds me of my old neighborhood in Kirkville before I moved to the Stockholm for school."

"Was it nice there?"

"Yea, there was a lake nearby. Sometimes, I would go out there and row a boat. It was peaceful."

"Huh. We have a lake too you know. No one swims in it though because the industrial runoff from the old factories. It's too dangerous and contaminated... Plus, it's winter. "

"Well, that's a shame. Then again, the lake I went to wasn't so great. There was an old asylum nearby and it was really creepy. I could always hear things in there."

"Oh, did you ever look?"

"Yea. One day, I got the courage to look. But I didn't find anything in there. It was all my imagination. After that day... I never heard anything from there again."

"You know, there are a lot of old buildings and abandoned factories from the old days. You wanna check them out with me?"

Simon hesitated for a moment. "I...Alright, I'll take you up on that offer."

"Alright, it will be us. Simon and Mae, urban explorers... Going through the old and dirty places..."

"Okay Mae, I get it."

"Digging through the dirt to find buried riches."

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"And getting tetanus and some other horrible diseases along the way."

"Mae, are you trying to talk me out of this?"

"As well as getting arrested for trespassing."

"Mae... That isn't exactly encouraging."

"I guess... But are you scared?"

"No!"

"Then what's the big deal."

"Just, don't describe it like that.

Mae stared up and a smile crossed her face. "Hey Simon, come with me. I want to do something really quick."

"Uh, okay."

They ran to the raised balcony near some strange glass art pieces that were being suspended on strings. "Okay Simon, watch this."

"What."

Then, Mae took a jumped onto glass structures, and then another. And another. Until she reached a small balcony overlooking the dining area. Simon clenched his teeth and stared at her. "Mae! Are you crazy!"

"I'm fine Simon. Besides, this one is for Bea."

"What are you talking about?"

"Watch the fountain."

Simon leaned over the railing, staring at the fish fountain. Then, he noticed the nozzle turn. He then noticed a person walking closer. He soon connected the dots and prepared to shout. But then he saw Bae sitting at the table and stopped himself. He would let this one play out. After all, Mae knew what she was doing. He saw a spray of water shoot out of the fountain and hit the pedestrian in the head. The individual imediately looked about the mall searching for a perpetrator before receiving another blast of water, forcing them to flee the scene. This cycle continued for a while, with unsuspecting individuals getting hosed with water each time they got in range of the fountain's sprayers until they all fled the area. Mae was giggling above him and Bae was laughing below. Simon smiled at the display, it was rather hilarious. Then Simon heard the crackle of speakers before Mae's voice came over. "Beatrice Santello and Simon Henrickson!"

Bae continued to laugh while trying to shout. "Hey! Don't give them our names!"

Mae was silent for a moment before she continued. "Beatrice Jones and Simon Henry!"

"Oh wow! Is that you god?"

"Yes! It is I, God Stevenson."

"I didn't know you had a last name!"

"Silence mortal! Through my fish monster, I have lain waste to your kind."

"I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty magical."

"Silence mortal! I Shan't say it again."

"You and your good and noble companions shall get ice cream on the way home."

"Yea, we should probably get out of here before you get arrested."

"The cops shall be confused and beat each other up and stuff. For I am god and I hate the cops!"

"Yea, we should probably get out of here."

"And You Simon!"

Simon laughed. "Yes god?"

"You shall accompany Mae on adventures into the abandoned factories...While carrying Mae because she doesn't want to step on the dirty floor."

"No!"

"Too bad. This is the command of god and you shall obey! Now, I leave. Have a good one, mortals."

Simon said goodbye to Bae as she dropped them off and left. He stood there with Mae, watching her leave. Mae nudged him. "Simon, you want to come to my place for a bit?"

"No, it's fine."

"Come on! You're my friend."

"Maybe later Mae."

"You sure?"

"Yea, it's fine."

"Can you carry me to the door."

"Mae, it's just right there."

"Well, I need you to carry me."

She leaned against him, forcing him to hold her. "Mae, come on."

"No."

"I... Fine, just this once."

"Good."

He picked her up princess style and began to walk to the door. When he got to it, she pulled out a set of keys and opened the door. "Now, carry me up stairs."

"No Mae, I might die!"

"Mae, who is that?"

Simon froze up, a man's voice came out of the room to the left. Then, a older cat came out and looked at him, Simon couldn't see his eyes because of his glasses. "Mae, who is that?"

Simon stuttered to answer but Mae spoke as if nothing was wrong. "Hey dad, this is Simon, the guy I told you about."

"What is he doing here?"

"He said he would carry me into my room."

"Wh...Mae, come on. You said you just met him."

"DAD! No! It's not like that! He said he would because he's that nice."

"Well, if you say so... But no funny business."

"I won't dad... Actually, you mind if he watches T.V with us?"

"I don't see why not."

Mae turned her head to face Simon. "Come on, take me to the couch. Garbo and Malloy is on."

Simon walked through the woods. Scolding himself for agreeing to carry Mae. He should have just laid her down and left her...No, that wouldn't be right. That would make him look like a jerk. The television show was some sort of crappy comedy show. It wasn't even funny, it was just something for old men to laugh at. Simon could swear her father was staring at him the entire time, trying to judge his intentions. He stepped over a log and followed the tracks. Following them on his way home, or at least his bum hut. He looked up, the sky was dotted with stars. It was... almost like home. Like nothing changed. He slid back down and approached the cart and froze when he saw something familiar stuck to the door with a piece of paper. It was his knife and a note. He quickly removed both and hurried inside, sealing the door behind him. Then, he relit the lantern and looked at the note.

We don't appreciate what you did to our friend Simon. Possum springs needs us, and your very presence is going to destroy this town. If you care for Mae, leave and never come back. If you don't, we will remove you by any means necessary. You brought this on yourself.

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been busy with school and trying to come up with ideas for my fanfics. I'll try to work on my schedule but I can't make promises. I'll be working on my star fox fanfic and my Zootopia one as well. Have a good one.