A/N: So, just fair warning, towards the end of this chapter, there is some harsh language because, well, let's just say, Jamie is upset.
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquent; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." -George Washington
Sometime around noon, Carrie left me in the apartment to slice cheese while she and Jamie run the stand. Everything has been so odd today. Klaga. Just the word gives me shudders and sends an icy snake down my spine.
But what's troubling me more is what I can't remember. I remind myself of the only sentence I know from before living with Howard. Don't you understand that if Klaga finds us, we're dead. Who's Daniel? Who's Klaga? He sounds dangerous. Who would want to get rid of such a beautiful place full of freedom? California. The more I think about the place, it sounds better and better. I wonder what that other country, the one we used to be a part of, thinks of all this. California must have rebelled from them.
"Norma!" Carrie's voice snaps me back to reality as she grabs my wrist. "Honey, you almost cut your finger off with that knife, you gotta pay attention!"
"Sorry, Carrie!" I say. "I guess I'm a bit distracted."
"A bit?" She asks. "You looked like you were staring at a cake cat crapping rainbows while flying through the sky!" I giggle at the image in my head. "Norma!" I jerk back into reality once more, and Carrie takes the knife from me. "Sweetheart, you should get your tail over to the stand, maybe some sunlight 'ill do you good." I nod and hurry over to the cheese and fabrics stand. Jamie appears to be making a trade with a guard.
"Hey, Jamie." I squeak.
"Uh, yeah, here's your blanket sir." Jamie shoves a blanket in the guard's hands. "Glad you could come now please get going, I've got customers."
"Wait, I uh-" He looks at me. "Bye." Then he walks away. Jamie turns to me, hand on her hip and apparently flustered.
"Norma!" She hisses. "Why are you down here?"
"Carrie said some sunlight would be good for me!" I say. "I was really distracted." Jamie makes halfway between a grunt and a squeak and then tells me to look after the goat, Timberlake; she walks off, towards the apartment. I worry only for a second because the goat is vying for my attention. And she's winning. Timberlake and I have liked each other since she was born about five years ago. I scratch her head and she snuggles close to my leg, so I kneel down and pet her.
"Hello, anybody working here?" I hear someone on the other side of the stand, and pop up.
"Hey there!" I say. Jeb seems surprised to see me, then angry.
"Ugh, you." He says. "Isn't this Jamie and Carrie's stand?"
"Don't forget Timberlake." I say.
Jeb sighs and, trying to be polite, says; "Hi Timberlake." She bleats in fear and scampers over to her pen.
"Sorry, guess she doesn't like you." I say with a giggle. He rolls his eyes.
"Ugh, is Jamie gonna be back, or-" Jeb is cut off when a guard walks over, pushes him to the side by the face, and starts nailing a paper to the wooden support of the stand.
"Hey! You can't do that!" I say.
"Do you want to tell that to the Rat Protector!?" The guard gets in my face and, seeing the sharp blades on his glove, I whimper in fear.
"Sir, I'm sure she meant no disrespect." Jeb defends me. The guard turns to him. "She's just a dumb kid." The guard growls at me then walks away.
"Thank y-" I start.
"Say another word and I kill you." Jeb bites. I, slightly shocked, turn and look at the sign.
WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE
NAME: RAYNA KLAGA
AGE: 16
APPEARANCE: UNKNOWN
REPORT SIGHTS OF RAYNA KLAGA
OR BE SENTENCED TO THE RATS
THIS IS THE LAW AND SHALL
BE ENFORCED AS SUCH
"Oh." Jeb whispers. "Shit."
"What the hell is this?!" Jamie storms over. "Jeb, what the fuck do you think you're doing here?"
"I need to talk to you." Jeb says.
"Jamie," I whisper trying to alert her of the sign.
"Get out!" Jamie points very obviously away from the stand.
"Fine!" Jeb storms away and Jamie turns to me.
"I'm gone for five minutes!" She says, then sighs and lowers her volume. "What?" I point to the sign. She looks over, reads it while moving her lips, as she does when she reads, then groans loudly. "We're fucked."
2nd author's note: I do enjoy making references to pop culture in the names of the animals. Plus, just a side note, I messed with some of their ages so Metal is a bit older, and he had Rayna at an appropriate age. Love you guys and make sure to review!