Crystal walked down the street leading to the limits of the city. The houses had still been leave back and now her patch was leaded both sides by a creepy-looking forest.
But she was Crystal Fixton, never afraid of anything. Plus, she was in a hurry to reach the nearest bus stop in time to get out that city still tonight.
So she heard, something moving between the trees. For the low sound it made should be very small or a lot smart, and the blonde teen just wished the first one was right.
She felt a cold shiver and looked behind. She thought see a shadow crossing the road, but when she tried to take a better look it had disappeared.
"Who's here?" She asked alert.
"Don't move." A firm voice ordered.
It was a girl's voice and seemed very young, but Crystal couldn't see where she was.
"Who are you? Come to where I can see you if you dare!" The blonde girl ordered also firmly.
A girl walked to her. She had long red hair and in the lack of light it was hard to say her eyes' color. She was about Truffelio's age and height.
"The question here is, who are YOU?" The little girl crossed her arms. "Never saw you around."
"Crystal. I'm just passing by, don't mind me."
"Just curious. I never saw new people around, even the same ones."
"What a so young girl is doing alone in the forest at this hour? Your parents don't mind? They aren't missing you?"
"I haven't parents since I can remember." The redhead shrugged.
Crystal sighed. 'Just like me.' She thought.
"Look girl, I have no time to talk, I need to take a bus to outta here still today." She warned.
"Okay." The youngest replied with a smile and quickly hugged her. "Good lucky."
"To you too, whatever you're doing." Crystal said before run away.
She managed to reach the stop five minutes before the bus arrives and impatiently waited. As soon as the bus stopped she jumped into and was about to take the money to pay her passage when she noticed she had no money.
"Hey girl, we haven't the whole night." The conductor told her.
"Oh, sorry sir, but a girl stopped me on the road and she stealled all my money." She tried to explain.
"Oh, yeah. What you think I am? You aren't the first person to try to use this excuse to a free ride. Better you out before I call the police."
Crystal shook her head angry and went down the bus.
"That stupid little light fingers." She muttered to herself, walking her way back to where she had last found the little girl. "I will catch her, I certainly will."
But she had walked all her way to the house limit of Gamelot and no sign of her.
"Maybe I should tell the police or something like this." She whispered. But she thought better. No one in the city, except Truffelio and his mother, knew her. Who would believe a girl had stealled her money in the road? "No, I will search in the forest, she should be somewhere there."
She took a flashlight from her bag and walked back to the forest.
"It can't be so big." Crystal muttered walking.
But after ten minutes she was so tired that she was almost giving up and that was a big thing, because Crystal rarely gave up of something.
"Oh, right, I'm wasting my time." She muttered. "But what I'll do without money to get off here?"
Like magic, as she said it she saw a light, it was distant, probably from a torch or something like this.
Crystal ran to it and found a kind of improvised hut. She could bet if began to rain, it would wet anything and anyone inside.
"Just can be her hideout." Crystal smirked, victorious.
As she approached she heard voices coming from inside and stopped to hear.
"Can I go and see?" An unrecognized girls voice asked.
"I don't know where she is right now, probably trying to warn sherif Calhoun I took her money." The girl who had stolen Crystal's money laughed.
"Good luck to her." The other girl laughed too.
"But..."
"But what, Clar?"
"Somehow she seemed familiar. Part I know why, she's very looked like Calhoun. But the name... Crystal... I think I heard this name before somewhere." Clar said thoughtfully.
"I know, that history Truffelio told you." Her friend reminded.
So Truffelio told them about the curse too. Crystal was confuse now.
He knew the little criminals but was still the good guy on that history? Or he has a dark side hidden under all that kindness?
"And you belive it?" Clar asked.
"I'm not sure what to believe Clar, but you said..."
"Forget it. What I told him last time was what I knew he wanted to hear, it's different from what I really think. Let's get our things. She will be here soon."
The two girls leave the hut and found out Crystal, standing at there.
"What are you doing here?" Clarion asked.
"Is she the girl you was talking about?" Her friend asked curious.
"I want my money back." Crystal asked firmly.
"No way." Clar crossed her arms. "The smartest win."
"No. What you did is called a robbery."
"Whatever to you my friend, it works to me." Clar statted.
"But not to me. Without money I can't leave this place." Crystal protested.
"Yeah, and even with money I can't. Live with it." The redhead rolled her eyes. "Better you go now. If she found you here you'll be in big trouble."
"Too late." Her friend said.
The two ran, soon she heard a voice and felt something cold, she imagined a gun, touching her back.
"Don't dare to move." A woman said, fiercely.
"Please, don't shoot, I'm innocent!" Crystal asked. "The two girls you should be searching run by there." She pointed.
"It we will see."