Chapter 54-Decisions
Shadow stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was on the mend, but she was far from being back to good health. Her eyes were sunken in with dark circles beneath them making her rare, for a red head, brown eyes look even darker than they naturally were; Her skin was pale white except where there were dry, red blotches from the infection; And her hair, the red locks that had so long been nourished by the natural ingredients of the shampoos they had gotten from the farmers was dull and brittle; It was frightening to look into the mirror. She turned away in disgust.
"Harrowing isn't it?"
The woman she had met nearly a month ago had entered the small room unannounced causing Shadow to jump, "I look like death, and you…your hair looks like cotton candy!"
The woman smiled, patting her vibrantly pink hair, "Went foraging and happened upon some dye, you like?"
Shadow went and set down on her cot, a smirk on her face, "It's…harrowing."
T he woman laughed, "My former leader didn't like it either, but it's totally me."
"Right, and who are you?"
"Ah that's right, we haven't formally met. You've been too busy sleeping and I've been busy trying to find survivors. My name is Dee."
"Dee?" Shadow looked at the woman dubiously, "Is that short for something?"
"Nope. I'm just Dee, my boyfriend is Patch, and you're just Shadow?"
Shadow snorted, remembering how she had acquired the nickname shadowing her older siblings all the time. She was the youngest of three; her brother and sister had been twins and were four years older than she. It was possible they had died of the virus or were out there somewhere, but she didn't know. They had been separated during evacuations of anyone under the age of eighteen when the virus first hit.
"It's far better than my given name and only my husband can call me Red," She said finally answering Dee, tearing her thoughts away from the memories of misery.
"Speaking of your husband, your Techno buddies gave me this," Dee outstretched her hand. It contained an envelope addressed to Red.
Shadow's heart accelerated as she saw her pet name etched carefully in Skipper's chicken scratch penmanship. She tore it open and began to read the contents of his letter. It didn't say much; just a thousand apologies and a promise to find a cure. Judging by the yellowing and crinkles of the pages, it was outdated, but he ought to know by now she had the cure since other Technos from Techno Island were here.
She neatly folded the letter and placed it underneath her pillow, not caring Dee was still standing there to see this hiding place. "It says they're working to find a cure. He always did ignore the fact that I'm smarter than him. So Dee, are there any survivors?"
Dee sighed sadly without really meaning to. What she and Patch had discovered was she and Shadow's word of the day, 'harrowing'. The city was in shambles. Every sector was littered with the dead bodies of those who unfortunately could not escape before the virus took bloom.
But she and Patch had found survivors. Most of them were children, completely unaffected by the virus, and a few adults just barely hanging on. None of them were happy about the presence of Technos back in the city, but were very appreciative of the cure.
It saddened Dee, who had once patrolled the streets as undersheriff with Lex to see her home in such a poor state. And even worse, the mall had been burned down. Dee assumed it was the doings of an angry mob after the outbreak. It wasn't the state of her former home that bothered her, though seeing it like that, charred and exposed was upsetting. What bothered her were the Mallrats and their complete lack of presence. She didn't know what had become of her old friends. She and Patch could only hope that they had somehow survived.
Realizing she had been staring vacantly as she swam through her thoughts, she vacated them, turning her attention back to Shadow and the initial question. "We found survivors and I fear if there are any more the Technos are going to need those crafty little wrist lasers charged, on full blast, and ready at all times."
"So even if we're curing them they hate us?"
Dee laughed dryly, "Hate is an understatement."
They let that hang in the silence, each woman's thoughts turning to the future. What were they up against; who were they up against? And how were they going to fix the mess Mega created?
~0~
Fleur Isle was in an uproar. Everyone couldn't decide if they wanted to stay or go, but they all felt the same. If one Mall Rat left, they were all leaving. They had grown too accustomed to being a unit. To separate would be like cutting branches off a family tree.
Jack was well and ready to head back to civilization and technology, but Ellie was hesitant. While she had never really liked the quiet life she was enjoying it now. They were safe on Fleur Isle. There were no crazy tribes, well aside from their ruthless neighbors, 'The Cliffs', who threatened their structured lifestyle. Despite the occasional spat in a love triangle or the recent death of Sammy, they had peace and order, everything they had fought for back at the Mall against the city that had only been 'Power and Chaos'.
She envisioned herself growing old on the island of flowers, basking in sunlight, watching her and Jack's future children play safely outdoors without fear of being tortured and kidnapped.
Kids? She smiled to herself, staring up at the ceiling from where she lay on the bed motionless beside a softly snoring Jack. She had never dreamed of having kids before she came to Fleur Isle. She had been too cemented in the ways of an ambitious journalist; selfish. Besides that city was no place to bring a child into the world; this post-apocalyptic world was no place to bring a child into. Yet Trudy was doing it, Amber too, and even Ebony. And it wasn't horrid. They needed children, raised with core values and beliefs like the Mall Rats' to re-build the world.
Something they weren't going to do on an island of people who already shared those beliefs. She grumbled tearing her eyes away from the ceiling. She was contradicting herself now; the journalist that had been dormant in her for months was waking up.
They had to do something about the mess they'd left behind.
"I know that look."
Startled she turned her head. Jack was awake now, and staring at her with that geeky half smile that had captured her heart.
She smiled, "Morning sleepy head."
"Good Morning. So…?"
"The look?"
"Yes, 'THE' look. What's your first returning issue of The Amulet?"
"Hmm, I dunno," could be, "World's most infamous former City Leader and Loco Queen has kid and gets married…"
"Or Cheeky, smart-ass Techno, Ved matures and weds a Mall Rat!"
She laughed, "That'd make a good one, but I've got one even better…"
"Which is?"
"Mall Rats infiltrate Techno Island."
Jack's reaction was to kiss her. When they pulled apart she smiled, "Don't make me regret my decision."
"You won't regret it, I promise."
~0~
Dragon had just stepped foot onto their boat, "The Poseidon" when he heard a radio call. He nearly broke a rib flying into the helm to reach it.
"HQ to Skipper, this is Breeze, do you read me? Over."
"Breeze, this is Dragon, I read you loud and clear."
"Where the hell are you guys? I've been trying to get in contact for days!"
Laughing, "We're in paradise!"
"Figures, I do all the hard work and you frolic in the sand on a sunny beach, the wind rippling through your hair…"
"Breeze…"
"…the waves at your feet…"
"Breeze!" he calls her name more firm.
"What's her name?"
"What?" he asks confused.
"The girl you've met which puts you guys two weeks behind schedule…"
"There's no girl," he lies.
"Are you stranded then?"
"Not exactly, but Breeze, we're going to need a few boats…"
"Kyra bringing in more strays huh?"
"Rats...as in…"
"Mall Rats?"
"Yes!"
"Dear brother, don't forget to tell her about the Kraits."
He turned around to face his sister, a faint flush rising in his cheeks, his finger releasing the button on the radio control.
They could both hear Breeze's response of rambling curses in the background before calling them back to attention.
"Come get your own boats! I've got a bigger matter at hand!"
Kyra took the radio control, "What's that?"
"Mass production of the formula!"
~0~
Amber looked around at the sea of faces. These were her friends...some of them she even considered family. Each face held an expression of anticipation. Next to having a baby in a world such as this, this was the hardest decision she ever had to make. Should they stay or should they go?
Her eyes stopped on Bray junior in the arms of his father. The light she saw in this little boy, her little boy; the hope that came from watching him and Brady blossoming each day despite all the chaos all around them; this is what coerced her final decision.
The Technos, according to Kyra, were dedicated to educating the young and anybody that wanted to continue the education they'd lost in the event of the virus. Amber fantasized about a semi-normal upbringing for her baby boy.
"Well are we or aren't we?" A familiar anxiously impatient voice broke through her thoughts.
It was Lex , still the same boy she had first encountered in the mall, only now he was a man; a man shaped by misfortune that forced him to mature. He was still a work in progress, but anyone could tell you he had changed.
She smiled at him, "I've come to my decision personally, but you should know it doesn't have to be yours. We're a family, but we're individuals. We may have a common dream for life, but we all have different ways of wanting to reach that dream."
"Oh no, she's getting all Tai-San on us…" someone muttered, presumably Ebony.
It made Amber laugh, "I have made the decision to go to Techno Island."
Instantly everyone began talking at once. Amber stepped away from her position front and center waltzing over to Trader. She was satisfied with her decision and knew in her heart it was the right one. Anyone who didn't like it had the right to make their own decisions.
~0~
Ruby slipped out the café, intent on heading back into the hotel, but the boardwalk was more enticing to her. They had recently begun to clean it up, preparing for a trading market. She walked along the make-shift booths imagining it full and prosperous; imagining thirsty patrons coming inside the hotel to the bar. How she longed to run a Saloon again. Now none of their plans would ever be if everyone left Fleur Isle.
"Thinking about staying?"
She jumped, not realizing she wasn't alone. She thought she had slipped out the meeting unnoticed.
She whirled around to face the voice, "Darryl...I," she stopped talking. He was accompanied by May and Liv.
"It's a tough decision to make," May stated.
"But you…you're a Mall Rat."
May snorted, leaning against a post, "I've always been and will always be an Outcast. If it wasn't for Salene and Pride, I'd never have stuck with the Mall Rats as long as I have and even still you couldn't call me a Mall Rat. Didn't they tell you the awful truth about me?"
Liv moves over and takes May's hand which is shaking in some silent thought of anger. Ruby notes how the two women's hands are intertwined; tight and affectionate. She doesn't even know when that happened.
Feeling awkward she averts her eyes, looking at Darryl, " Well what about you? You and Lex were pretty tight-knit."
He smiles. She can only guess he's thinking about his romance with Rayne as he speaks, "What? And leave this market with no handsome entertainment? No way!"
This makes May laugh, "You'd be a perfect clown for the kiddies."
Darryl smirks, "I can always make new friends. Mikhail and Ryan are staying which means Rayne will likely stay too and she's my heart. And there's Lefty and Toc too…"
Ruby tries to smile with enthusiasm, but the prospect of being the single one on the island makes her slightly bitter, "It'll be great to have some company."