Street Rat Rules

by word puzzler

Ezra knows how to survive. He has his rules, his experience, his own way of getting things done, and it works. . .most of the time. These are his rules, his survival guide, and how he learned them. (It's listed as complete, but I'm open to adding suggestions if anyone has any. All future updates will be placed before the last two chapters, ending won't change.)

13. Never if They're Faster

"Rule# 14 "Never go for a target that can out run you."

---

"New rule," she panted as they ducked and wove between the crowd. "Never go for a target that can out run you."

"You are just making these up!" Ezra accused between gasps, glaring at her. Well, he tried to glare but it came out more as an exhausted pout. She huffed a laughed, one hand holding her hat in place and the other clamping down on his wrist to drag him down an alley.

"I'm not making them up," She whispered in his ear as they hid inside a crate. "I just never had to say them before, they've all been. . . just stuff I learned as I went along. Trying to teach you, it's, well, difficult, and I don't really know. . .This stuff is just instinctive to me I guess?"

He followed her out of the crate and up onto the roof, thinking. "Instinctive" didn't sound like a good thing the way she said it. He hadn't really thought about how she knew all this stuff, just blindly trusting that she wouldn't lead him wrong, but now that he did. . .

She said surviving was everything, that saying alive was more important than being happy. Of course, she tried to make him happy, but if that's what she thought, then had she been happy before they met? What made her think that? Was that why she looked so sad sometimes? Was that why–

An elbow to the ribs knocked him out of his thoughts.

"You're being awfully quiet, what's up?" He looked at her, eyes searching for answers. "Ezra? Something wrong?"

"No," he said quickly. She frowned at him, but didn't press the issue.

"Come on. There's some really interesting gunk down in the south dumpster that I'm thinking we should introduce to the troopers." The way she'd said 'interesting' and her slightly evil smile said the troopers probably wouldn't appreciate their gift.

"I hear gunk goes great with breakfast." He suggested and she laughed.

"Come on, this way." She ran off, still laughing, and he followed.

He liked it when she laughed. Being happy might not be more important than staying alive, but that didn't mean they couldn't try. And he wanted to try. He wanted to hear that laugh again. . .because it reminded him so much of home.