Faerie's Crown

Bargain

I wait for Tris along Goldhill Mall today--a Sunday. Already, early in the morning, Goldhill Mall has people coming from here and there--either for breakfast or for work.

I see Tris panting as she runs up to me, dressed in a shocking pink shirt with a large word "HI" in bright yellow splashed over the design, sequins and beads glimmering under the sunlight. Her miniskirt flounces around her hips as she jogs up to me.

Her hair is done up in a bun that looks like it took three hours to do. Black strands of hair curtains her face, her cheeks stained red from puffing and panting as she crouches over, grabbing her kneecaps.

"Do I look like I just ran a marathon?" she asks me as rays from the sunlight illuminating her radiant face.

"Nope," I lie, but when she furrows her brow at me. "Actually, a bit."

"Oh, good," Tris does her hair up a little bit. "Come on, let's go."

**************

We settle for a large plate of pancakes each. Maple syrup dribbles from the bottle as I dump some of it onto my pancakes.

"You've never been this free before," says Tris. "Your mom never let out for breakfast. The old hag."

"Don't insult my mom," tears prick the corner of my eyes as the taste of pancakes become bland. An image of my mother's final moments flash into my mind, and all of a sudden, I feel nauseous.

"Whatever," Tris says. "You have a life, Emily. Don't let anyone take over it. My mom lets me do whatever I want most of the time, but there are times when like she keeps getting me to do homework. With a face like this"--she gestures to her face--"no man can resist me. I'm going to marry some rich bloke."

"That's a whole future planned out already," I mumble. "I'll pity your husband." Something about her's tugging at me...but I just don't know what.

For the whole of breakfast, Tris just keeps talking on and on about whatever parties she's been going to and her snobbish friends. After finishing off the plates, we part ways.

**********

Just as I walk out from Goldhill Mall, I hear a loud bang from behind me. Something's happened to the mall?

I whirl around, clutching tightly to the strap of my bag. Goldhill Mall's on fire! Smoke wraps around the sky like a chain of clouds as the burning smell from the flames enter my nostrils.

I see someone. Someone stranded up on the ninth floor's roof garden. A girl of about...ten? She's waving her arms frantically, her cries muffled by the roar of the fire.

I throw my bag to the ground and did what I think to be the stupidest thing I've ever done.

I run into the burning building.

**************

I make it to the ninth floor after climbing eighteen flights of steps, only my willpower supporting my legs as I run.

I reach the top and continue to run in the direction of the garden. I leap and duck over and under burning chunks of splintered wood, coughing once or twice thanks to the damned smoke.

I see the little girl huddled in a corner, shaking. I run up to her and tap her shoulder, "You don't have to cry. I'll bring you down."

But the girl stops crying all of a sudden. Instead, she turns her head around, showing me a mouth full of sharp teeth and her eyes are red except for her pupils.

She lashes out at me, snapping those jaws as she thrusts her hands out, trying to scratch me. Out of surprise, I fall backwards and hit my head against the hard, concrete ground. I can hear the fire raging behind me.