Dark Sunlight - The Shadow Series (Book 1) ONGOING

Chapter Two

When we pushed the final hallway door open, two little girls jumped on me, laughing.

"Whoa, whoa, girls! Calm down! I'm not dead yet, am I? Besides, Hazel, you're strangling me!" I chuckled, getting hold of the two culprits and swinging them around the room.

They giggled and squealed. When I put them down, Lily grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the back of the room, where a wonky plastic table awaited, decorated with a bright pink tablecloth, four ceramic plates and a long candle.

"Wow, girls, you've been busy!" I said, crouching down and giving them a bear hug. Hazel looked at me with her sky-blue eyes, and started playing with my dark brown hair, messing up the strands and pulling on my ponytail. But I didn't mind.

Hazel whispered in my ear,

"Roo, did you get anything for us?" I smiled. "Yes, of course Haz! Lily, come closer." I turned to Thad, "Could you pass me the bag, Thad, please?" He passed me the rucksack, and as I unzipped it, the two little girls jumped on the nearest mattress, landing with a booing. I shook the contents of the bag on the floor, and as soon as Lily and Hazel saw the pink hairbrush, they let out an exited gasp and rushed to grab it.

"Hey, calm down girls!" I said sternly. However, seeing their delighted faces, I softened. "You can share it, and as soon as I find a second one, you'll each have your own."

Hazel looked up and gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. I smiled at her and took the children in my arms, walking over to the table. I saw Thad looking at me, grinning. He winked and walked to the door, bolting it tightly for the night.

"Ah, Lil, look!" Hazel said, pointing at the bag of sweets. Lily's big eyes widened at the sight. She grabbed the bag, tearing the plastic as quick as she could before diving her hand in and devouring a handful of mints.

We looked at her with wide eyes, astonished. When Lily saw our expressions, she stopped eating and looked at us, puzzled. There was a moment of silence before everyone burst out laughing, Lily included.

As I cooked the potatoes and leeks, cut the bread and tomatoes in slices, Lily and Hazel ran around the small underground room, playing and laughing.

After having put the pan on the table, I called the little girls and Thad. As we ate, the girls giggled and talked no-stop, only pausing to drink. I turned to Thad and asked,

"Do you know where Mia is? I kept her some food."

He shook his head.

"No, I've no idea. She went to fetch some wood for the fire. I guess she must have found a few more things, or wondered further than she should have. She told me she had something to do." He answered, shrugging.

I frowned. It wasn't like Mia. I was the risk-taking one, not her.

Suddenly I stood up, grabbed my bag, kissed Lily and Hazel and headed to the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Thad said, angrily, brutally standing up from his seat, nearly making his plate crash to the ground.

"What do you think?" I answered, exasperated. "I'm going to find my best friend."

"No way you're doing that, Rae!" He said, fuming.

"Oh yes I am!" I cut in, trying to keep my cool. "It's already ten o'clock, she should have been here before I was. That means Mia could have been hurt, lost... or... or she was found by the Scrapers, or even worse!"

Thad slowly approached me and took my hand. "You know she would never be found by the Scrapers. Those beggars are far too stupid for a girl like her!" He paused. I tried to protest, but he held a hand up in front of me, and said, half jokingly, half seriously, "She is far more careful than you are, Rae."