fallen | ✓

Chapter 38: "CrackHead"

I walked up to Crane Town, my bow clutched in my hand. I had just checked where I was last slaved, wearing a mask and hood to make me look like a man. My slavers weren't there. I almost got past the small cinder block wall when someone grabbed my shoulder and I spun around, facing a man in a mask. I stared. "Can we talk in private for a moment?" He asked, his voice low and deep. I shook my head. I was not going to fall for that, and be slaved again.

"Whatever you can say in private, you can say here." I said, my eyes scanning for his. He smirked under his mask and gave a little chuckle. I flinched, a bit intimidated. He pulled off the mask and I saw Connor. My shoulders dropped and I let out a breath off relief. But he didn't hug me, and I didn't hug him. The tension was clear.

"Don't think that I don't know about you and Joa." He smirked. I stared, cocking my head to the side. "You're into him. I know it." His voice had an edge. And I didn't like it. I gripped my bow and he glanced down at my hand. "I made that thing." He said bitterly. "But I can break it, too.." He smirked. I yanked it behind me, protectively.

"What the Hell have you turned into," I muttered.

"Me?" He chuckled softly. "You're the one that's turned bad." He said firmly. My heart squeezed. I was pissed by then. I smacked him hard across the face and he wrenched to the side, holding his cheek. I grabbed the ring on my finger and pulled it off, throwing it at him. His druggie friends gave a sloppy laugh and I turned, running back into CT. But all I heard was a quiet, "What's her problem?"

I ran past my usual sitting spot and scurried up the Crane, only sitting amongst the first set of ladder. I held my face in my hands, fighting back tears as best as I could. But now I was alone.. So did it matter? I almost started pouring before Joa came up and sat next to me. "Hey," He said. "You alright?" I shook my head.

"I'm the opposite of alright.." I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

"What happened?" He asked quietly.

"Connor-" I shook my head, fighting the tears again. "Son of a bitch." Then I muttered. "It's not like we did it legally in the first place." He wrapped his arm around me, a surge of comfort coursing through me. He rested his chin on top of my head.

He squeezed my arm and I nodded. "Lets practice. Get your mind off it. Alright?"

"Yeah." I closed my eyes for a brief moment before sliding down the ladder, heading for the fight pit, Joa trailing behind me. I sauntered over to one side of the mat, taking off my boots and gear. Joa did the same and we both stepped on the mat, raising our fists.

"No nut-shots this time please," Joa muttered. I laughed a little. "Ready?" He asked. I nodded. "Go." He stepped in as I did and kicked the side of my knee, causing me to fall on it with a small wince. I slammed my fist into his gut, making him stumble backward while I was recovering. I stood, ready for his next move.

He got up straight, eyeing me. He dashed forward, head-butting me with a force that brought me weak but didn't knock me out. He then swept my legs from under me, knocking me straight on my back. He pinned my shoulders with his knees and grinned. "Haha." I snickered. "Clever."

"I won." He said in a girly voice. "Score one for Joao!" He exclaimed, pumping his fists. I laughed hard.

"Are you mimicking me?" I scoffed playfully. He laughed.

"Yeah, but you wouldn't do this." He leaned forward giving me a quick kiss. I froze for a moment. It felt like a warm cookie was pressed into my cheek. Warm and sweet.. I instantly relaxed. I gave a little smile. He chuckled and leaned forward again, pressing his lips on mine. Warmth coursed through me and I felt safe. He gently rubbed his hand on my hair and pulled off, getting up and holding out his hand. I wanted to forget Connor. I wanted to forget I ever met him. The drugs probably changed him at least some, but he didn't have to do them. If he wanted money, he could have worked a different job. There's no reason that he should sell drugs like that..

~~~

It was blizzarding really hard. Joao had been out for a while, and most of us were pushed into the under ground shelter. I was worried about him. He wasn't down here with the rest of us.. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. The only person I knew down here was Mitch.

I saw him sitting down at a table, alone. This bothered the Hell out of me, so I walked over and sat across from him. He glanced up, looking at me. "Hey?" He raised a brow.

"You seem lonely." I frowned. He shook his head, glancing away. 

I eventually got him to talk. We shared our pasts, and his was definitely worse than mine.

"I was a killer, Carmen.." He shuddered. "But now I'm not. I have friends and a new lifestyle. That's really why I'm quiet.." He sighed. "I don't like talking about it.."

"Sorry.." I frowned. He shook his head.

"It's fine." He said simply. I grabbed my backpack and unzipped it, grabbing a bottle of scotch.

"Want some alcohol?" I asked, popping the cap on the table. He nodded.

"Yes please. Whiskey." He said. I grabbed a bottle and passed it to him. He grabbed it and popped the cap. "Thank you." He offered a smile. A girl with blonde hair walked over, leaning on the railing next to us. "Hey, Mika." Mitch greeted her. She nodded.

"You, uh.." She looked to me. "Got any to spare?" I grabbed another bottle of whiskey and passed it to her. She let out a large breath of relief and popped the cap, chugging. She went for breath and managed to squeeze out "Thank you." before going back to swallowing it in no time at all. I chuckled a bit.

A man walked behind her and almost grabbed her when another man ran behind him, jerking him backward. "Hey-!" He yelped. Mika turned, staring. "We must repopulate-" The other man pulled his hood, choking him. "No one will carry our generations!" He choked out. Mika formed a disgusted look as I fought back a laugh. He was obviously either high or drunk. The other man pulled him all the way back, smacking him, shoving him to the ground. The insane man let out a sigh of defeat. "I'm sorry." He muttered, getting up and walking back to his group. The other man followed.

A small child with a sloth walked over to us, putting the animal on Mitch's head. I snorted into my hand. Mitch slowly looked up and sighed. I had never seen a sloth before. "Hello." The child said, waving. I smiled and waved in return. Mitch restrained himself from throwing the baby sloth off his head. "Want to pet him?" He asked, grabbing it back and holding it out to both of us. "He don't bite!" I gently pet the sloth's head. Mitch refused. "I haven't named him yet.." He said, pouting.

"Then name him," I said. "I think he'd like that."

"DICK SUCKER!" He yelled. I flinched back a bit. He must have Tourette's. But then he coughed and smiled. "Kevin." He said. I nodded.

"That's a good name." I smiled back. "You should show him off to the other people here," I suggested. Then the little boy dashed off with his sloth in his arms.

"You're going to be such a good parent.." Mitch muttered. I glanced at him, raising a brow. "Lucky I didn't bop him one.." I rolled my eyes.

Not far from the table, a commotion began to stir. I glanced over, standing. Mitch shook his head at me. "What?" I asked, sounding annoyed.

"You're always worrying about everyone but yourself.." He frowned. I ignored him and walked over, peeking over people's shoulders. I saw a man with a box on his head, and a man slamming his fist down on his head. Beating a hobo.

"Hey!" I yelled. Another man grabbed my arm, forcing me backward. The man tripped the box head and punched his stomach, causing him to urge over my shoes. And there went the crowd.. They all turned, going back to their business. I cringed down at my feet and the man that was holding me back told me,

"You should go scuff your feet in the sand.. Rid of all that puke.." He said, his nose wrinkling. He walked back to his group and I did as he suggested, walking back to Mitch. I sat in front of him and sighed.

A lot of people where teaming up.. Go figure.. Later on, Mika came over again and offered us to join her group. I accepted and dragged Mitch along with me. I sat down with a shiver. I had one jacket on me, and two more in my back pack just in case. "Need a jacket, Mitch?" I asked him. He was shaking harder than me.. He nodded and I unzipped my backpack, handing him one of the jackets. He took it, wrapping it around him and sticking his arms in the sleeves. He zipped it up and sulked hard, rubbing his arms. The longer I stayed here, the more I worried about Joao.

A person scrambled up above us and shouted, "The hatch is frozen shut!"