Survival of the Fittest.

Pinky swears

"You can only stay here two nights, then I'll drive you to town." Hayden looked at Flint and I, "After that, it's up to you to get away. How much money do you have?"

"About $10,000." I smiled, thinking of all the money I earned from fighting Holly.

"What?" Hayden's voice revealed his surprise, "How did you get that much if you were in Base all your life?"

"Well," Flint answered him with a sad smile, "It's sort of a controlled savage world in those walls." He looked at me, I could see him remembering the fight with Keaton and regretting every second of it, "We were kind of professional fighters."

"So , you're telling me," Hayden's eyes were wide, "Mr. tall, dark, and depressed," he looked at Flint, "And the little black cat over here," he looked at me, "Can fight?" He smiled, "That makes my job a whole lot easier."

"Little black cat?" I was offended, "Little?" I was nowhere near 'little'.

"Well, you are pretty little compared to us in human form." Flint pointed out and Hayden nodded in agreement.

"Oh yeah?" I was starting to get offended, "Says the 'huge' lion who got beat twice by this 'little black cat'!"

"Calm down," Flint put his hand on my shoulder.

"Uh, no." I shrugged off his hand, turned, and walked outside.

"What's her problem?" I heard Hayden's accented voice from the shack.

"I think she is just stressed," Flint sounded worried.

"Why?" The Irish man seemed so laid back.

"She and Keaton," Flint couldn't hide the pain in his voice, "He screamed he loved her before he died." Hayden didn't say anything, I didn't expect him to. I looked up at the late evening sky, it was completely clear.

"It's not good to travel without clouds in the sky," a 13 year old Keaton suddenly appeared, we were laying in a clearing in the forest, looking at the clouds.

"Why?" I looked at him.

"Then, you have to watch to make sure you didn't leave any footsteps, but if it looks like it's about to rain, you don't have to worry because the rain will make the steps disappear." He said it like it was common sense.

"But wouldn't the rain just make the ground wet? Then your footprints could be seen in the mud." I matched his tone.

"Well, kitten," He smiled, "I guess you're right." Just as the memory came, it disappeared, leaving tears on my cheeks.

"Keaton cat," I continued the conversation,  wanting to see him again, "Why do you always tell me that kind of stuff?" The vision came back.

"One day," He propped himself up with his elbow and turned his body toward me, "I won't be here to help you with all that stuff." I mimicked his position.

"You will always be here," I smiled and shook my head, "You have to always be here."

"Okay," He pushed my hair out of my face, "I'll always be right here, with you."

"You promise?" I held up my right hand, pinky finger extended.

"Pinky swear, Kitten." He wrapped his pinky on mine and smiled. He was gone, the forest was gone, and I was fading fast, too.

"I guess pinky swears don't count when you are in Hell." I laughed cynically and went inside to find the ingredients for the Molotov's.

"What are you doing?" Hayden appeared when I found the bottle of vodka I was looking for.

"What does it look like?" My voice was stinging and harsh as I waved the bottle around.

"You can't do that, Gia." He reached for the bottle, but I pushed him back using all my strength. He staggered back a few feet.

"Oh, really?" I smiled, "And who is going to stop me, Hayden?" I turned to walk to my room. I locked the door behind me and sat on my bed. The comforter was faux jaguar fur, how nice. It was appalling. I opened the bottle and drank about half of it. "Pinky swears." I whispered through tears. I took another drink.

I looked at the door, then to the doorknob. I heard footsteps. Wobbling, I stood and walked to the door. I leaned down to sit in front of it and felt some pressure from the other side. Somebody had sat down against the door.

"Gia," Hayden's voice sounded sweet, "Can I come in?"

"Why?" My voice slurred, "You are just going to lecture me on how weak I am." I shook my head, "How stupid I am." a tear rolled down my face, "How worthless I am."

"What?" I heard his confusion as I took a long drink, "I won't, I promise."

"Fine," I got up on my drunken legs and downed the rest of the bottle before opening the door.

"You look like you've been through a lot tonight." He walked into the room and shut the door.

"So what." I flopped down on my bed face first.

"Flint told me you did this when Tom died." Hayden's voice seemed far away, "I didn't expect you to do this until today when he explained you and Keaton." I rolled over to look at him, questioning where he was going with this. "So, while you stay here, I'm hiding the rest of the alcohol."

"No!" I sat up too quickly and got dizzy, "No, you can't do that." I pointed at him as my words slurred.

"It's for your own good, Gia." He held out his hand, pinky held out, "I pinky swear." I wrapped my pinky around his as tears rolled down my face.