I clenched my car keys in the palm of my hand and felt the cold metal of the carving begin to indent small traces of pain across my skin as I held them tighter. I bit at the inside of my cheek and winced at the brisk wind blowing against my skin, leaving it feeling burned and raw.
"Come on, Parker. It's a simple question. Pick a group," said the mysterious voice while he smirked at me with his small, faded pale lips.
"I know, just give me a minute."
I looked back and forth between the four groups while trying to decide which one would get me into the least amount of trouble, but still make me look cool; I needed the title of uptight to disappear. It's a name I've have for far too long... Well, besides 'afraid-to-live-a-little.'
"We're waiting."
"Okay, okay. Shut the hell up and give me a second," I snapped back. I kicked a rock by my foot and watched as it skipped across the concrete in the cold night air. It fell still, and the waves of sound from its pattering disappeared into the sky. This shouldn't be a hard question, but I'm just not fully on-board with the idea of putting my life at risk.
I studied each of the groups, watching how individual member's expressions changed with every blink. Picking the wrong team could result in getting arrested, while picking the right team could give me instant popularity.
"Your group," I muttered while pointing to a cluster of people covered in various paints with symbols imprinted all around their bodies. They looked harmless; at least they don't have letters and numbers inked across their skin like morse code. If I ever even joked about getting a tattoo my mother would disown me.
"Very well. Have your pity group. See you at nightfall," said the mystery boy while snapping his fingers and walking away with his team.
I glared at him as his members walked with their steps in sync and their heads held high. They wore black and had masks covering their faces, making it impossible to tell if I knew any of them. Every group did the same - they hid their faces in various ways. My group chose to hide theirs behind caked-on paint.
My breathing calmed and my pulse became steady as the group I chose gave me reaffirming smiles and nods while holding up their thumbs to show their appreciation and willingness to accept me into their group. I returned their welcoming gestures by shooting them a fake smile and hiding the fear behind my eyes.
What did I get myself into?
YOU ARE READING
The Quiet Ones
Adventure"Don't go outside after dark." This was a well-established rule in the whole community. After dark, groups of rebels emerged onto the streets of town and vandalized everything in their sight. Parker Reynolds knew this, she knew this rule almost too...
