The City (Merome AU)

2

~*Jerome*~

"Jerome! Get down here before I come up there and force you down myself!" I jump at the sound of my grandfather's voice. Sure I've lived with him my entire life, but I'm still not used to him yelling like that. Even thought this is the daily process.

He yells, and I race downstairs.

"I'll be down in a second!" I call down before running to my closet and putting on the first shirt I manage to grab. Black? Just great. I can already tell today isn't gonna go well.

Somehow managing to walk down stairs while pulling on my jeans, I take a deep breath before running a hand through a hair. At least you look semi-presentable...

With that thought in my mind, I put a smile on my face and walk into the kitchen.

"Finally! You're twenty nine seconds later than you said you would be," Grandfather mutters before stopping his stopwatch. "Next time try to be a bit more accurate when telling me how long it'll take you to come downstairs."

"Whatever." I roll my eyes before grabbing my plate of food and sitting down at the table. "You know, when someone says they'll be there in a second, they don't literally mean a second."

"Your grandmother and I didn't raise you to be a liar Jerome." Of course. Sighing quietly, I take a bite out of my breakfast. Bacon, eggs, and plain toast. It's not much, but then again, it's better than what some of my friends eat. I wonder what people outside the city eat...

Probably a lot of meat. But how do they cook it? Over a bonfire? My train of thought was interrupted by a bell ringing. Grandfather jumps to a stand before rushing to the door that lead to his shop. One thing is for sure, people outside the city don't have a reliable food source to live off of. They probably live off of one meal a day if they're lucky.

I stuff the remainder of what was left on the plate into my mouth. Grandfather probably expects me to be out there helping him by now. Sighing quietly, I set the plate in the sink before walking out to the shop to go help him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
I look up from my place at the counter when the bell on the shop door rings. A young woman walks in with a dog trailing behind her. Dogs aren't aloud in here, but since grandfather isn't in here at the moment, I'll let it sly.
"Welcome to-"

"Let's cut to the case." She cuts me off and slams her fist down on the counter in front of me. "The old man who works here promised me a full crate of boar jerky last week. Where is it?" I sigh slightly before clearing my throat.

"Shipments from the city center take longer than a week ma'am. I'm sorry to be of inconvenience, but check back in a few days or so. I'm sure your order will be in by then." I look over the list on the counter, trying to find the order.

"You don't understand." A clicking sound makes me look up from the list. My eyes widen when the dark metal barrel of a gun blocks the majority of my vision. "I need this jerky. You're going to get it for me now, or I'll have that old man cleaning your brains off the floor for the next month."

"Right." I clear my throat and reach underneath the counter nonchalantly, pressing the emergency button before grabbing a clipboard with a few pieces of paper on it. "I think the shipment might have come earlier than usual though. Was it wolf jerky you wanted?" My gaze flicks over to the dog, whom was baring its teeth at me.

"Boar jerky," the woman corrects coolly. She's dead serious about this jerky. What's so important about boar jerky anyways?

"Right, my apologies. Boar jerky." My eyes skim over the papers, giving the illusion that I'm looking for her order. In reality, this is actually grandmother's grocery list. "Here it is! It came in yesterday evening. Follow me would you please?"

"You're really calm for someone with a gun pointed to their head," the woman mumbles as I lead her into the storage room. "I only know five other people who are crazy enough to to be this calm when someone points a gun in their face. Now I gotta add you to the pack of crazies."

"Is that so?" Little does she know I'm probably going to pass out once the police have her contained.

"Yes. But all the others have been in the wasteland all their lives. Which makes your situation all the more strange. Why would a city brat like you be-" I time out her voice as my mind starts to wander. The wasteland? Does she mean outside the city?

"The wasteland? You've been there? Like outside of the city?" She laughs at my questions like I'm some sort of idiot.

"Of course you big nosed baboon! Where else would I have gotten this?" She gazes at the gun with pride. "I stole it from one of those idiots I mentioned earlier." Thief eh? No surprise there. Now where are the police when I need them?

"You must know a lot of what's out there then."

"Yes I do. Actu-" she pauses before pointing the gun back at my head, narrowing her eyes. "You're stalling. Where is my jerky?" Well there goes that plan...

"What? No, no, no. I'm just curious about the wasteland. What is it like?" Come on already! When are the police going to get here!

"Yeah right. Now tell me where the crate is before-"

"Put your hands up where I can see them!" The all to welcomed voice of officer Leonheart booms. She's always been one to come at the last second.

The woman scowls before raising her hands above her head. Another officer takes the woman away, and I let out a sigh of relief. "You really do like coming late, don't you Abby?" She rolls her eyes at me before crossing her arms over her chest.

"Are you harmed Mr. Aceti?"

"Not at all, but why are you being so formal? We've known each other for years now!"

"I'm just doing my job Mr. Atcei." She sighs before putting her gun away. "But, it's best I'm formal to people when a criminal from the wasteland is around."

I look at her in confusion. "Why is that?"

"She can use your name against you. They learn in the wasteland that your name is your greatest strength, and weakness."

"Oh." I nod in understanding. "What's hers then?"

"She goes by Kaydee, but I expect to figure out her real name eventually." She chuckles to herself before clearing her throat. "Anyways, I should get going. I'll speak with you later Mr. Atcei."

"Yeah. See you." With that, Abby turns and walks out of the storage room, closing the door behind her.

I stand in the darkness of the unlit storage room for a moment, contemplating. That woman, Kaydee, has been outside of the city. She's seen what's beyond, and has walked the unknown. Why am I so curious about the wasteland? Everyone says there's nothing but dust and deadly creatures out there.

Why does nobody else care about it?

That's what I want to know.