• badlands •

those are the badlands

She sat there, shuffling around on the ground, pushing the rocks from underneath her.

They sat on the edge of a cliff, staring out into the distance. A small city outlined the edge of the sunrise. A neon light flickered on and off in the city line, it made out words, but too far for her to make out.

She tapped on the boy she was leaning on. He looked up.

"What's that say?" She pointed at the sign.

"Nothing, don't worry about it. Those are the badlands," he said. "we don't go there."