Eyebrow Adventures

6...(The Storm)

Grey clouds were beginning to crawl through the sky when Ruth got on her bike. They were tall and dark, promising rain, and were coming quick. She stuck the brown paper bag holding the purchased items into her bike basket, and strapped on her helmet, quickly. Then, as she swung her legs over the seat, It occurred to Ruth that if there would be as much rain as the clouds looked like they were holding, then her brother's tournament would be canceled, meaning her parents would be back early! The worst part was that the clouds were coming from the west, and the tournament was in the west. That could mean that her parents were already home from the rain!

With an awful lump in her stomach, Ruth rode down the streets, the clouds soon covering the sun. What will I do!? What will I do!? Ruth racked her brain for excuses. She could tell her mom and dad that she was playing with her friends in the yard, maybe. But then she realized that she would get in trouble for having a friend over without asking first. She could say she was playing in the yard alone? But the driveway was in the yard, so they would know she was lying since they wouldn't have seen her playing there.

Ten horrible excuses later, Ruth decided that the best thing to do would be to just play by ear, and hope for the best. Hopefully, she could think of something decent on the spot.

Ruth had just turned a corner when she realized that she had not been using the map the whole ride. She realized that because she had no idea where she was. Ruth was so busy brainstorming lies she didn't notice that she was biking in the wrong direction.

"Oh shoot." groaned Ruth, covering her face with her hands and shaking her head. She pulled up her bicycle to a fence, slamming her palms on her forehead. "What have you done, Stupid Ruth?" She took a look around the unfamiliar alley, and down the intersecting roads. She could at least tell she was still in the poor side of town, with all of the houses and apartments badly needing repair. Unfortunately, the street signs were also in as bad condition as the houses. Through the graffiti, the bent signs were unreadable. Ruth decided that she would just have to keep biking and possibly get more lost until she found a readable sign to point her in the right direction.

As drops of rain started quietly pattering to the ground, Ruth tried her best to remember where she had came from, and back-track the roads that she had taken. No minute could be wasted, if her parents weren't home already, she had to beat them there. Finally, in the distance, Ruth could see a road sign that was actually readable! Happily, Ruth zoomed up to it, keeping hope of beating her parents. As she approached the sign, she squinted, trying to read it, but when it came into view, something inside her made Ruth slam on her handle brakes, skidding to a stop right before the street turned. Although she couldn't yet put an explanation to why, she recognised the name, Miller lane, and it didn't come up with a good feeling. Staring at the sign, Ruth didn't notice that there were voices coming from the back of the street until she came back to reality. She was about to walk over to see who was there, but then she realized that she recognised the voices too-- and they were the voices of the gang members she had seen earlier!

Ruth backed away around the corner cautiously, hoping none of them had seen her out of the corner of their eyes. Now she remembered why the street name sounded familiar-- When the high schooler was telling her about the gang, he had told her where they usually hung out, Miller lane.She thought that she probably should leave, but then she heard something that caught her attention.

"That old Sh** bag thinks he owns the place! Thinks he can boss us around like that." said a voice Ruth recognised as Damian. She wondered if he was talking about Mr.Pocacca.

"Yeah-- well he can't!" said Barry, "WE are the bosses round here, guys!"

"Yes. Nobody messes with us like that without getting taught a lesson. Rude old people like that need to put in there place! You know, I feel a need for revenge, Whatta you guys think!?"

The gang cheered. Ruth peered into the alley a little further, leaning on her bike. She was getting soaked from the rain while doing this, but staying dry was not her top priority at the moment.

"Well what are we gonna do? Ideas? Shout em out!" said Damian.

"We could write him a letter?" suggested Shaggs, who obviously didn't want to cause much trouble.

"What a cute idea, Shaggs," sighed Damian sarcastically, "NO! Stupid idea! Let's be creative, men."

"BURN him!" Yelled VodKing, raising his bottle in the air, "Skin him alive!"

"Yes, Yes! I'm liking the ideas. Maybe a little harsh but keep going--" CRASH!

All of a sudden, the gang's attention shifted to a little soggy girl with weird-looking black hair standing wide eyed in the wet street. Caught up in the excitement, Ruth had accidentally forgotten to put up the kickstand on her bike, and when took her hands off of the handles, her bike fell down.

The gang members looked curiously at Ruth, wondering if she should be their next prey. "Hey, Little girl," Said Damian, slowly stepping forward, his gang following, "What are you doing out here, you know it is not safe to be roaming the streets without a parent."

Ruth stood there for a second, not knowing to answer or not.

"Did you hear anything I just said a minute ago to my friends?" Damian said in an artificial sweet voice.

Ruth didn't want to cause trouble or get hurt, but she also didn't want Damian to think she was scared. She just hated the way he expected everyone to be afraid of him. He continued forward, grinning a yellow and brown smile. His face was pierced, scarred, and tattooed in odd places. At first glance, anybody would think he was a tough, mean dude, but in his eyes, Ruth could see that he was truly as weak as anybody.

Ruth leaned down and lifted up her bicycle of the ground. Looking into his eyes, she answered truthfully, "Yes." For a moment Damian paused and cocked his head, quite confused that she hadn't lied to his face. "Um, What?" he asked.

"Yeah, I heard what you said, Bye!" She hopped back onto her bike and took off as fast as possible down the road in the opposite direction she had came from. The gang leader stared in frustration at the skid marks left on the road, and stomped like a two year old having a tantrum.

"Uhhh, should we go after her?" Asked Barry.

Damian pouted then eventually nodded and started running, leading the whole gang after Ruth.

"Get back here!" they all screamed, but it was no use, their legs were not nearly as fast as Ruth's wheels. Once she was far out of sight, Damian shook his head with an angry expression. "Damn girl," He Murmured, trudging back down the alley.

New chapter coming soon!