Elemental Children

Chapter 1: Bestfriend Blues

"Brittani Goldstein, I have been waiting for you for almost an hour! I didn't took a leave from my job at the library to stand around in front of a diner in Brooklyn like some hooker!"

Just then two men across the street started whistling at me.

"Hey, where you at?" Both of them laughed.

I rolled my eyes and put my phone back at the pocket of my trench coat. The busy hum of New York City was the same as it is in the morning, cars honking, the sound of footsteps on side walks, and the buzz of different establishments.

My best friend had been acting all weird these past few days. Every time I talk to her she seems distant as if her mind is somewhere flying high above. Sometimes too aware, glancing to her sides while we're having lunch every now and then, her eyes wouldn't settle on anything for longer than a second. And now she tells me to meet her here but she still hasn't shown up.

I was shocked when I checked the time on my brown wrist watch, 10:30 pm.

The phone started buzzing.

"Hey Brittani," I didn't question who was on the other side of the line. No one knew my cell number aside my best friend since elementary to middle school 8th Grade.

Also, My mother won't even bother to call me.

She couldn't care less about me going home late, wandering the streets at night or being mugged. Oh, scratch that.

She couldn't care less about me period.

"H-Hey... Kate, where are... you?"

She was catching her breath like she had been running.

"Didn't you received my voice mails? I'm sti--"

Something exploded on the other end quickly followed by the sound of shattering glass.

"Brittani! Are you okay? Answer me!"

"How fast can you get to my apartment?" the sound of her boots hitting hard against wet pavement made it clear that she was on the run.

"Faster than you can explain what's going on," I said.

"Listen to me Kate, I don't have much time. I promise to explain everything back at the apartment but right now I need you to get there," She spoke with such urgency.

"O-Okay. Where are you? We can meet--"

"No!" She growled "Just do what I told you"

without another word I hang-up and took the first cab that drove by the dark alley.

***

The taxi stopped four blocks away from Brittani's apartment.

"Not again." the driver muttered.

"Whats wrong?" I asked him.

"Sorry miss. But this is as far as she goes. Problem with the tires." he explained.

I didn't notice a girl sitting beside him until she spoke. "Daddy, will you buy me a happy-meal?"

"Not this time honey. Daddy didn't get his quota."

Her face fell and she pouted. I didn't grow up with a father, he left my mom when his parents found out about their affair. Seeing the child and his father cracked my heart.

I gave him a wad of dollars and he looked at me quizzically

"Uh. This is too much"

"Get it fixed then buy her a happy meal." I smiled at the girl as I got off the taxi and walked through Fifth Avenue. I had been to Brittani's apartment a lot of times, enough to remember which turn to take. I walked faster and eventually found myself running.