The Tribe

Chapter Six

I walked down the steps of the mall, shrugging on a coat that I found in one of the clothes shops. I planned on doing a little spying on the locusts, just to see where they were at with trying to find me, and hopefully help make up my mind about where I should stand in the city. But as I walked past the CD store, Lex and Amber were there, guarding my only exit out of the mall. "You fancy him and it's destroying your judgment!" Lex yelled at her.

     I stopped in my tracks, doing my best to hide the incredibly annoyed expression that I'm sure was pouring out the cracks of my tight smile. "Who fancies who?" I asked, walking up to them.

     As soon as Lex laid eyes on me he rolled them off. His scowl turning into an angry grimace. "I don't remember inviting you into this conversation." Lex started.

     I smiled, "I'm not the type of girl who usually needs an invitation." I said.

     Amber eyed my get up, and her eyebrows furrowed. "You planning on going somewhere?" She asked.

     "Not really." I answered, smoothing down my coat. "Just decided to play a little dress up." I twirled, showing off my brown fur coat. It was pretty hideous actually, and not at all flattering, but it was warm. "You like?"

     "No." Lex said.

     "Lex!" Amber yelled. If she kept scrunching her face up like that, she was going to get major worry lines. She turned to me, walked forward a little. "I hope you weren't planning on leaving, because although we may have allowed you into the mall, you're not trusted, and therefore forbidden to leave until yo prove yourself."

  "Ah," I smiled, although every muscle inside me wanted to knock her pretty face to the ground. "So I'm still a prisoner, only in a larger room."

     "It's a precaution." Amber's lips tightened. "I'm sure you understand." I said nothing. I would bide my time, and eventually figure out a way to earn back my freedom. "Lex, let's go. We're sorting this democracy thing out now."

     Amber walked past me, Lex pushed past me, I followed them both to the cafe area, where Trudy stumbled in, half asleep. Bray only glanced in my direction as he and Salene helped Trudy into a chair. "How is she?" Amber asked, her and Lex walking over to the table where the others were.

     "Tired." Salene said, moving only slightly closer to where Bray was sitting.

     "Well," Bray tried to catch Amber's eye. "Can she stay?"

     "We're just going to have a vote." Amber said, with a sigh.

     "I'll go find the kids." Salene waited a moment before getting to her feet and leaving the cafe area. I watched her walk down the stairs in search of the deaf kid, the pig tail brat, and the uneven haired girl.

     Bray wrapped an arm around Trudy's shoulder, and tried to give her a reassuring smile. The best Trudy could do was an awkward face lift, that made her look more constipated than anything. Amber and Lex wondered off, in search of the others I suppose, but I stayed put.

     When I knew that the others were out of ear shot, I crouched down beside them, resting a hand on Trudy's shoulder. She moved her arm so that it was out of my grip and I all but smiled. The hatred she had for me was almost satisying.

     Eventually they were all gathered around the cafe. Zandra standing straight with her shoulders back, knees locked and her faithful follower Ryan standing behind her. "What's this about then?" She asked.

     "We're having a vote." Dal said. "To see if Bray and Trudy can join us."

     "Seems like a big waste of time to me." Zandra sighed, "I say let them stay."