Compatible

two

Jasper never liked rats. He actually hated rats. Just their huge teeth and their beady red eyes, and the tail, oh god the tail. It looked like a worm and a slug had a baby. Jasper hated it.

He also didn't like fighting the rats for his fries in the middle of the night, like he was right now. The little bastard had came up and bit his finger, and took a fry. Now he was sitting on one end of the alleyway he called home nursing a bleeding fingerbwatching the rat eat all his fries.

The rat was kinda cute, he wouldn't lie, but he worked hard for those fries. Now he had succumbed to letting the miniscule rat eat his fries.

How pathetic, Jasper.

He sighed, looking up at the night sky, watching the stars wink and gleam at him. He liked how quiet the world was at night. He liked how it was just him and the rats, sometimes maybe possums too. It made him feel more calm, he knew because of the curfew President Mccray had set - all citizens in their respective houses by ten p.m - he as alone, no one was here. He didn't have to hide from thugs - or even his father for that matter.

It was quiet until he heard footsteps.

Jasper's eyes shot open, he looked around frantically, only seeing the fat rat basking in garbage.

As the footsteps grew closer Jasper stood up, trying to become the brick wall. Then the footsteps stopped, almost suddenly, like they were shot dead.

After a moment, Jasper peeled himself from the wall and crept towards the end of the alley, listening.

He poked his head out, expecting to see a dead Guard or something, but what he saw was totally different.

He came eye to eye with the greenest of eyes he had ever seen.

He jumped back slightly, hearing a gasp emit from the eyes. The green seemed to glow.

They stared at each other for a good five seconds, and Jasper realised they weren't just floating eyes.

It was a girl. She was short. Like- child short. She had shoulder length wild ginger hair, small shoulders and small hands. Tiny was the first word that came to mind when Jasper set eyes upon her. Shortened and panicked breaths came out of her plump lips, and for whatever reason in the world, she was holding a mouse to her chest.

She was obviously a runaway.

Jasper didn't know what to do- the girl looked so familiar, but she didn't.

"Im- I'm so sorry! Thi- this is my rat- mouse and he- um.. got out-" the girl started to stutter, as if explaining why she broke her mother's expensive vase. Jasper was confused as to why she was doing this- then he realized she must've thought he was a Guard.

"I'm not a Guard." Jasper interrupted her.

"What?" The girl looked confused.

"I'm not a Gaurd."

"No- I get that- if you arent a guard then why are you out past hours?"

"Because I can."

"No you cant-" the girl was cut off by more footsteps. Her eyes widened. The footsteps seemed like a march, and of course, they were Guards.
The girl seemed to panic, and Jasper, wondering if this was even real, or if he had fallen alseep and he was dreaming, grabbed the girls tiny shoulder, and yanked her into his alleyway.

Just in time too, because as soon as she stumbled into the wall, Guards marched pass, not giving the alleyway a second glance.

They both stood there, in silence, making sure the Guards were gone, then the girl slowly turned towards him.