Ablaze »»DARKEST MINDS««

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER SEVEN:
THE BLUES
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I couldn't hate the Xi Blues for long. One of them, a kind young boy with long hair, approached me last night after I had eaten supper with Dane and Bo and told me that Star wanted him to let me know that there was a shower available to us. An actual shower. I haven't bathed in clean water, excluding the freezing water of the creek at the Zone, since I'd lived with my parents — to say I was excited is an understatement. So as soon as my eyes cracked open this morning, I gathered a change of clothes Star left for us and headed towards the shower, passing by the sleeping forms of Dane, Marcy, and Bo, as well as a few Blues scattered about.

The shower is tucked in the back corner of the mall where only the employees were allowed to go, back when the mall was in still service. I clutch the t-shirt and jeans to my chest as I pass by each outlet store. A shiver runs down my back as I walk past the Sephora, where a plethora of string lights still illuminate the room. I can barely make out the figure of Star laying on top of the counter, probably fast asleep just like everyone else in the mall.

The path to the shower runs through my head over and over again so I don't accidentally get lost, but my train of thought is suddenly popped like a bubble when two distinct voices cut through the quiet of the early morning. I slow my pace down to a stop and try to listen closer.

"They're back already? Did something go wrong?" one voice asks, his voice wavering slightly. Another voice answers, sounding more put together than the first.

"Not exactly. They hijacked a truck for supplies but they didn't find supplies."

"It was empty?"

"No. There were children on the truck."

A small silence ensues, filling my chest with trepidation. Children?

"What the hell? How many?" the first voice asks, his voice lowered to the point where I have to strain my ears to hear.

"Like twenty. They cut the trip short and now they're headed back here."

"With all the kids?"

"No, Star told them what to do."

"Good, food supply's running low. I'm not sure how much longer we can go before we're gonna have to start doing something about it, other than . . . well, you know."

"Star's been looking into a deal. Don't know anything about it other than it's sure to get us more supplies and enough food to last us another year."

"Great. As long as we don't starve I'm good with anything."

The talking stops suddenly. I peer around the corner to see the retreating backs of two boys, one of whom I recognize immediately from his red hair. He stops short suddenly, and I whip around to conceal myself behind the corner right before he can see me. His friend questions him and he mumbled a weak reply before I hear footsteps again. I run my hand that isn't still gripping my clothes tightly to my chest through my hair and sigh.

Daniel has some explaining to do.

I try to shake off the immense feeling of dread spreading throughout my body and force myself towards the showers. The conversation they were having definitely raises some red flags, but it can wait until all this dried blood and grime is scrubbed off my filthy body.