Cruel World (The Tribe Book 1)

1. Less Power, More Chaos (Pt I)

Once the Locos have gone far enough around the corner into other streets, the older girl turns to the younger. "You have to be more careful or the Locos will find you," she urges, getting nothing to indicate understanding from the girl, all she does is hold her teddy closer and look to the ground. The boy skates over from the other side of the street to the pair. "She doesn't understand Amber, she's dumb. We have to go if we want to be out of the city by nightfall," he tells the older girl. Amber shakes her head, "We can't just leave her Dal," she replies solemnly. "It's alright we aren't going to hurt you. What's your name?" Amber questions, getting a blank stare in return. Dal sighs beside her, annoyed by the hold up. "I'm Amber and this is Dal, we're friends" she says, pointing at herself and her friend, "Do you have anyone? Any brothers or sisters?" Amber asks.

"She doesn't understand, lets just go," Dal groans impatiently. "She needs help," Amber says. "We all need help Amber! That's just the way it is now. I'm sorry Amber, but we decided we were gonna leave the city by nightfall, you said nothing was gonna change that. How are we gonna do that with this girl tagging along?" He rants.

Amber sighs and looks back to the younger girl, making one last effort to communicate with the stray.

"I bet I know his name, Teddy right?" She gets a nod. "What about you?" She asks. "Cloe," The stray replies.

" What are you doing out here Cloe?" "Playing."

"Can we play?" Amber asks. "If you like, but there's no room on the swings. Patsy and Paul are hogging them. But there's a slide, you could play on that!" Cloe suggests to the older girl.

"Yeah, maybe I will," she replies, before sighing and turning to her friend. "You'll have to go on without me, I can't leave her Dal," Amber says dejectedly. Dal sighs before shrugging in defeat. "That's ok, we've come this far together."

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A girl with pink and blue hair styled in space buns paces back and forth in an abandoned train car.

"Where is he, Lex? Maybe we got it wrong, I mean are you sure this is the meeting place or maybe we got the wrong time these guys dont wear watches you know" she says to one of the three boys with her, the one with long dark hair. "Quiet," he snaps, "I'm thinking." One of the other boys, this time one with long light brown hair that's half tied up replies.

"Yeah Zandra, let the man think. If he can't think he can't come up with one of those brilliant plans."

"I don't like it here! Out in the open, anything could happen-" she snarks back before being cut off.

"Shut up the both of you!" Lex snaps, " Zoot will keep his word," he continues, although he sounds like he's reassuring himself more than the other three.

"Where is he then? The legendary Leader of the Locos?" the light-brown haired boy asks. "You heard the siren!" Lex quips back.

"Siren? That could have been anyone. It could've been the Demon Dogs, this is their patch, or even the Roosters, any of the gangs. This sector's a war zone." "The whole city is a war zone in case you hadn't noticed!"

Their arguing is cut off by the sound of an engine drawing closer and the call of an old police siren gradually getting louder.

"They're coming," the light-brown haired one utters. "What's the matter Glenn? You're not getting scared are you?" Lex taunts the other boy.

"I want to know what you've agreed with Zoot" Glenn states, a slight quiver in his voice. "What do you mean?" Zandra questions her friend.

"Don't be stupid Zandra. You really think we're gonna be allowed to join the Locos? Just like that? No, I'll tell you what's gonna happen. Old Lex here, he'll be in the tribe, you can bet your life. The rest of us? Might not be so lucky," He explains to the girl bitterly.

Annoyed, Lex shoots Glenn a dirty look and looks to the other two "Anyone who doesn't like the plan can leave now". "And how far would I get before I was hunted down by the Locos along with you and Stupid here?" He retorts, pointing his thumbs sideways to the other, much taller and musclier boy with a buzzcut.

"Stop it! Ryan, do something!" Zandra calls to the big giant of a boy.

Again, their arguing is cut off, this time by tires crunching gravel before coming to a halt only meters away from their train car.

"They're here," Lex states the obvious, causing Glenn to give him a subtle glare. "I thought you said they'd be alone?" Zandra asks Lex, scared. "The welcoming committee," Glenn says sarcastically.

"They don't look very welcoming to me," Zandra states, trying to seem braver than she is.

"I'll do the talking," Lex says, mentally trying to hype himself up a bit. "Suits me. Not getting scared are you, Lex?" Glenn asks coyly. Lex ignores him and jumps down out of the train car, Ryan following him holding their backpack of supplies on his back and a duffle of things to offer the Locos in his left hand. Glenn and Zandra watch nervously up in the train car, a sense of unease washing over them.

"Zoot! I was starting to think you weren't coming. I guess time keeping's not your thing, eh?" Lex is met with an unnerving blank stare from the frosty blue eyes of the Loco leader. " Yeah, yeah me neither. Time's dead, that's the old way, we make the rules now right?" Lex states trying to remain positive.

Zoot completely disregards everything Lex just said, his eyes focusing on something else. "What's in the bag" He asks, indicating to the bags Ryan is holding.

"Glad you asked, friend! Walkie talkies, CD players, batteries, you name it!" Lex states, regaining some of his confidence. "Food?" Zoot enquires, looking at the backpack on Ryan's back.

"We've only got enough for our--," "Give it to me" Zoot demands. Looking at each other, they reluctantly hand the backpack over to the girl beside Zoot, his right hand woman Ebony. "Why do you wanna be a Locust?" Zoot asks the group of four.

"You guys are the best outfit around! You're cutting, you're really....." Lex trails off, unsure and losing confidence. He starts glancing around for ideas.

"What? Really what?" Ebony presses.

"You're scandalous" Lex states, although then he realises what he's just said and turns to Ryan anxiously. "We're what?!"

"Get ready to run."

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