Survivor Of the drought

Mall or Icecream?

I don't know what to do. My mom and dad are standing in the doorway looking uncomfortable. I want to just curl up into a ball and be forgotten. The silence grows bigger and more awkward. I summon some bravery and stand up. They all look at me relived I did something to break the silence. I go upstairs and into my bedroom.

I look out the window at the crops. They really are all dead. I nervously play with my hair, with my finger. This is not good. Yes, it's bad for us with less money. But the city also depends on our farming for corn and beans and other things like wheat. I look farther to the right and sigh in relief that the fruits and veggies are doing ok. Russel hops on the bed, and I scratch her ears.

"What would I do without you?" I whisper to him. We sit on the bed together for what feels like an hour. Then I hear a call from downstairs from what sounds like my mom's voice. She must be feeling a bit better now.

"Want to go to the mall?!" she calls up from the stairs "You could get some new cloths to wear on the first day of school!" I get up startling Russel who must have been napping.

"Coming!" I call. I quikly tie my hair into a ponytail and pull my socks on. I hop down the stairs still pulling one up. I find my shoes and slip them on. I tie my laces quikly.

"shoot where are my keys," my mom says, digging around in her purse. "I'll be right back!" she says as she hustles upstairs. I go out the front door to get in the car. The wind picks up a bit, blowing my hair into my face. In that one momant I trip over something and fall into the ditch. My ankle throbs and I bite my lip. I try to hide the pain as I climb out but it hurts badly.Mom comes hustling out of the house. I stop so she can't see me limping.

"Get in the car!" she says as she hops in. I wait till she is not looking and limp to the car and hop in. "Music?" she asks. I smile and nod as she turns on the radio. I hum along to the song as we drive into the city. The buildings start out like normal grocery stores, but get bigger and taller the farther in we get. I always loved Chicago. It's beautiful buildings, and it's gorgeus parks. we stop in the Mall's parking lot.

"Alrighty then," my mom says. As I get out I see the big sign that says 'Chicago Mall' I smile at the sight of it. I almost forget about my ankle but when the pain returns I notice and so does my mom. "Oh, no. Honey what did you do to your ankle?" she asks. Well no hiding it now.

"I think I might have sprained it. I'm sure it's nothing," I reply. She raises an eyebrow giving me the mom look that says "Yeah, Sure...". She does not comment though. We continue to walk to the mall.But when we get to the doors they say in big words 'CLOSED'.

"Hmm..." My mom thinks. She reads a smaller sign, "Oh, duh I forgot that they are closed on Sundays." She slaps her face to add an effect. "Well, wanna get ice cream then?" she asks me.

"Sounds delicious," I say. We walk back to the car. I hide my limp as best I can. I can tell my mom is watching me. I hop back in the car. My mom turns on the engine and it purrs. She looks at the gas and it says only .5 gallons left.

"Looks like it will be just some gas station ice cream," she says. I shrug, because I don't care where we get ice cream I just want it. We drive a bit farther into the city and stop at a Caseys General Store. My mom gets out and plugs the gas, then heads into the store. She comes back with the ice cream. She gives me a chocolate.

I happily eat the delicius frozen food. We drive home from there. I lick my fingers wanting every last drop of it. I look out the window and hum to the song.