CHAPTER 1- IN LOVE'S NAME - II

We left the store after successfully managing to buy a can-opener. The whole time since the incident at McDonalds, Chloe has been pretty quiet. I was starting to feel decently nervous. I don't doubt my actions, but I know that stealing is something she would never stoop to. Well, or it would take a hell of a lot to make her. That point definitely wasn't now. I did my best while in there to find spots where I could convincingly find cash laying around, but only really found one that wasn't in her direct line of view. I showed of the twenty I found with a little pride, only to receive a look of pure sadness. I got the feeling she wasn't buying it. I stuffed the money back in my pocket then and followed her to go pay for the can opener when I noticed something. A bus map for the area.

Stopping to take a look, I realized with fear that the buses for today were all off. What the hell? Was it a holiday? Looking further down, the reasoning turned out to be because of a fair few of them breaking down without any rhyme or reason. What's that about? My fear is quickly replaced by intrigue as I begin pondering the potential reasonings for the mass disrepair. Unfortunately, not much information is given for me to work off of. I sigh before turning my attention back to the doors and walking out with Chloe. Her downtrodden look is starting to become seriously worry. I really fucked up haven't I? I try to think of something to hopefully raise her mood, but nothing really comes to me. Gahh, this absolutely sucks! Out of pure desperation, I decide to ask her about the weird situation with the buses.

"Hmm? Oh, that is what the poster said." She gently shrugged as she said that. I gently prod her to see if she has any ideas. Better to speculate on something than remain like this. "Uhm, probably just someone messing with the buses. It doesn't make a lot of sense for them to just all break down around the same time unless it was manufactured to be that way. Though, what's the purpose in specifically targeting public transportation? Was the person wronged? Are they trying to make a statement? It's possible they're just trying to make sure even one person can't just ride the bus, but that's also a lot of effort for one person to go through for just that. Hmm..." Chloe's funk seems to disappear, replaced by her growing curiosity. It was a much better feeling, so I let her think on it by herself, focusing instead on walking on, past the many different stores and cars and people who show little interest in two kids walking all by themselves in the morning. I'm grateful, but a bit surprised at people's lack of attention. I guess I had already seen a good example of that earlier though. The money in my left pocket felt like a weight the more I thought about it.

Should I tell her? A feeling of being completely unsure made my soul feel crummy. I knew confirming what must be her current suspicions would only make things worse, and the last thing she needed now was to feel like this was a mistake. I'll figure something out, I just need time. Time time time, I just need...huh? Something is just ahead that seems about as out of place as we do. Sitting on a bench, a boy wearing a sweatshirt, jeans, and an eyepatch watches the people passing with a dead fish stare. It's genuinely unnerving, and I want nothing more than to ignore him. I try to focus in on Chloe's continued hypothesizing when the boy turns his head, locking in on the two of us. We make eye contact and I curse myself out in my head. I turn away but they don't, their gaze intent on keeping on me. Ugh, this is super uncomfortable. It's like in school when I would always go to lunch with Chloe. Never-ending mockery without words. I grumble under my breath before turning my head to face the kid once we're just in front of him. He's the one to start the conversation though.

"You two running away?" He asks with a quiet voice. So quiet I barely hear it at first. I scratch the back of my head, wondering what the hell to even tell him. Now that I'm closer to him, I can see that he looks like he's about our age. His face looks deathly pale, and his eye looks just as empty as his stare. Looking over him, I notice that he's wearing gloves. Sure, it's a few days till September, but it's not like it's all that cold. My stomach starts churning. "The buses are all out right now. Unless you wanna walk by yourselves late at night, it would probably be good for you two to have a place to sleep." He says. "There's a shelter nearby. I'm...living in it with my brother right now. Do you two...think that you may wanna stay there, just till the buses are back up and running?" I take a deep breath. The offer is very tempting. A place to sleep that isn't the ground behind trash cans and in the woods does sound like a rather nice step up. I make a smile. Besides, if it is anything shady, we have our magical advantage, and I just won't sleep for the night to make sure they don't try anything.

"Sure, if you're open to us, we'd be happy to stay." I say. The bizarre boy nods a bit before standing up, saying that it would be better to get us somewhere safe sooner, so as to not be victims to some unfortunately timed snatcher's arrival. "Is that a common thing around here?" The boy doesn't respond to my question, continuing to lead us. Well, even more reason for us to be staying somewhere safe. I look over to Chloe to see her looking rather unhappy. "Everything okay?" I ask. She looks down at her feet as we walk.

"I'm fine."

She says nothing else for the rest of the walk.