The *** and the Parliament
Lauren: Rebellious Youth
The shrill noise of a store alarm abruptly assaulted my ear as I was leaving the mall. I froze in the doorway, my hands going up to cover my ears, but Derik whispered harshly, "Keep walking."
I followed his lead, picking up my pace.
"Hey!" came a voice from behind us. I turned to see a security guard jogging toward us. He was old and heavyset, and it was clear we weren't going to be pursued for long. Especially while we were on skateboards.
"Go!" Derik shouted. We set down our boards and within seconds were well out of range of the guard. Only a few more moments passed before we were totally alone, coasting through a quiet alleyway several blocks away from the mall.
It was at that point that I stopped and picked up my board. Putting the other hand on my hip, I asked in a scolding voice, "Derik, what did you do?"
"Close your eyes and I'll show you," Derik responded, slowing to a stop.
I rolled my eyes, but then tightened the lids over them. Derik's footsteps grew in volume as he approached me. An unexpected cold sensation on my neck made me gasp. I looked down.
On a silver chain around my neck was an intricate skeleton key. It had been one week since I had admired this very necklace from the other side of the glass case in which it was protected. I reached up to fondle the key, momentarily forgetting how it had ended up on me. Remembering, I looked up at Derik.
Still caressing the necklace, I said, "Derik, you didn't have to."
His face twisted into a devious grin. "It was nothing. You wouldn't believe how distracted those employees are."
I chuckled. "It's beautiful, Derik. Thank you."
His devious grin became a sweet smile. "I'm glad you like it."
Derik and I skated through the park while the sun set. As we were heading home in the late evening, I noticed a figure hidden in the shadows--a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, hustling down the sidewalk with a comically tall stack of books in his arms. He was obviously in a hurry, and I didn't blame him; it was late, he was weak, and there were creatures lurking in every given direction, just waiting for someone like him to wander past.
Creatures like Derik.
I followed his lead, picking up my pace.
"Hey!" came a voice from behind us. I turned to see a security guard jogging toward us. He was old and heavyset, and it was clear we weren't going to be pursued for long. Especially while we were on skateboards.
"Go!" Derik shouted. We set down our boards and within seconds were well out of range of the guard. Only a few more moments passed before we were totally alone, coasting through a quiet alleyway several blocks away from the mall.
It was at that point that I stopped and picked up my board. Putting the other hand on my hip, I asked in a scolding voice, "Derik, what did you do?"
"Close your eyes and I'll show you," Derik responded, slowing to a stop.
I rolled my eyes, but then tightened the lids over them. Derik's footsteps grew in volume as he approached me. An unexpected cold sensation on my neck made me gasp. I looked down.
On a silver chain around my neck was an intricate skeleton key. It had been one week since I had admired this very necklace from the other side of the glass case in which it was protected. I reached up to fondle the key, momentarily forgetting how it had ended up on me. Remembering, I looked up at Derik.
Still caressing the necklace, I said, "Derik, you didn't have to."
His face twisted into a devious grin. "It was nothing. You wouldn't believe how distracted those employees are."
I chuckled. "It's beautiful, Derik. Thank you."
His devious grin became a sweet smile. "I'm glad you like it."
Derik and I skated through the park while the sun set. As we were heading home in the late evening, I noticed a figure hidden in the shadows--a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, hustling down the sidewalk with a comically tall stack of books in his arms. He was obviously in a hurry, and I didn't blame him; it was late, he was weak, and there were creatures lurking in every given direction, just waiting for someone like him to wander past.
Creatures like Derik.
♠ ♠ ♠
Rewritten.