Runaway

by Kix


Chapter Three; Street Survival Attempt- Moonshade

The next day I’m guessing it’s close to noon when I get up. The shower is cold as I use the last of my soap and shampoo to make myself at least somewhat presentable for when I go out in public later on today. The shower is a quick ten minutes before I jump out and quickly dry off, dressing in a hurry in the only other pair of clothes I have available and wait till school lets out for the day so I don’t rouse suspicion while I’m out and about, or any more suspicion than a stranger might already garner. The time waiting is spent in the thickest blanket I was able to steal from someone’s back yard last night. Gonna have to get myself some books or games to pass the time. I wonder how Nova and Lily are doing back in Baltimare, they’re the only people I miss from there. The boredom of the slowly passing time is only amplified by my rumbling stomach, causing me to eventually lay down on the mattress. I just….. I wish I had the strength to end my miserable life. No one wants me around anyway, except for either as a beating post or….. other uses.

Finally, around five or so, I sneak out of the house using a back window after waking up from my nap and make my way first to McHoofs. All throughout the trek there, I can’t help but think back on the picnic I witnessed yesterday.

As I order, I can’t help but feel the stares of strangers on me and try to ignore them and my thoughts. As I sit and eat, I overhear a conversation between a quartet of friends.

“Hey, I heard there is some kid who showed up yesterday. Do you think she’s a danger?” As I listen I only focus on the words, while not wanting to look at them.

“I hope not. We don’t need another demon Sunset Shimmer, Dazzlings or that fiasco that happened during the Friendship Games. I don’t think I can handle any more of that kind of stress.”

It seems news spreads fast here; I just arrived yesterday and already it seems most of the people here are already on the lookout for me.

“Hey, doesn’t that person over there look a little suspicious to you girls?”

Crap, gotta go. Not wishing to push my luck, I scarf down the pitiful remnants of my meal and hurry out the door, the desire to escape only intensified by a quick glimpse of one of the guys pulling out a cellphone and dialing a number. Well, I guess I need to do my shopping now.

On my way to the nearest grocery store, I stick as close to the shadows as best I can while keeping a nervous eye out for either police or any of the girls I saw yesterday. A few close calls with a passing police vehicle doing a routine patrol has me nearly wanting to call off this trip and wait till later, specially when I begin to believe it’s the same exact car if the license plate and vehicle number are any indication. Please don’t be looking for me.

Sighing, I step through the sliding doors and begin to pick my way through the store, spending the first ten minutes spotting the security cameras, theft prevention personnel and which items I need that don’t have a security tag. I don’t take much once I finish my recon. Just a bottle of bodywash and shampoo, the cheapest they have, a washcloth, toothpaste, and a book that caught my eye, all of them disappearing into the pockets of my excessively large, favorite hoodie I’m wearing. Before I make my way out the building I proceed to grab a couple pop lid cans of soup and a few other things that don’t require heating or being in a refrigerator and calmly make my way through the door.

Sure enough, once I’m beyond the parking lot, I breathe out the tension that always grips me as I walk away through the doors, though it did get a little tense when the alarms went off because of the woman a couple feet behind me. With a smile, I slide the items into a bag containing a candy bar and bottle of pop and drop them off at my new temporary home before moving on.

By the time I finish my shopping, it’s past dusk and I’ve stocked up on mostly everything I need, minus another jacket and actual pants from a couple close by stores. I estimate I have enough toiletries, food and supplies to last me for a while. Ok, need a heater, a cooler for food and drinks, and I still need that power drill. Well, I’ll see what I can grab tonight. And I need to find the nearest coin wash.

It’s getting later into the night as I make my way to my last stop, a hardware store. Around the corner ahead of me I hear a couple voices that sound vaguely familiar. Shit, those voices….. Don’t tell me it’s them. Sure enough after rounding the corner into an alley I watch as Sunset and two of her friends come into few. One is beautiful and very well dressed with stylized purple hair, the other the same timid girl with pink hair.

“Uhm….. What….. What are we doing out here, girls?” The pink haired, shy girl that first approached me with Sunset and Celestia says with her arms crossed protectively against her chest.

“Well darling, I heard that a new high end clothing store is about to open and I just have to go and check it out! What do you think Sunset, think it would be any good?” the alabaster colored girl says happily, her smile nearly going from ear to ear which falters when the girl with fiery hair doesn’t answer, seemingly deep in thought. “Sunset darling, are you alright? You have been troubled all day.”

“Sorry Rarity, yeah I’ve been thinking….. What do you think that girl who ran away is doing right now? Is she okay? Did she leave town? I’m just worried about her.” When she finishes talking, Sunset wraps herself in a hug and looks down, sadness marring her face.

A look of understanding crosses her companion’s faces as they hug her as well. Why is she so worried about me? She doesn’t even know a thing about me. I stay as hidden as possible while watching the group finally walk past. Once they get a safe distance away I follow, keeping my head down and hood up. My attempt at trailing them ends as a police vehicle stops by the curb and the three girls start to talk with the person inside for a bit.

The hardware store is thankfully still open, though about to close in an hour as I step inside. Again I go through my ritual of checking the place out before going to work. By the time I walk out my pockets are half full with screws, a sliding lock, and a few other needed items while buying a couple screws, another pop and a candy bar.

While making my exit, I carefully scan the sidewalks, hoping that the trio are still gone before I begin to head back home. A suddenly stopping vehicle off to my left snaps me out of my train of thought and sends me into a near panic attack as I notice it’s a police vehicle. In fact I can swear it’s the same one from earlier. Shit, keep it cool Moon. He may not even be coming for you. Even with the self reassurances I can’t help but get ready to run at the slightest provocation, tensing as I hear footsteps approaching me as a door opens. A bright light covers me completely, nearly blinding me.

As I shield my eyes I can feel a presence standing just in front of me. “Hey kid, I have a question for you.”

Fuck.