𝒂̀ 𝒍𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒆.

                    𝐓𝐡𝐞     𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐧     𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭     𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬     𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟     𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐭     𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬     𝐡𝐞𝐫     𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬     holds     amusement     that     only     so     few     could     incite.     Vanessa     fell     into     step     beside     her     as     if     they     came     hand     -     crafted     as     a     pair     ,     and     the     Isle     knew     them     as     just     that.     Dark     eyes     flicker     to     a     broken     clock     on     the     wall     before     dragging     to     the     window.     The     sun     had     just     begun     to     peer     over     the     horizon     ,     overshadowed     by     the     ever     present     rolling     clouds.     It     was     enough     light     to     be     just     after     dawn     ,     but     there     truly     was     𝚗𝚘     𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝     𝚏𝚘𝚛     𝚝𝚑𝚎     𝚠𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍.    ❝     You     think     they     don’t     deserve     some     beauty     sleep     ?     ❞     They     both     damn     well     knew     they     needed     it     but     sarcasm     laces     malicious     tone.     Sleep     was     a     luxury     and     no     one     on     the     Isle     could     afford     it.

The     question     rhetorical     as     she     kicks     the     chair     back     when     she     stands.     Her     laugh     rings     like     a          CACKLE          at     the     suggestion     as     she     meets     eyes     as     devious     as     her     own.     ❝     Murder     on     your     mind     this     early     in     the     day     ?     ❞     Vanessa     was     a     force     to     be     reckoned     with     ,     so     she’s     barely     surprised     at     the     idea.     It     was     less     harmful     than     the     other     ones     she’s     brought     up.     Following     her     lead     she     makes     her     way     around     the     building     ,     fingers     picking     at     anything     that     could     be     of     use.     ❝     A     little     offended     you     even     needed     to     ask     ,     ❞     She     raises     a     strip     of     unhinged     metal     to     her     line     of     sight     ,     turning     it     in     her     hands     for     a     second     before     tossing     it     over     her     shoulder.     ❝     Don’t     know     if     anything     here     will     do     the     trick.     ❞

She     abruptly     stops     in     her     path     ,     the     spark     of     an     idea     already     has     adrenaline     pumping     through     her.     ❝     Feeling     BRAVE     today     ,     Vanessa     ?     ❞     Turning     to     her     slowly     ,     the     expression     on     her     face     is     borderline     manic.     Maybe     it’s     because     her     brilliant     plan     was     just     that.     ❝     You     know     who     might     have     explosives     ?𝙷𝙾𝙾𝙺.     ❞    

“     they   had   their   chance   for   it.     ”         she   knew   it   was   sarcasm   that   danced   alongside   her   friend’s   words,   yet   still   felt   the   urge   to   offer   her   own   two-cents.   was   aklla   her   friend   ?   she   couldn’t   tell.   friendship   wasn’t   ever   something   advertised   on   the   isle   and   with   all   the   goodness   propaganda   coming   from   their   goody-two-shoes   happy   bordering   nation,   it   was   natural   for   the   residents   to   work   against   that.   friendships   shifted   towards   alliances,   acquaintances,   partners        ---        nothing   too   personal   to   account   for   vulnerability.   BUT   WHAT   MADE   A   FRIEND   ?   was   it   the   way   she   felt   just   the   slightest   bit   of   something   out   of   nothing   whenever   her   ideas   were   heard   and   not   thrown   away   ?   or   was   that   just   the   satisfaction   of   being   listened   to   ?   SELFISH,   SHE   WAS,   knowing   if   the   tables   were   turned   she’d   offer   none   of   it   back.   or   maybe   she   would.   it   was   just   a   game   yet   to   be   unfolded.

mirroring   her,   laughter   bubbled   through   her   chest   and   falling   past   parted   brims,         “     not   murder,   per   se.   MAYBE   SOME   FIREWORKS.   the   others   are   just   collateral   damage.   make   it   fun,   make   it   exciting.   death   can   be   so   boring   sometimes,   you   know   ?     ”         death   only   meant   the   end   of   a   journey,   of   an   adventure        ---        the   end   to   her   only   source   of   entertainment,   something   close   enough   to   give   her   a   sense   of   thrill.   not   that   it   did,   but   it   came   close.   locked   away   on   a   lawless   land         ---        little   girls   given   their   dolls   when   they   were   kids   and   she   got   an   island   full   of   unwitting   playthings.   DISAPPOINTMENT   WASHED   OVER   PALE   FEATURES,   slow   whine   emitting,         “     how   sad.   this   was   close   to   being   my   favorite   place.     ”         it   wasn’t. 

“    what    are    you    going    to    do?    backhand    compliment    me    to    death?    insult    me    until    i    run    away    crying?    you’re    not    scary    to    me,     vanessa,    you’re    just    a    massive    bitch.    ”