Not Human

chapter 9

  The weekend came quickly and before I knew it I was shoving half a bundle of cash into my large pockets, tying my black shoelaces and carefully hiding my sliver knife under the cloth of my combat trousers, ready for our trip. Many pupils had made plans to meet their families during the short two days of freedom but not a single member of our group was one of them.

  Our plan went like this; We take the bus into town with the bus stop near the entrance to the school, Me, Charlie and Becky go cloth's shopping while the boys go to the Game (and pick up Final Fantasy for Becky), We meet up at the KFC and eat, maybe go to one more shop if there's time then we go down to the lake before going back to the dorms. 

  Luckily for us, the sweet summer was yet to disappear for another year and the soft breeze kept the sun from becoming unbearable. Charlie had chosen on wearing shorts and small sandals, and passed me a purse and 'phone' for me to keep in my big combat trouser pockets, which seemed to not fit in the small pockets of her shorts that had been designed to hold only a single sheet of paper and one coin. 

  The halls were mostly abandoned with most students either enjoying the weather or the company of their loved ones, two concepts that were still rather new to me. We met with our friends and sat at the bus stop waiting for the metal chariot of industrialism. 

  "Are you looking forward to shopping?" Mathew asked me.

  "I'v never done it before, it sounds exciting." I answered passively. 

  "Really? Like, never?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Had I done something wrong? I guess it's a regular thing from humans to indulge in.

  "No not really, I just haven't had the chance I guess." I said, feeling curious eyes staring into me, I lowered my head hoping my reply wouldn't change the way they thought of me.

  "Well you'll enjoy it." Charlie said excitably, reliving allot of pressure I was being given. I smiled thankfully and subconsciously at my feet, still no raising my head. 

  The bus came swiftly and we climbed on, the bus driver did not ask us for our bus passes given to us by our school. I guessed a group of teens sitting at a bus stop just outside of a boarding school were enough hinters to allow us aboard without wasting the drivers precious time. 

  The Bus rattled on the road and bumped at every pothole littering the streets of the city of hale, the place I had learned I was situated in. People passed by on foot, firing off into the distance as we overtook rapidly. Small children rode scooters and bikes, their voices echoing sending laughter through the air. 

  We passed what seemed to be a garden party, a BBQ surrounded by men and groups of gossiping mothers, large hedges and smiling faces. Then it all disappeared, and more gardens and streets took my vision. Shop faces filled with bright merchandise took center stage; a bakery, a butchers, a craft shop, a super market, a second hand shop. All of which had big bright store names and advertisements crafted to lure customers in. I spotted a nervous man carrying yellow flowers pacing the street before knocking on one door. I was gone before I saw it open, but I hoped that whatever story that man was leading was a good one. I hoped he would be happy. 

  It wasn't long before Frankie in the next seat hit my arm and informed me that we were "here".  We climbed off the bus, my feet swaying slightly from the new sensations of public transportation I had not yet experienced during my time on earth. The shopping center was a large structure with big glass windows that took up entire walls. "Hale Shopping" sat in large writing proudly at the front doors of the building. 

  Inside was a small indoor tree surrounded by round benches and a water fountain like I had never seen before. It was a basic style, three tiers of trickling water but it still managed to amaze me. The building was two stories high, the edges of the room filled with shops and escalators and stair cases sat in one corner. leaving through big doors at the opposite end of the room was an outdoor area leading out to small shops and a large car park.