2024 Story Collection

How a Bad Girl, Nerd, Goth, & Quinceañera Princess Saved The World IV

"So, what's the plan?" Irene asks.

She stands between Sheryl, who is stuffing some papers into her backpack, and Joann, who is collecting the findings of her crows on the busy street near the entrance to the subway they just came from.

Joann's crows are flying around, terrorizing passersby, searching the streets for anything she'd be interested in. In just the short time from them exiting the car to where they stand now, her crows have brought her three rings, a gold earring, some change and three five-dollar bills.

Irene looks over at Naomi, who's sitting on a bench behind them. Under the bench is her snake eating a huge rat it found in the subway. Next to her sits Joann's raven, who's nudging her wrist.

"He wants you to pet him," Joann says, noticing her Ravens strange behavior.

Naomi gives her a strange look but pets the large bird anyway and sure enough, the bird leans into her touch.

Sheryl turns to face the other three. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Naomi says, picking up her snake and looping him around her neck. You can clearly see the lump made from the rat. It makes Irene's skin crawl. She shivers and turns her attention to Joann.

Joann walks over to the raven and says something. A second later, the bird is perched on Irene's shoulder, snuggling into her hair.

"Why is-" Irene begins to ask.

"He's needy and you look like you could use a hug," Joann says with a kind smile. She turns to face Sheryl. "We're ready."

Irene pets the bird on her shoulder with a frown. But when she touches its soft feathers, the bird purrs softly. Irene melts at the preciousness of the bird. All anger turned to love.

"Follow me," Sheryl says, crossing the street. The girls follow along after her.

She leads them over to a small parking lot tucked between two tall buildings.

Irene and the others follow the frizzy-haired girl through the parking lot.

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Naomi asks.

"Old, white, Ford F-150, four-door," Sheryl says as she turns into the next row of cars.

"Why-" Irene begins to ask but gets cut off by Sheryl.

"We're going to steal a truck. One of the most common models in the country, easier to blend in, less suspicious."

"There," Joann says, pointing to the end of the row.

"It has a lift kit, but it should work," Sheryl says after walking a bit closer. "Anyone happen to know how to-"

"I got it," Naomi says, jogging over to the truck.

A few seconds later, Naomi is in the driver's seat starting the truck. The girls all look at eachother before running to the truck.

Naomi hops out and tosses Sheryl the keys, who fumbles them for a moment.

"It was unlocked, and the keys were in the cup holder," Naomi says in disbelief.

"This is why you should never leave your keys in the car," Irene says, opening the door to the passenger's seat. "Idiot." She mummers as she hops in the passenger's seat.

Everyone else follows her lead and gets in and they head out.

Sheryl, they quickly realize drives like a bat out of hell.

"Are you trying to kill us?" Naomi screams from the back driver-side, gripping the handle over her head, her knuckles white. Her snake wrapped around her, mimicking her fear.

"We don't have time to waste and we have a lot of ground to cover."

"What's your plan?" Irene asks, completely calm. The raven quietly sleeping in her lap.

Joanns murder of crows had stayed in the truck's bed but the raven was not having it and decided to stay in the cab with them.

"I need access to the power grid. Easiest way in is through a power plant. Joann will get into a police station and get access to their computers and coms. Irene will go to the hospital and get into the program they're using to track people's information who are complying. Naomi, you're going to blow up the capital and all the new leaders of this country."

"What?" they all say in unison.

"First, we need to get some supplies," she continues.

"Can you explain-" Joann asks.

"I'll explain more later," she says. "Right now, just relax, get some sleep. You'll need it."

After a while, Naomi breaks the silence.

"So, what's the deal with the whole princess look?" she asks.

"-and what did you mean kill again?" Joann adds.

"Today was supposed to be my Quinceañera but let's just say it got ruined." She hides her face from them. "My family blamed me for making a big deal out of nothing and lying." She scoffs, a tear falls from her face. "But he-" she chokes on a sob and doesn't continue. The girls seem to understand, even though she doesn't say it.

Joann reaches around the seat in front of her to comfort Irene. The raven also seems to notice Irene's distress and snuggles into her chest. She hugs the bird and listens to its purrs. It helps calm her.

"Did you kill him?" Sheryl asks, not looking at Irene.

"No," she says after a minute. "It was in elementary school. He bullied me for so many years. One day, I just snapped. I grabbed a rock and-" she looks back out the window. "I blacked out."

"I like you Irene," Naomi says, looking at her. "Your an unassuming badass. That's a great combination."

Irene looks at Naomi and sees a genuine smile on her lips. It makes her smile too.

"It doesn't scare you guys?" Irene asks, genuinely curious.

"I have one of the deadliest snakes in the world in my shirt," Naomi says with a chuckle.

"I trained those crows to peck out people's eyes," Joann says.

"I've been arrested for attempted murder but let out because they found out what a piece of shit my foster dad was," Sheryl says. "I should've killed him when I had the chance."

"You see," Naomi says, "We're all equally fucked up in the head."

Irene laughs and realizes that somehow that made her feel better.

To be continued...

March 23, 2024