Sector City

Chapter 9 ~Julie~

I wake up in the middle of the night staring at the red numbers that float little more than a foot away from my face. I am fully dressed still, aside from my shoes which I kicked off before I flopped down on my bed, the necklace is still in my hand. I can't sleep with it in my room. I'm too anxious about keeping it safe and worried that someone will see it. I listen to the quiet night for a full minute before getting up. I watched my alarm clock the whole time so I know for sure.
It is the longest minute I have or will ever experience I'm sure.
Finally, I sit up and slide out from under the covers. Slowly. Every time I move the bed creaks, and when I shift my weight to the floor it groans. I stop, listening for any sign that Aunt Anne, Uncle Lou, or Thomas Henry has heard it.
Nothing.
I step toward the door and my shoes and feel something soft and fuzzy under my foot.
I hear a screech in the pitch black night and step back. There is a scurrying and scraping of claws across the floor and my sheets hanging off the side of my bed shift. It was the cat. I had forgotten he was in my room. I listen for a minute and when nothing happens I keep walking. My aunt and her family can sleep through anything I have decided. I grab my Sperry's from by the door and carry them with me.
I open the door with it squeaking on the hinges and walk out the room. Slowing as I pass Tom's room to listen for his loud snoring. I hear it and keep moving. All the way down the stairs, they creak, the necklace jingles like a bell, and my bare feet make sticking sounds. Plus I'm sure my heart has a very audible thump to it.
     "Why is it that the world seems louder when you're trying to be quiet?" I ask myself when I finally reach the bottom step and slip out the front door.
     I step on the porch, close the door, and leaning against it, I take a deep breath. I'd been holding my breath all the way down the stairs without realizing it. My mind is racing, and my heart is pounding so hard that I can barely make myself walk to the edge of the porch. My body which was alert at first, is now fighting to go back to bed.
The chilly air hits me and I wish I had grabbed my jacket. I sit down and slip into my socks and shoes. Then I get up and walk in the direction of the hay loft that the farms share.
I guess I decided on the way down the stairs that that's where I'm going to hide the necklace. I wish I had gotten the box for it so that it won't get lost easily.
I keep walking, and I'm so intent on thinking of a place I can put the necklace, and on watching where I step, that I don't realize the lights are on in the loft. I don't notice the tall, dark haired boy in the leather jacket climbing down from the loft until he turns around as I run into his back, and I hit the ground.
I look up somewhat dazed. Then, once I realize what happened, I start to stand up. The boy, David it seems, reaches out his hand to help me up, but I ignore it and struggle to my feet, dusting my pants off as I stand, still grasping the necklace. David looks me up and down, and I step back. His eyes stop when they reach mine, and he clears his throat. I swipe my hand over my face and work on getting back my breath and voice.
"What are you doing out here?" He asks quietly.
I realize I have I tell him something. "I... um... I think I left my sketch book out here." I stutter, he doesn't seem to buy it.
"Haven't seen one," he says with somewhat of a grin, "You sure you didn't just let it fall behind your bed or something?"
I shake my head. Both to say no and clear my thoughts. "N- no. I checked. It wasn't there. So I decided to check out here," I point toward the loft and start to walk around him. "I think it's up there."
"Do you want help looking?" He asks like a perfect gentleman.
I shake my head again say "nah" and start climbing the ladder.
He watches me go about halfway up the ladder then follows me up.
*I'll never get away from this creep* I think to myself.
When I reach the top, I flip on the lights, and glance around quickly to find a place I normally would sit to draw. Then I remember my extra sketch book I keep up there. I hurry toward the corner, and find the boards I keep it wedged between.
I pull the book out and turn to go down the ladder.
But I can't.
Because he, David, is standing right in the way.
"Let me past." I growl. If we were ten that tone might get me what I want, but at fifteen I guess it's a little less intimidating. And, apparently, more humorous.
He grins, and crosses his arms.
"Nah-uh," he says, shaking his head, "first tell me why you're really out here."
I close my eyes and grimace.
"If you promise not to tell anyone, I'll tell you." I say between gritted teeth.
"Not even Tom?" He grins.
"Yeah. Not even him." I turn and sit on one of the hay bales, "it has to do with my parents." 

I start and I tell him the whole story. How on my birthday my mom and dad decided to take a little trip to the sector gardens, and how they were supposedly killed in a wreck on the way back. I told him everything leading up to me finding the necklace in my backpack. But I left out the little dream and sketch of him.

He listened quietly the whole time, taking everything in.
I wonder if he thinks I'm crazy as I tell him that I think my parents are still alive somehow. Even though the government men told me they were dead, and I saw pictures of dead bodies from after the wreck. When I was done he looked at me and said three words. Then he stood, turned, and walked down the ladder.

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A/N
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Hey y'all!!! Sorry it's taken so long to publish and this isn't much but more is coming in this chapter. So please be patient. Thank you all for reading this, let me know what y'all think!!!
EJ