-=- Dead End - Chapter Four -=-

Ty! This story is so fun to write, I found myself waking up each day and saying to myself, ''Yep, I'm working on it today!''

And yeah, that's what I was thinking. Or you could put it in Runt's/Asp's if you wanted, and just left the suspense going a bit. Idk, go with what you feel!
Can't wait to see the next! :D

WHEEEEE! :D
Feel free to comment now!

I told you it'd be incredibly long.
If you got through all that, gj and thanks for reading! <3

They hastily gathered up their equipment and supplies, making sure all the paints were secure and not clunking too loud against one another.

<<Now c^mon,>> Bladerunner said with a mischievous look on his face, <<let^s get going.>>

<<Can I come along for the ride?>> asked an all-too familiar voice just as they were about to head out. <<Or would you rather have Bladerunner here tell you where he really just was?>>

At last, Asp came walking in, little Runt on his back. The corners of her mouth were smeared with something dark, and then she showed what was in her hand. Runt held a decent-sized candy bar! She smiled infectiously as she bit a chunk out of it and was let down.

And to Pixel^s absolute surprise, Asp somewhat sheepishly offered her a case of brand new paintbrushes. She didnt really expect he would actually--

<<Are we ready?>> Diva said.

Pixel held up her brushes and smiled warmly. <<Yes, we are.>> She suppressed glee as she looked at them. Guilt creeped in, but she quickly brushed it away.

<<Man,>> came Bladerunner^s voice from the entry of the alley. <<That was close, but I still got away pretty fast. I have the wood and pap-- oh, Pixel.>>

<<Hey,>> she said. <<I gotcha those matches.>>

She tossed him one box, intentionally keeping the other--and the pocketknife--hidden in her bag. At least for now.

<<Thanks, I guess.>>

And so they huddled around a newly made fire, sitting at the very deepest part of the passage, waiting for Asp and Runt. They broke open a package of crackers, and paired it with a small jar of olives. The three kept mostly silent as they ate, but Diva would occasionally say something to Bladerunner, and vise versa.

<<Hey,>> she started as she got her paints out from the corner, <<from one girl to another, just out of curiosity . . . what would you do if someone invited you to join a very notorious, very dangerous gang?>>

Diva just twirled her hair, one eyebrow raised.

<<Or like, y^know, someone told you to rat out Asp and Bladerunner and stuff. What would you do?>> Pixel fiddled with her earring casually.

Diva took a moment to answer, but eventually settled herself comfortably on one of their makeshift chairs and said, <<Well, it depends on which gang or what that someone was offering. I^d have to say, though, that I could never betray my friends, even if we are just some kids on the street.>> She slightly scoffed the last part.

Pix didn^t respond.

What was her choice going to be? Her fellow gang members^ lives, or her own? Maybe she didnt have to decide. Maybe she could just partake in neither. But maybe then she^ll be the target of every street rat around.

<Maybe I^m just overthinking this!> she burst to herself.

<<Well, look who^s finally made it back,>> Diva said as Pixel slipped into their home. <<What took you so long? I^ve been freezing here for almost an hour!>>

<<You get cold too easily,>> was all Pixel said. <<Where^s Blade?>>

Diva rolled her eyes. <<He went to go get scraps of wood and newspaper and stuff.>>

There was a moment of silence before Pixel broke down.

Too bad for her, though. The very last rays of sun were just stretching over the streets as Pix rushed through the bustling crowds. It flashed between the buildings, illuminating her pinched, determined face with warm golden light.

She pushed against the flow of people, desperate to get back before Asp. He^d get suspicious. She just knew he would.

Pixel was nervous and torn on the inside, despite her outward persona. What was she going to do? She had two offers now, each one equally as risky as the other. On one hand, you have the Inferno--a vicious-sounding, dangerous gang--and on the other, you have Isla--a vicious-looking, powerful girl who dominates any room she^s in.

<Well,> she thought, <she already paid for it. I guess we have . . . a deal. . . .>

Her heart ached and her face dropped a bit at the thought of turning in her fellow gang members. <But New York is tough,> she told herself confidently. <They can handle themselves.> She hoped, at least.

She grabbed the items and put them in her bag. The knife was surely expensive, and it was then that she realized how silly her palette knife was.

As she was walking out the door, though, she thought she saw the boy--the one from earlier--standing in the corner. Still, it was dark and Pix was tired out. It was probably one of Marc^s friends. Who cared, anyway? She had to get back to their alleyway before dark.

<<Find them?>> Island finished. <<You will. But if you need more time, just get them to this address sometime this week. If by next week y^all don't show up, consider yourself a bounty for me to hunt.>>

She gave Pixel a slip of paper. Then she slapped some money on the counter, which Marc swiped up without hesitation and slid the match boxes over, quickly followed by the pocket knife.

<<You may be untouched and pure, but I think I can trust ya. Thanks a billion.>> Isla winked and returned to the darkness.

Pix looked at the items for a minute. She cleared her throat nervously. Did she take them? She didn^t want to cause any trouble for Asp, Diva and Bladerunner (although she would like to see Diva in a time of vulnerability for once), but she also didn't want a bounty on her head.