As Jessie speed-walked down the winding yet familiar streets of her-unique home town, she caught sight of Misty sitting outside of the unmarked building that haunted her nightmares. "Oh my god," she thought to herself as she quickly but inconspicuously changed direction. She walked down the flagstone path leading to the building and casually sat down next to Misty.
"So, where's your friends?" Asked Jessie, as if she was starting a conversation with an old friend.
"Whats it to you?" was her impatient reply. She didn't raise her angry eyes from the pavement in front of her.
"They didn't go in there, did they?" asked Jessie cautiously, ignoring Misty's comment while trying her hardest not to sound at all concerned.
"Yeah. Their stuffing their faces at this-" she began to grind her teeth as her anger rose, "seafood reasturaunt. I just can't believe them. I don't know whats worse," she began to look sadly out at the clear waters of the lake."-The people who rip those gorgeous creatures away from those crystal waters and serve them up on a hot plate, or the barbarians that eat them! If you ask me, they're both sick! I mean anybody-"
"Seafood resturaunt?" asked Jessie, interrupting Misty's spew of insults.
"Yes seafood resturaunt! Can you believe these people?"
"No. They are pretty unbelievable." Jessie's tone of voice and faraway glance made Misty realize that she wasn't talking about the fact that they ate sea creatures.
"If your friends went in there, they're going to find a lot of trouble."
"What?" she looked at Jessie, confused. Then, her anger returned. She balled up her fist and put in right in Jessies face."If you did someting..."
"Me? You stupid kid." Jessie rolled her eyes in disbelief. She moved Misty's fist away from her face."Your pals are in more trouble than you could ever fathom and than I would ever want to bring. All I want is that little electric rat. The people inside want a lot more than that." Jessie stood up.
"Arrghhh... What are you talking about? You're not making any sense!" Misty bent over, her head in her hands. Jessie knelt next to her,putting her hand on her carrot-red hair.
Jessie looked around her with a knowing expression. "Look ,girl; this is the last place you want to be after dark. Trust me, I know this town." Her expression softened and she began to speak to her in a motherly tone."Why don't you come with me? We'll see about getting you friends out tomarro."
Misty jumped up and began edging her way toward the door of the building."I'm not going anywhere with you! The most I know about you is your name and occupation and both of those are garbage!"
Jessie stood up and wiped her forehead, as if exhausted. She looked tiredly at Misty. "Come on, kid. I know your not that dense. What kind of resturaunt is in an unmarked building with newspapers taped up in the windows?"
Misty began studying the building.The growing belief that Jessie might actually be trying to help was showing on her face. "...And how is it that you know what's in there?" she asked, dropping her condescending tone.
"You really don't want to know." she answered, almost whispered."All you need to know is that, your friends will be fine...as long as we get them out before-the day after tomarro."
"Why? Why are you trying too help us, me?" Misty whimpered.
"Because," she talked as if something within her was speaking."Noone deserves that fate; my fate." Jessie stared off into space. Misty could tell that Jessie wasn't trying to hurt her. She came humbly over and took Jessie's hand, as if she were a little child that was afraid of the dark.
" Alright, I'll go with you," she said meekly. Jessie smiled wearily at her. She led her down the flagstone path back into the winding streets that were gradually becoming darker.