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 Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:21 pm
"Come BACK here, you little freak!"
Mishka ran howling with laughter out of the the clothing store, her scarf whipping behind her like a live creature. An armload of plunder weighed her down - shirts, pants, and lots of frilly underwear. It was all too big for her twelve-year old frame, but Mishka didn't care. It was the thieving that was the thrill, not the spoils.
She would've gotten a clean getaway too, if she had looked in front of her instead of over her shoulder and crashed very hard into someone right in her way.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:24 pm
David immediately started bawling. Even his vines couldn't coax blood, but he'd toppled sideways in his stroller and scraped his forearm. Gwen gave a scandalized gasp and growled, righting her son and stamping at the child, who she immediately grabbed.
"You....YOU!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:28 pm
Mishka jumped up as though nothing had happened, straightening her scarf.
"Me, me," she said to the irate woman, panting and looking gleeful. She pressed a lacy shirt into the woman's hands and gave her a patronizing pat on the head, cackling like a hyena. "Love to stay and chat, but must run. Things to see, people to do!"
An angry clerk from the vandalized store was gaining on her, and Mishka tried to wriggle loose.
"Let me be now, lady!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:31 pm
Gwen, angry as she had ever been, just gripped the girl's other arm.
"You horrible little wretch!" she squealed, "HORRIBLE! I'll make sure they send you to jail!" David just cried, nursing his bloodied arm. He'd never bled before. What was this red stuff coming out of him?!
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:38 pm
The crazy amusement on Mishka's face shifted instantly into defiance. She took a deep breath and loosed it in an earsplitting shriek.
"HELP, HELP, SHE'S BREAKIN' MY ARM, SHE'S AN AWFUL LADY AND MADE ME STEAL THINGS FOR HER, OH, HELP!"
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:40 pm
Gwen laughed. Oh, who would believe that? A girl in a frock with a tiny sheep, really.
"She overturned my carriage," she explained to the approaching clerk and sighed, "I thought I should catch her for you."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:43 pm
The clerk didn't offer any thanks, but seized Mishka roughly.
"You little ******** RUNT," she hissed at the girl, giving her a shake hard enough that her head snapped back. "You stupid, miserable little brat-"
Mishka, admittedly a bit frightened, gave a gurgling gasp, her eyes wide and stricken. And suddenly she went limp as a rag doll. The clerk gave a derisive laugh and shook her again, but when there was no response, she grew nervous.
"Uh....kid?"
Mishka stared, glassy-eyed, at nothing at all. A bit of spittle rolled down her chin. The clerk went gray.
"Um..."
She placed Mishka on a handy stoop, where the girl laid utterly still. She collected the pilfered clothing and hurried away back to the store, looking flustered and ashamed.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:45 pm
Gwen just blinked. Well, sure, the child was a little wretch, but had she just gotten some kind of terrible brain damage? The woman approached and Suzie scampered forward, nudging at the girl's hand.
Hmph.
Mouth pushed to one side, Gwen opened her baby bag and started to perform first-aid on her squalling toddler.
"Honey, honey, shhhhh."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 7:52 pm
"Sheepy," Mishka said, sitting straight up and pointing at the little creature. "Sheepy, sheepy!"
She leaned forward, looking for the clerk as she wiped the spittle off her chin with a ragged corner of her scarf. She giggled when she realized she was in the clear.
"A fine, fine day if I say so myself," she said to the sheep. Looking over at the bawling critter, she felt a pang of pity and dug around in one of her jumper pockets.
"Here," she said to the woman tending it, held tilted owlishly to one side and presenting her with a roll of cotton bandages. Her expression was unwontedly serious. "S'a flesh wound, it'll bleed'n bleed an' then it scabs and don't let him pick at it, even if it's REALLY REALLY itchy. Also he has wormy things under his skin but I didn't do that, so don't yell."
Unexpectedly, she leaned over and gave the woman a peck on the cheek and started to walk away.
"OKAY BYE."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:07 pm
Gwen held the girl's bandages in her hand, and her own in the other. Little wretch...! Horrible child, and yet she couldn't help but feel some pity for her...and the kiss on the cheek? That was a social grace that had died out years and years ago. David still cried, so she hefted him from his carriage and patted his back, bouncing him slightly and cooing to him.
"GIRL! You. Come back here."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:10 pm
"But I'm already over here," Mishka said in a huff, crossing her arms and chewing on the part of her scarf that looped loosely 'round her face. "You come over HERE."
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:11 pm
"You get back here right now, or I'll bring you back in there and tell that lady you were faking." Gwen's voice was serious and dire like a grandmother scolding a child.
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:13 pm
"And maybe I'll get my dinosaur to eat you up," Mishka said, then giggled."But I don't have a dinosaur."
Laughing hysterically, she sauntered over until she was nearly stepping on Gwen's toes.
"Whatcha want, lady?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:15 pm
"You're going to help me bring this carriage home," Gwen said, coddling her poor toddler, "I can't very well push it myself now." Suzie bleated and hopped up into the carriage, feet wriggling a moment as she got comfy in the net. There! No more walking!
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Posted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 8:17 pm
"Pfaah! Day I take orders is the day I turn into a pig-nosed trufflesnufflin' fat old lady," Mishka said coolly, turning on her heel and standing stock-still. "Say please."
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