''Seriously, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine.'' Quincey said smiling a little. ''I think there's someone who needs help more than I do..''

She nodded at Hazel, who was crying. She walked to her and asked:

''What's wrong sweetie?''



( sorry short post but I'm very busy at the moment )

As Elsy continued to watch the movie, it got more depressing. Elsy almost couldn't help it. She looked over to her friends who were sitting on the couch. "I'm going to go for a walk." She whispered as she got up. She didn't feel particularly well leaving her friends but she needed a walk.. And after her breakdown, she didn't think it was best to continue watching the tragic movie. She walked out of the social area and down the hall. She still had no idea where she was headed... But anywhere from that sob fest in the social area. She decided to go to the food court... She needed some fresh air... But that couldn't happen since the cranks were out there... So the food court would probably have windows so that was the next big thing... A window. She could just imagine she was outside... And she blushed, thinking of how crazy she sounded.

Elsy finally made it to the food court. Old Stands were getting dusty from not being used. She carefully went through the maze of tables and stands and made it to the far end of the food court and sure enough there were windows. She looked outside and gasped. The street was deserted, the sky a purple, predicting a coming storm. Elsy sighed.. She missed the sunny days that her mother would take her to the outdoor pool. But those days were long behind her. Elsy felt like she'd cry. But no. She was better than this.

"Haven't you heard about how curiosity killed the cat?"

She pouted ever so slightly at that, shaking her head. " No." Her tiny voice seemed rather upset , but she quickly changed moods when he returned to mopping. She took the rag in hand and began to follow behind him. Not that she was ever in the way, but she was close enough to watch the mop swish along the floor, as if attempting to learn from it.

Lips spread into a quick smile when he stated his name. "Dean." he said. She thought a moment and chuckled. " You don't look like a Dean, but that's okay because I don't look like a Mikayla. " Again she chuckled. Then she decided to press further. " What are you doin' way over here?" Head canted in question.

Mikayla decided to use the rag and pretend to wipe at the wall nearest Him, that way she could still talk and listen, but look useful. It made her proud to think she was being useful, even if she was just pretending.

Haze frowned when the girl wouldn't pay attention to her. Haze walks to the man, the one named Dean. Haze pulls on his shirt. "Daddy?" Haze says curiously. "Dean! Listen! I need food!" She says, her belly rumbling. "Listen now, please, someone! I am Haze and I just came. I did not eat for a day! Please help!"Haze looks at the people around her to see if they heard. "Please." Haze whispers. Haze sits on the ground. All this walking was hard. She stares at the place where her mom bit her pinky finger off. It has dried blood on it and a hard scab is forming. "I just want food." She says softly.

"Why do the good die young?" Ade mumbled something unintelligible in agreement, grabbing another tissue and nearly honking into it as she blew her nose. God damn, why had she suggested the Titanic? "I hate myself," she muttered glumly, watching the TV screen with red rimmed eyes.

"I wish I had a guy like that..." She glanced over at Elsy, offering her the half-empty bowl of popcorn. "Face it, Else. Guys like Jack just don't exist anymore... at least not in this mall. All the good ones probably got eaten up." And then she winced, realizing how harsh that probably sounded. Yeah, that was the last thing they needed--a reminder that the world outside their little fortress was filled with zombie cannibals. Nice going, Ade, she thought to herself.

When Elsy stood up to leave, Adelaide opened her mouth to apologize, thinking it had been her remarks that had driven away the girl, but Elsy was too fast. "Rats," Ade sighed, slumping back against her pillows and looking over at Hazel. "Was it something I said?"

---

Chris pushed the mop more aggressively than he probably needed to. Frick. She wasn't going to give up, was she? "Persistent little kid," he muttered under his breath, lifting the mop and dunking it back into the soapy solution. He watched as Mikayla began washing the walls with that rag. A part of him wanted to point out that she'd missed like a hundred spots in her little attempt... but she was just a kid, so he sighed and walked over, plucking the dirty clock from her small hands. "Go sit on the bench," he ordered. Kids weren't supposed to do chores like this--clean up their room and put away their toys, yeah, but not clean like an adult.

He went back to his own mop, straining the stings and then slapping it back on the patterned floor. He hadn't taken but three steps when another little brat wandered in, startling him enough to make him lose his grip on the handle. He caught it just before it hit the ground, and then whirled around in exasperation. Yeah, he'd always been popular with girls (against his will) but this was just ridiculous. He'd be known as a cradle robber if this continued!

"What?" He snapped irritably, watching Haze wearily as she approached.--but then she called him "Daddy" and he just about facepalmed. He was not cut out to babysit. "I'm not your dad, kid," he clarified, resuming his chore of moving the wet mop across the floor. "You're gonna need to go to the foodcourt for food" he said impatiently, "or ask Hazel."

Obviously the girl was too young to navigate around the mall without help, but there was no way Chris was going to play 'follow the leader'. But then something occurred to him and he turned around to look at Mikayla--she was old enough to know her way around, right? "Hey kid," he called. "Make yourself useful and take her to Hazel, would you?"

Jack listened to what the girl was going to say. "Seriously, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine.'' She was smiling when she said this. Jack decided not to pursue the problem any further. ''I think there's someone who needs help more than I do..'' She stated. Jack had thought not to interfere any further into the lives of the mall's tenants. He was about to say something, but he forgot he couldn't speak.

He looked at the door, then decided to just leave to the room designated to him and the other girl. He was starting to think that this mall was harder than living alone, but then again, loneliness could be just as dangerous. He decided not to bother anyone else, and to just leave. He walked back to where his laptop was, then left with it in his hands. He made sure not to interrupt anything when he left, walking silently and efficiently. He then, went to room three,put his laptop away, and laid his body on the floor. If someone wanted him, they could find him in the room, but he doubted anyone would want him at this time of day. Unless they needed help with a job rarely anyone was skilled at. He usually went around the mall, listening to the mall's problems and trying to fix said problems. He had heard about the computers, but he quite frankly, didn't have enough time to get working on them. Perhaps he could if he had someone to help, but he doubted anyone was capable of helping.

Now that he thought about it, perhaps it would have been better if no one came to bother him, but he probably wasn't going to be that lucky.

Haze looks at Mikayla. "You take me? That is okay." Haze, shorter than Mikayla, grabs her hand. "You get food? I want... fries. You have fries here? If you don't I can eat other things. My name is Haze. I do not know you, but I know we are going to Hazel." Haze says, slightly emphasizing the E in Hazel. "Let's go get eats, and on the way, tell me your name!" She say gleefully.

Hazel dabbed her eyes before looking up at Quinn. She shook her head, gesturing to the movie that was making her heart ache. "I'm fine," she said hoarsely. "It's just the movie making me emotional." She gave the pregnant woman a gentle smile. There was one thing that Hazel envied more than anything, and that was Quinn's baby. She sighed sadly, never would she be able to carry a baby or dress it up.

Her envy was short-lived when she heard the sound of Ade talking and Elsy leaving. She shook her head, swatting Ade's arm. "I probably was," she said, giving her friend a scolding look. "That is a sensitive subject, Ade."

Quincy the poor girl tried to reassure everyone she was fine, but that didn't stop Sophie from worrying as she stared examining the girl. Before she could say a word Quincy was walking away towards Hazel who she now realised was crying. Sophie made her way over to see what was wrong, but not before she noticed Jack slyly slip away through the door, why is he so quiet? This thought had been bugging Sophie ever since the two had shared a room, that's it tonight ill try to talk to him.

Happy with her decision she turned her attention to Hazel.

"It's just the movie making me emotional"

Sophie relaxed slightly and watched the flickering tv screen "I used to love titanic! No wonder your crying" Keira laughed it was true, Titanic could turn anyone into an emotional wreck. Turning away from the screen she glanced at the doorway, should I go find him now?