She didn't know how long she slept. She couldn't even remember falling asleep but she knew immediately what had woken her. She sat up, yawned and looked towards the city. A police car was driving top speed down one of the streets, its sirens blaring. Jordanna had been wrong about the peaceful nature of the city. As she watched, another gang appeared. The police car screeched to a halt and what looked like the two leaders of the group jumped out from a hole in the roof of the car and faced the other gang - Jordanna couldn't see the expressions on either of their faces, she was too far away, but from how they were standing, she guessed they were rival gangs.
"Saturday morning brawl," a voice suddenly spoke up, shocking Jordanna. She turned round to find where the voice was coming from. As she stood up she came face to face with a pair of eyes so blue they could have been cut from topaz. She looked away, aware that she was staring. When she looked back she found herself drawn to something else. Hair so blonde it could have been white, waving in the breeze. She had to turn again to avoid staring again. She blushed.
"Hey, don't be shy," he said gently. "Why don't you tell me your name?"
Jordanna looked back at him. What surprised her most was that although he had this amazing blonde hair, his skin was tanned, making his hair glow like a neon light. She glanced at his cheek. His makeup was a white flame burning from his mouth all the way to his forehead. She felt herself going red again.
"I'm Jordanna," she said shakily.
"Gabe." He held out his hand. She hesitated before taking it and shaking it nervously.
"So… who are those people," she asked, looking back down at the city.
"The gang in the police car are known as the Locos, lead by a guy called Zoot. They spend most of the day riding around in that thing scaring the orphans half to death. Their aim is to get everyone in the city believing in Power and Chaos."
"Power and what?"
"Power and Chaos - If I were you, I'd keep well away from them. I've watched them tying people to posts and circling them like a herd of wolves circling their prey."
Jordanna shivered, not from cold, but from fright. "And… the others?" she asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know."
"Demon Dogs," he answered. "Aiming to take over the city, which is why, as you can see, they're rivals. I wouldn't like to get near them during one of their fights. The Locos seem to be winning at the moment, Zoot and Ebony his co leader are very impressive street fighters."
"So if they get control of the city, what will happen?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be around to find out."
"You're leaving the city?" she asked, realising she was dreading him saying yes.
"No not yet. I've got my own little tribe here; I'm not leaving them just yet. Hey, would you like to meet them?" he asked suddenly.
"Yeah course I would. They're not…"
"Like the Locos or the Demon Dogs? Don't worry, we're a peaceful tribe."
"Do you have a name?"
"No, not yet. A couple of us have suggested names but we haven't decided on one yet."
"What are the suggestions?"
"Jan, one of the gang suggested "The Snowcats". I thought "The Icebergs" was a good idea."
"They're all icy snowy names."
"Yeah."
"Why?" she asked, intrigued.
"You'll see when you get there," he replied mysteriously.
Gabe took Jordanna's hand and begun to lead her down the hill. She completely forgot about her quest to find her sister as he let go of her hand and put his arm round her shoulder…
"Saturday morning brawl," a voice suddenly spoke up, shocking Jordanna. She turned round to find where the voice was coming from. As she stood up she came face to face with a pair of eyes so blue they could have been cut from topaz. She looked away, aware that she was staring. When she looked back she found herself drawn to something else. Hair so blonde it could have been white, waving in the breeze. She had to turn again to avoid staring again. She blushed.
"Hey, don't be shy," he said gently. "Why don't you tell me your name?"
Jordanna looked back at him. What surprised her most was that although he had this amazing blonde hair, his skin was tanned, making his hair glow like a neon light. She glanced at his cheek. His makeup was a white flame burning from his mouth all the way to his forehead. She felt herself going red again.
"I'm Jordanna," she said shakily.
"Gabe." He held out his hand. She hesitated before taking it and shaking it nervously.
"So… who are those people," she asked, looking back down at the city.
"The gang in the police car are known as the Locos, lead by a guy called Zoot. They spend most of the day riding around in that thing scaring the orphans half to death. Their aim is to get everyone in the city believing in Power and Chaos."
"Power and what?"
"Power and Chaos - If I were you, I'd keep well away from them. I've watched them tying people to posts and circling them like a herd of wolves circling their prey."
Jordanna shivered, not from cold, but from fright. "And… the others?" she asked, even though she wasn't sure she wanted to know."
"Demon Dogs," he answered. "Aiming to take over the city, which is why, as you can see, they're rivals. I wouldn't like to get near them during one of their fights. The Locos seem to be winning at the moment, Zoot and Ebony his co leader are very impressive street fighters."
"So if they get control of the city, what will happen?"
"I don't know, but I wouldn't want to be around to find out."
"You're leaving the city?" she asked, realising she was dreading him saying yes.
"No not yet. I've got my own little tribe here; I'm not leaving them just yet. Hey, would you like to meet them?" he asked suddenly.
"Yeah course I would. They're not…"
"Like the Locos or the Demon Dogs? Don't worry, we're a peaceful tribe."
"Do you have a name?"
"No, not yet. A couple of us have suggested names but we haven't decided on one yet."
"What are the suggestions?"
"Jan, one of the gang suggested "The Snowcats". I thought "The Icebergs" was a good idea."
"They're all icy snowy names."
"Yeah."
"Why?" she asked, intrigued.
"You'll see when you get there," he replied mysteriously.
Gabe took Jordanna's hand and begun to lead her down the hill. She completely forgot about her quest to find her sister as he let go of her hand and put his arm round her shoulder…