Maddy and the Davis Brothers made it out the southern gate mere seconds in front of a mass evacuation. The Mammoth and his minions had managed to start an all out war inside the perimeter of the market plaza. An unexpected barrage of weapons fire from various gang members caused people to panic and run toward the nearest exit. In an attempt to stop the fighting and put a stop to the shooting Sheriff Pete and his Posse of deputies released several canisters of tear gas into the crowd. 

Fights erupting at the market plaza were not unusual. It was an everyday occurrence. You can’t pack rival gangs with over inflated egos into a relatively small place and not expect the occasional blow-up. Disputes were going to happen; it was inevitable. Most fights ended quickly without the need for intervention by Sherriff Pete.

There were three simple rules Maddy chose to live by:

Rule 1; if a fight breaks-out between rival gangs get out of the way as quickly as possible.
Rule 2; save your own butt, don’t participate in a fight if the final outcome has no impact on your chances of survival.
Rule 3; don’t threaten or engage accidentally or on purpose any enemy with superior fighting abilities.

Matt and Jonas could tell Maddy was pissed. At moments like this it was best to say nothing; do nothing. Let the girl have her space. She’d calm down in a few moments.

Maddy stomped over to the community bulletin board at the bottom of the hill below the southern gate to gather her thoughts. The Mammoth’s tirade couldn’t have happened at a worst time. Although, their backpacks and red wagon were full, there were still several things on her shopping list that hadn’t been located. Surviving the winter depended on getting everything that was on her list. In a fit of anger she crumpled her shopping list into a ball and threw it away. Returning to the market now would be a waste of time. Risking life and limb the gutter rats would have already taken advantage of the chaos. Nothing edible would be left.

On g-card day the market plaza was overrun by nearly every gang living in and around Oak Ridge. The plaza became a wall to wall sea of color as rival gangs displayed their colors in a show of strength and unity. Everyone was shopping and competing for non perishables food items, fresh fruits, vegetables and the hard to find egg.

The air was filled with the stench of street children. Maddy hated the street children, their dirty fingers, sad eyes and manipulative ways gave her the creeps. She did everything she could to avoid them. The filthy gutter rats as Maddy called them were experts at misdirection. Beware of a crying toddler or randomly placed fire. The moment you stopped to look was the moment the contents of your red wagon disappeared. Maddy learned long ago that shopping with friends on g-card day was a must. Shop without an armed escort and you go home empty handed.

Maddy, Matt and Jonas systematically traveled from one booth to the next. Maddy shopped as Matt and Jonas kept vigilant guard over the red wagon protecting its contents from the slippery paws of the gutter rats. Maddy stopped to scrutinize a basket full of pears when suddenly chaos erupts. She looked out into the crowd. It was the Mammoth and his minions.

“Keep an eye on our wagon!” Maddy shouts to Matt and Jonas.

The ever vigilant Davis brothers were already attempting to maneuver themselves closer to the exit and away from the chaos. A gutter rat takes advantage of a sudden bottleneck and reaches into the wagon and steals a box of crackers. Jonas grabs the little thief by the scruff of his collar and retrieves the box. To Jonas’ dismay the gutter rat smelled of road kill and looked like death. The child wasn’t going to make it through the winter. Out of compassion Jonas shoves the box of crackers into the boy’s chest and then releases the little thief into the crowd.

People were falling all over themselves trying to get out of the way. Like a bulldozer, the Mammoth shoves his way over to a booth displaying bright red delicious apples. He picks up a gutter rat that didn’t get out of the way quick enough and tosses her into the crowd. Not expecting a flying child a dozen people fall to the ground like pins in a bowling alley. The Mammoth grabs the basket of apples and tosses it to one of his minions. The proprietor of the booth obviously unfamiliar with the Mammoth mistakenly puts up a fuss only to be mortally wounded by one of the Mammoth’s minions. The mammoth moves to the next booth. This proprietor is smarter and moves out of the way. The Mammoth is not happy with what he finds and ransacks the place. In an attempt to give the Mammoth and his minions more room people push back even further.

Pulling the red wagon behind him Matt reaches the safety of the exit first. Jonas not far behind grabs Maddy by the arm.

“This way!” he shouts as he pulls Maddy out the plaza gate.

The plaza was open seven days a week from dusk ‘til dawn except during inclement weather. It was a large flea market filled with an assortment of used items. You could find almost anything there if you looked long and hard enough. Locating items of significant value i.e. toilet paper, tooth paste, and eggs usually required knowing someone who knew someone and then a scary trip into a dark alley or basement.

Maddy rounded the bottom corner of the 2A stairs; Matt and Jonas were standing at the bottom making out with two Brunettes. From their state of dress both girls looked like they were from the Blue Monarchs, a gang from the far side of Oak Ridge. Maddy found this a little odd; the Blue Monarchs didn’t usually leave the comfort of their own territory.

Maddy stepped between the two kissing couples. Should she interrupt? She thought for a moment. Chances are the girls were only passing through the area and accidentally stumbled upon Matt and Jonas or vice versa. Also, Matt and Jonas weren’t into long term commitments of more than a couple of hours. They probably didn’t know either of the girl’s names. Replacement girls would be easy enough to find after the shopping trip.

“Matt…Jonas.. wanna go to the market plaza with me? I need help.” Maddy inquired as she tapped Matt and Jonas on the shoulder. Matt waved Maddy off with a hand maintaining the kiss with his girl. Jonas took a breath and simply said a drawn out “Nope” with an popping emphasis on the “P”.

“Ok”, Maddy sighed “but today is g-card day at the market plaza”. Maddy made sure the words “g-card day” was plain and clear.

“Winter is coming and I can only carry so much myself. Do I need to mention a particularly hard winter in which we all almost died from hunger?”

Matt and Jonas quit kissing simultaneously. All too familiar with the feeling of starvation both young men gave the Blue Monarchs an apologetic look.

“I’ll go find the red wagon” Matt sighed.

“I’ll go get our weapons” Jonas said as he gave his Monarch a final kiss.

“Yeah! Thanks guys.” Maddy said with a smile. “meetcha out front in about ten minutes. I need to go inventory the food storage in the kitchen. By the way, have either of you seen the Runt today?

Curios about the question, it was common knowledge Maddy cared little for the Runt. Her inquiry left them puzzled. Matt looked at Jonas; Jonas looked at Matt. In unison the Davis brothers replied with a questioning “No?”

“OK, Thanks.” Maddy said as she trotted off toward the kitchen; leaving the brothers to continue with their goodbyes.