Jioni stood up, and her head throbbed. A chilled memory of being inside that abandoned apartment building deterred her from the idea—she swore she’d never return. The apartment was unstable; she only made it to the second floor before her heart pounded and instinct told her to leave altogether: burned on the inside, yet still damp and dirty. It somehow made prison sound like the logical option.
“There’s a reason city officials put caution tape there.” Jioni crossed her arms.
“Yeah, they put caution tape there because they know that’s where all the good stuff is.”
“It’s illegal.”
“I’ve been there like five times, flower.” Hippie Girl threw her hands up. “Agents literally watched me walk in.”
Jioni looked around. She tapped her foot briefly and crossed her arms. With a sigh, she looked away toward the abandoned apartment buildings. With the earthquakes, the Agents, and the dilapidation, Jioni debated what she feared the most. She shook her head again at Hippie Girl.
