Linger scanned the shelves of the trinket shop. Her dark-red skirt swooshed back and forth as she looked at an intricate china pot, then flew over to a musty hat. Her grey and lime boots made quite a racket against the tile floor. Her tangled, fiery-red hair got caught up on hooks occasionally. The clerk eyed her every move.

Silver nearly fell asleep in an off-limits antique chair. He was just barely out of the clerk’s field of vision. He would occasionally grab a lock of Linger’s hair every time she passed by. In response, fire would dance at the tips of her fingers. She would press her thumb into an icy spot on Silver’s neck with a soft “tssss.”

“Ooh! Look at this one,” Linger said, throwing an inedible, decades-old jawbreaker at Silver’s head.

“Ow! What the hell, Miss Fahrenheit?” Silver said, using a name he enjoyed calling Linger.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Ok then, Hot-Head.” Silver smiled, clearly having fun. His fun was quickly ruined, however, by Linger pressing her hand into the back of his Silver’s head.

“I’ll light your face up without hesitation,” Linger whispered so the clerk couldn’t hear.

“Fine, fine.”

“Good.”

Linger went back to browsing before three men walked in. Chevy, Samm, and Slate. Her attention was immediately pulled to exiting. She grabbed Silver’s collar, burning a hole through the fabric.

“I’m just saying, what if he ate us?” Samm was saying.

“Shut it, Cowboy. We’ve got bigger problems than being eaten by a water blob,” Chevy said, catching a glimpse of Linger’s white shirt and lime suspenders.

Meanwhile, Linger was looking frantically for an exit. Silver complained, stating that she pulled too hard on his collar. “Look, Ice Boy. They’re here, the Loan Sharks. Searching for us.” Linger jumped over the clerk counter and climbed out the back door, leaving behind the screaming clerk. That was sure to give them away to the Loan Sharks.

Out on the street, Linger pounded on the sidewalk, Silver just barely keeping up. She heard glass break somewhere behind. Probably them, she thought. She sped up, running into what seemed like a jelly elemental, which made her fall to the ground. The elemental blew chewing gum, making large bubbles that popped after precisely eleven seconds.

“Watch it, human,” said the elemental.

“Lady, just let us through,” Linger pleaded.

“Yeah, it’s urgent. You see-“ Silver began.

“I didn’t ask for your life story!” The neon lights of the city made the woman’s pink skin appear a ghoulish purple. “Just get outa the way.” She was about to kick the two teenagers out of the way before getting interrupted.

“There!” shouted a hoarse voice from behind. Slate.

Pounding footsteps sounded across the pavement. Linger shot up, pushing the elemental out of the way and covering her hand in pink goo. Silver must have been getting choked, for Linger was pulling very hard on his shirt collar. She hauled them both onto a nearby disc, which took off with a whirring noise. She felt a sharp blade fly past her face. Stupid Chevy, she thought as the flying disc faced on.

“What do they even want from us?” mumbled Linger.

“The three thousand dollars we promised them two weeks ago,” Silver replied simply.

“Well, they aren't getting it any time soon! In fact, they aren't ever get-” A rock flew through the air, knocking Linger in the head and off the disc. Silver came tumbling after her.

She felt Silver land on top of her, breaking his fall but worsening her own. Linger’s consciousness was barely hanging as Silver sprinted to the Loan Sharks.

“Look what you did, you idiots!” he screamed, pointing at Linger. She could barely see him, for the neon lights blurred her vision.

“Aw, Chevy! I thought he wanted the girl alive, not dead!” Samm shouted at Chevy, his worked tongue flicking with anger.

“I'll do what I want!” Chevy had his hand on the gun that hung at his round waist.

“You coulda at least left ‘er with some lights!” Slate yelled, almost strangling Chevy with his three-fingered hands.

Linger saw Silver punched Chevy unconscious, then freeze Samm’s head with his artificial element. He slammed Samm’s head his Slate’s, causing them to double over on top of Chevy. Silver casually walked over and picked Linger up, as if he hadn't just ko’ed three mafia men. He gently sat her on the disc that had waited waited for them.