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An announcement over the PA system in the store, about closing time.
<span class="mu-b">"Ten minutes? Better hurry... oooh look at the size of that TV! I wonder how much it costs..."</span>
It was almost two hours of walking to reach this Wallymart, but you just barely managed with time to spare. A lot of stumbling through roadside patches of grass and trees till eventually you found your way under a bridge of the beltway to a neighborhood of apartments beyond. From there trudging down some shady back streets and trying to avoid notice or contact until finding one of the city's electric rent-a-scooters left by an intersection crossing, and finally an e-scooter trip to the nearest bus stop going the right way.
Really the biggest asset through all of this was your phone, and even though it's pretty damaged from the stage collapse you were able to navigate with it to the nearest Wallymart where you find yourself now. Drawing stares along the way but all you need is to quickly buy some throwaway clothes... and an entire bagful of whatever food and snacks you feel like stuffing your face with on the way back home. Speaking of your phone though, it's been buzzing constantly with activity ever since you turned it on again after leaving the drainage tunnel. From both your friends, but also worryingly from dad. You chose not to respond to any of them while you were navigating your way here, but by the time you leave the store with everything you needed and catch another bus southbound and homeward... you wonder if you shouldn't pick up.
At least to dad, since one way or another you'll be talking to him tonight whether it's on the phone or in person.
>Just leave it be, and when you get home... sorry dad, but you're exhausted! You'll talk tomorrow!
>Actually you'd prefer to find alternate accommodations for the night, and just make up some excuse like you stayed with Kelly.
>After all you've been through now, you really could do to hear dad's voice at least. Whether you answer his calls or talk face to face. (Specify.)
>A deceitful write-in?
