The Race.

Jessica and her mother were shopping at the Santa Fe Mall when all of a sudden an announcement came over the speakers, in a cool, crisp, female voice. The voice was audible in every store of the large, 3 story mall. “Attention all young girls’ ages 14-17, Teen Vogue is having a contest in our mall today. The first 15 girls, who can find their secret location, will get to walk in a special fashion show for star Tyra Banks. Good luck.” The speaker clicked off and Jessica stood there, her mouth agape. She looked at her mother “Can I?” Her mom looked at her for a moment… then nodded her head. Jessica jumped into the air triumphantly and began heading towards the teen section of the mall. “It would probably be other there right?” she thought has she hastily jogged up the escalator. Once she reached the second floor, Jessica began scouring the area for any sort of clues. As she passed Sees Candy, she noticed another girl, probably just a year older than herself, and very skinny. She had pale skin that was growing pink in the cheeks; she had been rushing just like Jessica. The girl turned and met Jessica’s stare. They both stopped. Eyes deadlocked on each other.

Suddenly, they both sprinted towards the next set of escalators. “It had to be in the 3^rd floor, it had to be” Jessica thought has she continued to check the position of the girl on the other side of the walkway. It was almost as if whoever made it to the 3^rd floor first was going to win. Jessica ran with all her might, her skirt flailing behind her. They were neck in neck, it was clear that they’d get there at the same time. Not wanting to slow down for even a second, both girls flung themselves into the escalator, but in the process crashed into each other. They both fell on the tile with a loud thud. Jessica got up as quickly as she could, and just barely made the escalator before the other girl. Feeling confident that she was going to make it, she stopped for a moment to adjust her skirt. She did not want to walk into the Teen Vogue location looking like such a mess. Then suddenly she felt a tug on the back of her hair! The girl had run up the escalator and was apparently willing to do most anything to beat Jessica. Yelling with pain, Jessica was pulled back out of the way of the mystery girl. Thinking fast on her feet she stuck out her foot and tripped the girl as she was getting off the escalator. The girl hit the floor with a smack, her hands breaking her fall on the tile. Jessica too the opportunity and ran past her opponent, all the while stepping on her fingers. Jessica turned a round and round trying to think where the secret location could be, she almost got dizzy. Suddenly she saw a young girl jumping up and down in front of a photography studio at the end of the hallway. “That has to be it” Jessica said, and began to sprint towards it. The other girl had since recovered and had began to run in the opposite direction until she saw Jessica speed towards the photography studio, where she too saw the young girl jumping for joy. She turned and chased after her. Jessica, hearing fast footsteps gaining on her, looked over her shoulder to find the girl she had stepped on not but 7 feet behind her. Jessica then gave it her all, more than she had ever given anything. She busted into the photography studio to find the jumping girl, and the girl’s family, standing around a portrait of the jumping girl. Jessica started at the family, who stared at her. “This isn’t the…is it?” she asked out of breath to the seemingly appalled family. The young girl who was seen jumping shook her head, and had begun to say something when the girl chasing Jessica turned the corner into the store. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the family, the portrait, and Jessica. Jessica and she met each others gaze once more, both of them looking quite haggard. Suddenly there was a loud cheer from downstairs, and the same cool, female voice comes back on over the speaker “Congratulations to all the girls who made it to the Teen Vogue fashion show! To all of those who didn’t quit make it, Good Luck next time girls.” Click.