Two

I bundled up in a light gray turtleneck and my favorite coat, a purple fleece pea coat, before I set out in the direction of Rosehaven Downs University. I was halfway hoping to run into Mom or Brian on campus, but I guess my feet had other ideas because they wandered to the west of the RDU campus. I found myself in an unfamiliar but obviously low-rent, high-occupancy side of town. Shabby apartment complexes crowded on top of one another, and I started feeling claustrophobic just from looking at them. Dusk closing in did nothing to relieve the cramped feeling of the neighborhood.

I turned up an alleyway that I thought pointed in the direction of Mom’s neighborhood and shuddered. Piles of trash had collected against the decrepit, grafitti-covered brick walls. I couldn’t help gagging as I passed a dumpster. It smelled like rotting seafood, vomit, and other things I was too staggered to put a name to. All of a sudden, I knew it was well past time for me to leave.

I never realized before that Rosehaven Downs had such a poor, neglected, run-down side of town. It was pitiful and frightening all at once. Alarm bells started going off in the back of my mind, and I relocated my iPod from my coat pocket to the waistband of my skinny jeans at the small of my back. I pulled my shirt and jacket back down over it with a sigh. Even if I get mugged, I don’t think they’ll take the time to strip-search me. I had never really encountered poverty head-on before, and it left a permanent mark on my mind.

The alley went on for far longer than I had anticipated and the echoes of my own footsteps raised the hairs on the back of my neck. It didn’t take me long after that to realize that echoes weren’t the only things chasing me. There were other footfalls, too, accompanied by lean figures in hoodies with the hoods up, so I couldn’t make out their faces. I could tell they were both male, and I knew I didn’t stand a chance at getting away. They were both taller than I was, and exuded strength in spite of obvious hunger.

I didn’t have time to pull out my phone and call for help. I was running as fast as I could, and it was nowhere near fast enough. I started screaming seconds before a hand clamped around my arm. I started to scream louder, but a sickening crack and sudden, blinding pain in the side of my head cut it off. I reeled and went down, landing in an oily puddle from yesterday’s rain. I felt hot blood pouring down the side of my head and felt like I was going to throw up.

They must have hit me with a brick.

I tried to move, but a sudden rush of darkness swallowed everything.