Milo rode the train into the city. He figured he would get off there and then make his way upstate. A plan that seemed good in his mind but after all he was only 11.
It didn't take long until he realized how bad off he was. He was a few blocks from the station when a man came up to him.
"Hey kid you look lost," and the grin he gave sent chills down his spine.
"I'm fine," said Milo as he picked up the pace.
"You don't look fine. Why don't you come back to my place and figure out what ever is going through that little head of yours."
"No thanks," Milo walked off faster but the man kept following him.
"Please leave me alone," said Milo as he tried to avoid the man.
"Listen kid I would really like it if you came with me," this time there was no grin and before Milo knew it he had been pulled into an ally. One hand covered his mouth so he couldn't scream and the other was unzipping his pants.
Terror sprang through Milo in a way he had never known before. Even though he had suffered this sort of thing at the hands of a couple of his mother's many boyfriends but never like this.
Never in an ally cold and face down with his cheek scrapping against the concrete. He tried to scream and but the man was still covering his mouth. Just as he felt his pants being taken down the man let him go and he saw him fall on the ground next to him.
It took only a second for Milo to get his bearings but he jumped up and pulling himself back together he turned and looked at the people who had helped him. He expected to come face to face with cops but instead there stood five kids. Teenagers to be precise. They were dirty and you could tell they had been living on the street for a long time. The three boys were on the big side and just looking at them scared Milo. The two girls were very different though. One was dressed punk with half her head shaved and a nail through one ear. But the other girl was more delicate even though she was street tough you could see she was a kind soul. She looked older and Milo would be suspired to learn later that she was only 12.
One of the boys who was holding a piece of wood (the one that had knocked the man unconscious) said, "So kid you're far from Kansas."
"Thank you," sputtered Milo now that he had found his voice.
The kinder looking girl looked at him and said, " he's going to come to soon we need to get out of here," and they all began to take off leaving Milo looking at the body.
Then to his surprise the girl turned to him and said, "Are you coming?"