(February 1, 2009)

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The day going so well should have been a glaring indicator something bad lay on the horizon.

But no.

That morning when the sun rose bright and cheery Aiden felt his heart rise with it. For several minutes he sat on the windowsill drinking in the quiet beauty of the morning. Birds chirped and beyond them the river gurgled in its banks. Closing his eyes, Aiden allowed himself to pretend he was still in his bedroom back home, not worn out on the streets with no idea what he was going to do next beyond trying to survive. It took longer than he wanted to admit to reconstruct the image of his old room in his mind's eye. He still didn't know exactly how much time had passed since he'd run away, but he didn't live under a rock enough to not notice that the city had set up and tore down Christmas decorations twice since he'd been there. . .

A foghorn sounded from the direction of the river jolting Aiden out of his imagination. His eyes swept the dusty floor- that never seemed to be clean no matter how many times he swept- his few possessions lining the walls, the stains and holes in his not-quite-fitting clothes, a couple ripped bags storing a limited amount of food . . . Sighing Aiden grabbed a clean(er) shirt from his stash and pulled it over his head. He then snagged a baseball cap that'd been laying near his sleeping bag.

'You know what,' The sun outside called beckoningly, 'Screw this. I'm going to enjoy the day for once.' To be able to act like a kid again, even if for just a couple hours. Not an orphan, not homeless, and not like one who may or may not have a gang looking for him. Was that really so much to ask?

In hindsight yes, yes it was.

But not knowing that at the time Aiden found a windbreaker that looked relatively clean and tossed his rope ladder over the railing. Hand over hand he lowered himself to the ground. The cool morning air tugged him forward toward the river. Though no one appeared to be around, like usual, Aiden pulled his hood over his head. The jacket helped to hide the shaggy mess his hair had become, as well as his scrawny frame that came from never knowing where his next meal would be found.

Yet those worries faded as Aiden scrambled over rocks lining the river. Finding a large one he sat down and scooped up a handful of pebbles. One by one he tossed them into the water with a variety of satisfying plops. Some of the flatter ones he attempted to skip, though those usually ended as disappointing splashes.

Eventually growing bored of the river, Aiden wandered his way over the bridge and deeper into the city. Many other pedestrians filled the sidewalks. A few questioning glances were sent his way but Aiden held his head high. He slipped to the edges of larger groups walking about to pretend he was 'with' them. After that if anyone gave him a second glance it quickly disappeared in the shuffle of bodies.

Continuing to trade 'chaperones,' he meandered through the streets. The intact buildings around him were a stark contrast from well-worn and broken down ones that usually surrounded Aiden. He frowned, suddenly missing his old bike. Distance was much less manageable without it. He'd even had to give up going to the dojo since the longer route around the Dragon's territory wasn't worth the hour or so lesson time. Sighing again, Aiden slipped back into whatever optimism woke him that morning to encourage him onward.

A few hours later Aiden passed a small park just as his stomach grumbled. Deciding to sit, he found a bench. From his pocket he pulled out a granola bar and slowly savored each bite. When he finished he continued to sit and watch people walk by. 'I almost forgot what it's like to have somewhere to be.' A part of him even missed school. Pulling his knees to his chest, Aiden tried to keep his dreary thoughts at bay. 'I'm outside to actually enjoy myself for once. You can be sad later.' So he let himself soak up the warmth for a while longer.

The sun had well passed its zenith when Aiden figured he'd better start making his way back to the warehouse. Stumbling through the streets in the dark held less appeal than ever before. Slowly he began his trek to the river.

The buildings around him began to take on the more dilapidated appearance he was accustomed to. Pulling the cap of his hat lower over his head, Aiden picked up his pace. He had just passed the last stretch of sketchy stores when a muffled noise froze Aiden in his tracks. Listening carefully, he waited to see if it'd happen again. Just as he was about to continue on his way, a thud echoed out on the street followed by a cry of pain.

Carefully Aiden looked around. Brick buildings were clustered near each other, not quite touching. Enough space remained for someone to walk between- another smack and cry came- or enough room to drag someone out of sight. Stepping lightly, Aiden crept along the wall. With exaggerated slowness he looked around the corner. A gasp rose in his throat that he fought to keep stillborn. Three leather clad men were attacking a fourth figure laying on the ground. Ice filled Aiden's veins. The attackers all bore the Dragon's emblem.

His eyes darted across the alley for any help. The street, already quiet, had become eerily silent. Heart thumping, Aiden took a small step backward. Another muffled cry froze him in place. 'I'm going to get myself killed!' But he couldn't leave the other man to be beaten- maybe to death.

Steeling his nerves Aiden quickly scanned the area. There didn't appear to be a person acting as lookout, but that didn't mean there wasn't one. His eyes ran over the buildings. The one on the other side of the alley was an old three story building. Several old boxes lined the alley but nothing looked like it'd be helpful. He took a step backward, his ankle catching on something. Barely keeping his balance Aiden looked down. Pieces of broken asphalt lay scattered around his feet.

'I'm going to die.' Not allowing himself to dwell on that, he picked up a couple pieces. He took a deep breath. Then he turned the corner and hurled the rock.

It struck the nearest man on his temple. He cried out, falling to his knees. Ignoring him, Aiden launched his second missile. It went wide and the man who'd been the intended target turned on his heel. Letting out a wordless roar, the man charged Aiden.

'Run, run, RUN!' Aiden scrambled backward. Metal clanked behind him. Frantically Aiden looked back to see the man pulling two switchblades from his pockets. Their eyes locked. Even from several yards away Aiden could see the cold -'evil'- glint on his face.

Sirens pierced the air startling them both. 'Now someone calls the police!' Aiden turned and sprinted down the road. His heart hammered in his ears so loud he couldn't hear the man behind him. Reaching the next block Aiden turned the corner and kept running. High pitched wails grew closer. Aiden didn't risk looking back. All his efforts were solely focused on putting distance between himself, the Dragons, and the police.

Five miles away, behind yet another alley, Aiden looked behind him to realize he was alone. Slowing to a stop, he braced his hands on his knees to catch his breath. A sudden surge of nausea rose in his stomach. The meager remains of his lunch reappeared on the asphalt. Spitting out the remaining bile, Aiden stumbled a few steps forward before slumping to the ground. He leaned back against the grimy wall, adrenaline and fatigue trembling through his aching muscles. Yes he'd managed to give the victim a fighting chance, but there was no denying it now. The Dragons knew his face.

'I am so dead.'

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(February 6, 2009)

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His food had run out two days ago, but Aiden still couldn't bring himself to leave the warehouse. The Dragons had eyes everywhere. Now that they had a positive ID on him the cold feeling in his stomach confirmed it'd only be a matter of time before they found him. If he could delay that as long as possible . . .

His stomach grumbled angrily. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut, fear and hunger making it hard to think rationally. He needed food soon. He couldn't get around that much longer. But the thought of leaving the walls surrounding him almost made the hunger pangs pale in comparison. Almost.

He stole to the window and looked out. Nothing moved. Taking a deep breath Aiden gripped the windowsill. If he didn't find something to eat soon . . .

Aiden stared at the blue sky, the war in his mind raging. If he waited any longer it'd be dark before he could get anywhere and back. Venturing out at night had even less appeal than heading out in the day. Yet Aiden felt his resolve teeter. His stomach rumbled again, sealing the deal. 'Okay, okay.' With a grimace he climbed out of the foreman's office. 'Please, just something I can find quickly.'

Aiden's legs shook with fatigue barely a mile from the warehouse. 'This isn't good.' Further confirmation he needed food. The miles dragged by with only the thought of getting back to lay down keeping Aiden going.

It took twice as long to reach his usual haunts. He let out a large sigh of relief when 'his' dumpsters came into view. Carefully, he scanned the area. There were a couple pedestrians further down the street but they didn't appear to be paying Aiden any attention.

Still a prickle of unease ran down Aiden's spine. Something just felt . . . off. Unable to pinpoint the source of his discomfort he tried to ignore the feeling. Keeping his head low, Aiden hurried to the trash cans and started sifting through the contents.

'Of course there's not anything. Why would I expect just one thing to go right for me-?' The sound of gravel crunching cut into his thoughts. Aiden jerked his head around. Two men sprinted towards him.

Aiden spun on his heel and took off in the opposite direction. Footsteps thudded behind him. Still running, Aiden looked over his shoulder. Both men had picked up speed and were zeroed on Aiden.

Wham!

Air fled from Aiden's lungs. He fell backwards to the ground. Gasping, Aiden made out a blurry set of legs in front of him. More legs crowded close, too many too close.

Hands jerked Aiden up. Before he could think to struggle, pain exploded in Aiden's jaw and he saw stars. He didn't remember falling back to the ground but he felt himself being picked up again. Someone grabbed his hair and jerked back his head. Hard blue eyes bore into Aiden's, freezing the boy in place.

"So you're the one messing with operations."

The words broke Aiden from his stupor. He squirmed, but the hands gripping his arms tightened. There'd be bruises tomorrow- assuming he lived that long.

"You really let a five year old get the drop on you?" That was rude. "A kid chased away two of my lieutenants?" Indistinct grumbling came from above Aiden. The man waved away the implied excuses. "Save it." His glare turned back on Aiden. "No one gets away with messin' with the Dragons."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a large knife. Aiden squeaked at the sight and started thrashing again. A blow to the head left him stunned. Over the roaring in his ears he could just make out the man speaking again.

"Don't butt in where you don't belong."

Another strike came to the ribs, leaving Aiden gasping. Several more hit his torso and head. Black spots threatened to overtake Aiden's vision. That all paled when fire shot through Aiden's left thigh. His scream was muffled by a hand over his mouth. Through blurry vision Aiden saw the ringleader pull the knife out of his leg. Aiden screamed again. Warm liquid began to ooze down his leg.

"That's your only warning." The words echoed from far away and suddenly everything went black.

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Awareness slowly trickled in. Every fiber within Aiden screamed in agony. His head and chest pounded in sync but the sharp throbbing in his left leg, just above his knee, took precedence. Something wet, which he could only assume was blood, trickled down his thigh. His pant leg stuck painfully to his skin where the blood had already dried.

Tears pricked his eyes and Aiden fought back a sob. Laying there, a fuzzy rational thought hit him. 'I can't stay here.' He had to get back to the warehouse where he could lick his wounds before anyone else found him. So with what felt like a superhuman effort, he opened his eyes. For a terrifying moment he thought he'd gone blind. But slowly the darkness faded enough for Aiden to realize night had fallen while he'd been unconscious.

Breathing heavily, he tried to sit up. The movement sent new shockwaves of pain through his body and he collapsed back on the ground. 'No, come on, come on, come on!' Gathering his strength, he thrust himself upward. A strangled cry tore from his mouth, but he managed to stay upright.

He sat for several minutes trying to keep from passing out again. Then slowly, using the wall behind him as a brace, Aiden wobbly pulled himself to his feet. His knees buckled. Aiden pitched forward into the wall. Catching himself with a jolt, Aiden let out a yelp of pain. He steadied himself, then tentatively took a step forward. Though his leg protested the movement, it held his weight. 'Okay, okay, next step.' The pounding in his head made thinking difficult, but he focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Step by painful step, Aiden limped out of the alley.

Street lights swam in his vision, but rather than being a welcome sight, they only served to accent the darkness of the shadows. 'Just keep moving.' The shifting in the darkness was just his vision fading in and out. Hopefully.

He hadn't made it much farther than a few blocks when his legs buckled again. Falling forward Aiden plowed into several trash cans that had been left on the sidewalk. They fell with a crash that pierced the night. Aiden tried to scramble up as a light flicked on in the house. 'No, no, no!' Ignoring the fire spreading through his leg he forced his body into a run and turned the corner. He stumbled against the wall and held his breath. No one seemed to have come outside.

Letting out a slow breath, he started to push off the wall when movement came from the corner of his eye. Aiden froze, acutely aware that he couldn't run from, much less fight off, any of the night vagrants. Shrinking deeper into the shadows alongside the building, Aiden waited. His heart thumped harder until he was sure anyone around would be able to hear it. 'I could just be seeing things again.' He hoped. The gnawing feeling in his gut indicated otherwise.

A faint scraping sound came from up ahead. 'Or not.' This day could hardly get any worse. While the nearby person may not care anything for him, Aiden couldn't take that chance. Not tonight. That meant he could either find somewhere else to stay for the rest of the night or wait until the person left. Neither option sounded appealing. Slipping his way along the building, Aiden began to backtrack.

He had almost made it into another alley when his leg buckled again. Unable to catch himself Aiden fell to the ground, an unbidden cry ringing out on impact. Instantly the alley blazed with flashing lights and the sound of people moving towards him. Panicked, Aiden struggled to get to his feet. He had just made it when,

"Police, freeze!"

'Aaaaand I was wrong. This just got worse.'