The seven block walk from school to home was always cold. It wasn't the weather, it was simply the atmosphere. The negative space around the straightway path to the shell of a house I called home was unusually barren. Maybe it was the rumors or maybe it was the neighborhood. Ichigo Street was the heart of the housing area in which I lived. It sounds cute, since strawberry is the meaning of ichigo, but it had the reputation of a street that was a work place for those who needed money and didn't care what they had to do to get it. With a reputation like that most people stayed away, and with all the potential neighbors being chased away by false rumors, there were no neighbors at all. No neighbors to live up to the streets reputation. So I never felt in danger when I walked home. I never needed to be on the defense, and certainly didn't need anything like a pocket knife. But for some reason this morning, I reached for my old pocket knife in my desk and shoved it in my backpack. There was no thought to it. It was almost routine, like I had done it every morning and did it this morning because it was normal.
I could feel the cold steel spot on the handle of the small weapon in my backpack press against my spine. It was unsettling, like I shouldn't have brought it. I took each step wondering in my mind what could have possibly urged me to bring this sacred knife I found in my lowest hour along with me on a normal day. I gave up. If there was an answer I didn't know it. I continued on my path undisturbed for three blocks. Then suddenly I heard chuckling coming from a break between the buildings four yards away. I did the naive thing and kept walking, ignoring the fact that I had noticed the chuckles were from deep voices. I could see the end of the break infront of me, I was so close. Then the group surrounded me.
"Hey, you're new right? Cute little thing. Must be lost huh?" A tall boy with shaggy caramel locks hanging in his eyes said. I debated on answering him, considering he was completely wrong. I was new to this area four years ago. I had learned the language, learned the roads, and learned my way in that time. I was far from lost.
"Oh, a new girl huh? Wait, no. She ain't new asshole. I've seen her before." Said the shorter but more muscular boy to my right.
"Oh really? I think I would have known the name of such a cute girl if she wasn't new." Said the caramel haired boy as he reached to put his arm over my shoulder. I snapped away and pushed through the last two boys in front of me. I wanted to get away from these ignorant drop outs as soon as possible.
"Ho ho ho.. Where do you think your goin' bitch? You can't just push through us like that. Get back here before we drag you back." Said the tallest of the litter. He had pitch black hair that was clearly dyed and had a ripped up band shirt on that was two sizes too big and five years too faded. I didn't acknowledge his threat. I just continued walking as if they weren't even there, completely oblivious to the batch of overdeveloped addicts behind me. I thought they had given up until I felt a strong hand rip my shoulder backwards. I stumbled backward, trying to stay on me feet. Unfortunately, my balance failed me and I found my way to the ground.
"Hey dip shit! So cute but such a bad attitude.. Tsk tsk. Maybe if we taught you a lesson you would think before you be such a bitch." Said the other boy I had pushed through. They formed a halo of acne smeared faces above me. Their feet were inches from my body and could inflict a vital wound at any second. I panicked and tried to figure a way out of this. I went through various options, running, they would catch me. They were all at least a foot and a half taller than me. Using my pocket knife? If I used it and I failed, they would win, and if I didn't pull it out, I would have gone without a fight. I slid out my back pack from underneath me and I folded my hands on the handle of it. I needed to distract them.
"Why don't I just cut off a chunk of my hair and you guys can get a hit off that instead?" I said and then instantly regretted it. Before I could even unzip my back pack the two largest boys had a tight grip on my arms against the cold gravel below me. The other two were walking around me like I was a piece of furniture they might buy. I resolved to screaming. I sucked in the tense air with the sharpness of a singer and belted out the loudest scream I could manage. Mid-scream a meaty hand that smelt of far too much cologne cupped my mouth so tight I could barley breathe. I panicked. I ripped left and right, my nails clawing into anything I could find. My feet were flying so furiously they didn't even touch the ground as the boys dragged me further into the alley between the two buildings. If only I could have gotten my pocket knife.
