King of This Town

"What are we gonna do? Where are the cops!" Shianne screams.

"Shh! Don't say that around this part of town. Not unless you've got a high death wish!" Pierce, a guy Shianne met on-line, warns.

We are in a dark alley and there's a man covered in blood lying on the ground. We were just taking a walk when we heard the screaming coming from where we stand now. Pierce thought it must've been a mugging, so we came to help. As soon as we saw the blood, though, Pierce wanted to bolt. He said that there's no good in trying to save a man on this side of town.

"We can't just leave him here," I say.

Out of the three of us, I'm the calmest. It's because my dad was a detective and always brought his work home. The pictures are as good as the real thing. It might also be because I know that this place isn't safe, and I've accepted that this could have been seen. Perhaps I'm even trying to impress Pierce. He's an older guy, about twenty-five. He has an accent that I can't distinguish and not a single funny-bone in sight, or at least that I've seen. He's buff and tall. I know Shianne likes him but hey! She didn't call dibs.

"Yes we can. This isn't just some random guy lying in blood. When you find someone in his condition, you don't ask questions, you don't try to help. There's a reason he's dying," Pierce is speaking in a low voice.

"It's inhumane! Right, Amber?" Shianne shrieks.

"Shut up!" Pierce snaps at Shianne and she doesn't make another sound. She turns on her heel and runs out of the alley.

I look at Pierce who is looking at me. He's only older than me by six years. That's not that bad, right? It's amazing how that's all I can think about when there's a dying man on the ground to my left.

"She's not going to get the cops, is she?"

I shrug. "Maybe. Maybe not. She's just over-sensitive."

Pierce snorts and says, "and you? You're not?"

I shake my head. "My dad was a detective for my whole life. I'm used to seeing this stuff. Well, only in pictures."

"The pictures are as good as the real thing."

The man on the floor begins to twitch and I start to feel uneasy. I look back to Pierce who is eyeing me still. His dark brown eyes reach to some place within me. I don't quite understand this feeling. It's like I want him, but not entirely in a romantic way. But what other way is there to want a person? He's not the type to be my friend and I'm not sure if he's boyfriend material yet.

"Why do you hang out with her?" He catches me off guard.

"Because she's my best friend."

"No, Amber. I mean, why is she your best friend? You two are nothing alike."

I never really thought about this. Shianne saved my life a few years ago. I was crossing a street and she totally ran in front of a speeding car to push me out the way. Ever since then she's been my best friend. He doesn't need to know that though. "Uhm, we clicked when we first met."

"Let's get out of here," Pierce changes the topic quickly.

Pierce touches my shoulder and leads me out of the alley. When we reach the edge of the street, Pierce looks to the left and to the right and runs across. I stay where I am. Should I go look for Shianne? She's probably really mad at me for not backing her up the way she would have backed me up. And then I just let her run off alone. I hope she's alright.

Pierce looks behind him and smirks. He yells over to me, "you've never crossed a street before?"

"It's a long story but I don't like streets!" I say as I cringe at the memory of my dad getting run over by a semi-truck. I don't even remember what the last thing I said to him was.