Alley Girl

She swung her bag at her side, tipping her head back to feel the warm rain on her face, like salt-less tears. Her feet were already sodden, her scuffed, worn sneakers offering almost no protection from the rain. She hummed a nameless tune to herself, kicking through puddles collecting in the street. On either side of the road, buildings with boarded windows and locked doors leered at nonexistent passerby.

She was the type of girl that, had she been walking in the main part of the city, would have attracted stares, pity, even donations.

The type of person who would make you double take over her hollow cheeks and brittle frame. The type of person who would make you double think how fortunate you are to have what you have.

Ducking behind a building, she squeezed into a tiny alley barely three feet across. There she left the bag in a cardboard box where it would be sheltered from the downpour.

She left quickly so as not to be seen, slipping back out into the street. She had no way of knowing that through an unbroken second story window, a pair of brown eyes followed her down the neglected street.

 

“Kristen! Kristen!” came a cry through the house. “I found another one!” Into the room burst a small boy, around age six who was grinning widely and set his small gaze upon the brown eyed person standing at the window. This person wasn’t Kristen, but her brother, making the boy stop, uncertain if he was excited enough to attempt talk with the teen.

The older boy, whose name was Erin, sincerely hoped that he wouldn’t, for he didn’t put up with the whinings of children. As it was, at that moment Kristen entered the room, locked eyes with Erin and scooped the smaller boy into her arms, ellicting a giggle. Her blonde hair hung loose to her shoulders today and her dark eyes, like her brother’s, were serious despite the smile plastered on her face.

“You clever little boy!” She cooed in a soft, slightly rasping voice. “Did you see who left it?” She asked, tucking a bang behind her ear. This was the second package that had been left but the little boy, whose name was Kyle shook his head ‘no’ with wide eyes.

“Maybe it’s a ghost!”

Kristen laughed and set Kyle on the floor again.

“I doubt it’s a ghost,” she chuckled, ruffling his hair. Kyle tried to duck away but Kristen managed to grab him and hold on long enough for his hair to be thoroughly mussed. Giving another one of his signature grins, Kyle bounded from the room. Immediately, Kristen’s smile vanished as though her face was a whit board, just wiped clean.

She gave Erin a meaningful look. Erin said nothing. She sighed, “Erin?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“Did you see anyone?”

He looked down onto the street, which was empty as usual. He shook his head. No, he hadn’t seen anyone.