“What is it with these people!? C'mon hurry yourself up, Tayt!”

I push by more ground dwellers on the streets, whose only purpose seemed to be slowing me down. I bump shoulders and surge through intersections to get to where I was going. Vehicle horns blare all around me as I cut people off and let the sidewalks whiz by me.

I had to find Nahlia. She had left early in the morning and my parents had only added more fuel to the fire the previous night. We needed to find a new home. My parents passively despised the ground dweller, that was staying with us. Now, Nahlia was gone and there was only one place she could have gone.

“There’s no way…… I’ll never make it in time.”

The truth battles my thoughts. I still had hope. Cepertine was too large to make it to Nahlia’s house, before she got there. I got off work early and realized she had left. Her uncle was probably there waiting and I knew it.

“Don't let your fears get to you, Tayt. He might not even be there.”

Nahlia’s uncle wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t be, to make it to the top of one of Cepertine's noted conglomerates. He was loaded with money, but it seemed no one ever knew where it ended up. Yet, it wasn’t just money that lined her uncle’s pockets. In fact, his life was loaded with his jealous nature too. Nahlia’s uncle hated his brother even so much as to kill his brother and his wife, at least that was the rumor. Company officials, who desired to shield their top representative, shrouded the entire ordeal. Nahlia had told me everything. A vehicle horn blares and I turn. A thought kicks me in the face, causing my mind to stabilize a little in my desperation.

“Free-riding!”

I knew I sucked at hitching rides with the passing street buggies. It had been a while. However, it was much faster than running and I was already out of breath. Too much time had passed for me to make it to the beachfront home in time to stop Nahlia. However, every precious minute meant preventing more damage that her uncle was sure to do. I look around me. I raise my fist. I jump into the air and kick it.

“Yes!”

My arms jerk. The wind hits my face as car speeds down the street. The driver was headed in the right direction. A brief moment of panic overtakes me again. Nahlia's uncle knew the right time to unleash his abusive nature. If I ran into him, he would have the upper hand without a witness in view.

“Stupid Nahlia. Why'd you take my gun with you!”

Several minutes later, pavement skids beneath my feet. The smell of burnt rubber didn’t come fast enough and I eagerly approach the familiarity of a lavender home. I jump off the hitchhiker’s ledge, letting the momentum further propel me toward Nahlia’s driveway. I see her uncle's dune buggy and my heart skips a beat. I run up to the front door, and reach out to it, but I stop.

“Ah no, I can’t do that. Her uncle will know I’m here. Think Tayt,think…”

I look around the yard. I walk around the house looking in at the windows, wishing my panic was a false alarm – but it wasn’t. Shouts are heard in the distance and for a while, I hesitate. The voices were coming from around the house!

In desperation, I look around for something to use as a weapon – anything would do. However, before I get a chance to find anything, a voice pulls my attention and my thoughts turn sour. It was Ned Fexhan, Nahlia’s neighbor.

“Hey loser, what are you doing down here?”

“Ah, no!”

I turn around facing my most hated adversary. I never liked Ned even before he bullied me. Ned made everything a game of cat-and-mouse.

“I need to get to Nahlia!” rush my thoughts.

I try to ignore Ned. I shirk at the idea of him walking closer, but he does.

“Are you stupid, you gay dick sucker? I asked what are you doing here!”

A wave of anger and humiliation sweeps over me. I was stressed about Nahlia, but I couldn't outrun Ned. I was stressed by my fear and this unwanted confrontation.

“Go to hell Ned!”

“Dude. We can make that here. Just for you birdie boy,” mocks Ned. He walks closer to me with a smile and gives me a sadistic grin. Suddenly, Ned grabs me and we stand face-to-face.

“Uh, where’s your ssssssp-p-bitch?,” spits out Ned

He sprays my face with saliva

Out of anger, I give Ned a shove, I try to throw several more punches, but he shoves me back with sadistic mockery. I clench my his teeth and give Ned a harder shove, but he scratches my hair and hits me. My spine and ears tingle with redness. Without warning, a knife is pulled on me. I panic.

Ned’s eyes fill with playful hate. His vicious eyes target me up-and-down, enjoying the fact that I was dressed in my work clothes, while he was styled-out. Ned taunts me some more.

“I always knew I was better than you faggot. You attacking me, faggot? You attacking? Wanna fight?”

I stand my ground. I didn’t know what to do, but this wasn’t the first time Ned tried to intimidate me with a knife. I think of Nahlia and hear more shouting around the house. I become angry and start to cry.

“You gonna cry now?,” asks Ned

My eyes brim. It wasn’t that I was weak or anything. I just couldn’t take the hatred anymore. It ate me alive day-and-night. Ned’s abuse piled over my already damaged self-image. He still hadn't learned his lesson at the ropes like I had hoped. In the moment, I hated myself. I was worthless in this whole situation, but I found peace in my friendship with Nahlia. She made me feel special when all I heard around me was that I was loser. I had to help her. Seconds were being wasted!

“Here,” instigates Ned handing me his knife. “Why don’t you just kill yourself?”

I make a grab for Ned’s knife, but it is quickly pulled away. Ned laughs, mocking me as I make jab-after-jab to snatch Ned’s knife. Suddenly, he stops and clenches his teeth. He swings his knife across my arm. A line of blood soaks into my shirt-sleeve and I wince in pain.

“Oooh got ya tough guy!”

I didn't care anymore. I throw a punch at Ned, but miss. Ned backs off with a laugh.

“Ha ha loser,” yells Ned running back into his house.

I taste the salt of my own tears and breathing between my teeth. I was in pain, but the adrenaline numbs my mind from it. The only thing that mattered was finding Nahlia and I didn’t need any more distractions. I kneel on the ground, letting the moistened grass soak my knees and shins. I get up. The sting on my arm was horrendous. I say a quick prayer.

“You can do it, Tayt.”

I run to the other side of the house where the yelling was.