Thats Not my Neighbor. (Francis x y/n 1st person)

Downtown Shopping.

(Yall I forgot a paragraph in the last one, but if you didn't see it I wrote that she took some of the cash she earned with her to pay for some of her stuff, and Francis doesn't know, i'm sorry I forgot I was half asleep and I was rereading it, but if you read that part of the story and you're confused that's what happened :))

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The brick buildings lined up and down the streets; very little differences in them. Our building isn't any different. The sidewalks are silent and calm, the sectioned off trees every 5 feet sway to the irregular beat of the constant wind.

Few people travel nowadays, so it's not common to see the roads empty. Occasionally there are cars speeding down the roads. It's illegal, but not stopped because no one drives anymore, thus the discard of patrolling officers. It's sad, really, how these aliens invaded and took over our lives. Not aliens in the sense of UFOs and futuristic spacecrafts.

People didn't stay inside 10 years ago, when these creatures started appearing. It was more of a gradual disappearance. Person after person started to really grasp the fact that being outside is dangerous, so being in hiding became the new normal, especially in a city like New York.

I applaud the people who still work as reporters and street vendors, or really any job. It's tough, the doppels really make everyone's life hell.

Hand in hand, we walk down the road. Despite being with another person, a person I trust and like, i'm still cautious and wary of any sudden shadows or suspicious people.

The wind blows a cool breeze into our faces. It's nice, better than the artificial air from the ACs. Leaves swirl in semi circles around us like bears to honey.

The store can't be more than a 10 minute walk away. I live in the quieter part of the city, but also in the perfect spot where almost everything is in a walking distance.

I haven't been to Times Square in a while. I wonder if it's as populated as it was when my mother and I used to go down to the common parades.

I doubt it's as populated, but there have to be some people. I glance over at Francis who's already staring at me. I don't know how we haven't tripped and fallen on our faces yet, but we keep eye contact for a moment.

He's the one to break it. He looks straight ahead and sweat starts to pool in his hands. I don't say anything, because he must be nervous and anything I say could make him feel worse.

A white painted car drives slowly down the road. The suns beams bounce off of the reflection and the brightness slaps me in the face. Before I look away, I see an elderly woman with thin, grey hair on the verge of falling out.

That explains why the car was moving so slow. Old person. The car passes us and everything is visible again. I hate the white cars, they're like bald heads; always reflection light.

We turn the corner and my attention is grabbed by a cawing bird in the sky. I look up and see a gliding eagle with its beak wide open; presumably hunting down an oblivious small animal.

He pulls me closer to him, and i'm confused, until I see the large city pole I was about to run into. The sensor light isn't activated during the day, so I didn't see the light emitting from the bulb.

"You okay?" He asks, but i'm clearly embarrassed.

"I... Yeah. I'm fine." He nods in acknowledgment and this time I don't get distracted by shrieking birds.

"So, what're you planning on getting?" He starts a conversation. I scrape my — or his shoe against the ground when I step.

"Uhm, probably just a couple dresses and necessities. I mean, I don't want to get too much. I don't want to plague you with my 'girly' things." I shrug.