Midtown

Seven

Carly

Carly still couldn't believe that rushing a strange kid to the hospital was how she would make a friend. KP started talking to her more when she asked how he ended up with more injuries after leaving the hospital. He insisted he was fine. How could anyone be fine after looking like he did? Either he didn't want her to worry, or he's been in one too many fights securing the school.

Nathen and Tom still hung out and walked to school with her. They were really nice and cool to be around. That still didn't stop Carly from subconsciously watching them. Nathen specifically. Maybe it was his straightforward nature. How he's so nice to her. It was something that kept her wondering.

"Hey, KP!" Carly called out when she spotted him after getting to school. It's become a regular thing for her to find him doing his walk around the school in the morning.

"Hey there Carly."

"So like, do you get paid for doing this?" She asked. Everyday that week, he's done the same thing. He was being seriously used if he wasn't getting paid or getting some kind of extra credit for it.

"You mean security? Not exactly. You can call this kind of a discipline committee that no one here really cares to be a part of aside me. So that's why I'm the one doing checks. As you may or may not know, here in Midtown, it may or may not be the safest place to be."

"No kidding." She said. She thought back to a news story she saw the other day about a stolen car being set on fire in an abandoned lot. She really wishes she could get that taser since anything could happen.

"There are a lot of crimes around here with the lack of officers in the area. I offered my help to the school to help keep some peace around here. My father is one of the few police officer around and I have special training, so don't worry." KP assured her.

"Just how did this even happen? You know, how did everything go downhill?" Carly asked. She's been there long enough. She's already seen and heard more than she wanted. It was time for her to start asking questions.

"With the way everything is evolving, I say it was bound to happen." He started. "The people here aren't as fortunate as Uptown citizens and everyone else. Lots of companies stop coming and many people lost their jobs and hopes about what would come of here and went elsewhere in search of better opportunities and living."

When Carly was younger, she and her parents drove through Midtown often. It was nothing like it was now. The change was so drastic. Whatever happened between then and now had to be monumental.

"Don't think everyone else has it good. As you can see, we couldn't keep up our living in Uptown." She told him.

"No matter where you go or where you're from, there seems to always be hardships for some."

"You can say that again."

"You don't seem too upset about being here though."

"Well, I was at first. But no matter the situation, I try not to let it affect me too much. I'm not as narrow minded as you may think some people from Uptown are. But I have what I call a sixth sense for understanding and reading between the lines if that makes sense to you; and there's definitely something worth understanding around here that I want to figure out."

Carly thought back to all the news reports she's already heard. She still thought about her first day and that girl who heard that mind numbing noise that only seemed to affect them. She's been there a week and can already confirm most of the rumors.

"There certainly is a mystery around here." KP said. Carly wasn't sure if he was just humoring her or agreeing with her.

"So that means you should always be prepaid for anything right?" KP reached into his pocket and grabbed something. Carly just watched not sure what he was doing.