Josh's P.O.V.
I was wandering through the train yard, weaving between trains and carriages, deep in thought. I knew I was supposed to be working, studying, maybe class had even started by now, but I really didn't care. I wasn't in the mood to do anything but I couldn't go home either in case either of my parents came home.
This area of town was sketchy, I couldn't count the amount of times I had almost been mugged or beaten up. It was pretty dangerous. Hobos and thugs littered the area, hanging out in the abandoned parts of town and down the alleyways. I had also almost been shot more times than I cared to admit, wandering around when I was supposed to be working, in class or spending time with family.
I was thrown from my thought as a blur of blonde and, what I think was green, came crashing into me. The weight took me off guard, effectively pinning me down and I toppled to the yard with crash.
I immediately assumed it was one of the dogs getting at me for trespassing or, at the very least, someone with the intent to harm me so I began to struggle underneath it. I only stopped when a splash of crimson fell onto my cheek.
Looking up, I came eye to eye with a blonde boy who looked like he was on the verge of passing out. Shards of glass were visible sticking out from his shoulder, splitting his skin every tie he exhaled. The bleeding was worsened by the tight strap of a large backpack. Blood continued to drip from the wound onto me, his eyes flickered, panicking.
He all but collapsed against me, but remained slightly conscious. His eyes were half lidded.
"Ya little shit!" A horrendously tall man in raty old clothes came from the alley beside me, eyes on the partially conscious blonde boy.
I scrambled to swing the taller boys' uninjured arm around my neck, lifting both of us onto our feet. The boy struggled weakly, but I did my best to move the two of us away from the danger.
"You have to move your legs as well or we'll both end up bloody and bleeding out on the pavement!" I snapped, half shouting at the barely conscious boy, fear and panic lacing my voice. I didn't mean to be rude or anything, I just needed to get him going before the bastard behind me caught up to me and either finished what he started with this boy or decided I was a better target.
The blonde made a few painful and tired noises before gripping tightly on me- at least, as tightly as he could- one hand on my shoulder, the other arm draped around my back and then gripped tightly onto my shirt.
Together, the two of us made our way down different streets, heading back to my neighbourhood. The house wasn't actually that far away, maybe a five minute walk, but with dead weight leaning against me it probably doubled, if not tripled, that journey. I had to give my new friend a few ounces of encouragement every time he started to slip, feet dragging on the concrete, but with the man from the alley still stumbling behind us, panting audible, he kept going. The only reason we were still ahead was because of his obvious intoxication, and the fact he kept stumbling and falling.
"Almost there!" I cheered, glancing over my shoulder. "Come on, it's down this street."
I almost cheered. His weight was getting heavier and heavier as his head lulled, his feet weren't quite making steps. I continued to pull the taller boy along through, movements scarily weak with each step. If I could make this journey with a broken ankle while also being chased by a drunken idiot- long story, no time- then I could do it with someone leaning against me.
My thoughts put a little push into each other my steps, along with the pump of adrenaline as my mind buzzed with questions. Who was this boy? Why was he beaten up? Why was this man so insistent on chasing him?
