The Streets (Pt. 3)

"You can't get anywhere from here. y'know that?"

"Yeah, and just what makes you say that?"

A seventeen-year-old Jason looked over his shoulder to where a girl sat on the railing beside him. Her feet dangled off the edge, where cars passed underneath on a four-lane highway, leading out of the busy commercial district of the city. 

"It's just..." 

The girl's lips were pursed as she watched the vehicles zooming below thoughtfully. She looked to be around sixteen or so, raven black hair falling just a little below her shoulders. She wore shorts and a pair of high top converse, a hoodie over her shoulders loosely. He knew her as Vivian, and she had been with them for only a couple months or so at the most, as far as he could recollect.

"Look at all the people down there. They all know where they're going... but what about us?"

"What about us?"

He muttered, leaning his forearms against the railing as he glanced down. He himself was dressed in an old pair of jeans, and a pair of sneakers that were on their way to being unwearable. His hair hadn't yet been shaved nor dyed, it's original dark color laying a bit unruly on top of his head. A hood rest over the top of it, covering a plain tee as well.

Once more Viv looked back to him. "I mean... don't you know where you're going, other than this?" Her hands did a broad sweep of the area around them. 

"...no, I don't see why it matters. We're doing fine, and Adam takes care of us."

"Have you ever... thought of going back home?"

"Not once." He answered abruptly. 

"Not even once..?" She pried.

"Well, I hardly knew my mother when she left... and I couldn't get away from the old man fast enough." Jason practically growled. 

"...You see this?" His fingers would trace over a scar trailing just above his hairline, parting it to be visible. "He was drunk one night. Sometime after my mother had died. Threw a beer bottle at me, could've been worse. I was fourteen... that's when I decided to run."

"What about after? How did you end up with Adam?" Vivian questioned sheepishly.

Jason shrugged. "The same way you did. He found me one night when I was on the streets." He looked back to her with a tilt of his head. "So you're thinking about going back home after all this time... huh? What's your story?"

Vivian's eyes were hidden by her hair as she looked down. "I never knew my dad, and my mom lives alone with me. But her boyfriend comes over..." Viv paused. "...he doesn't treat her very well, and I've told her to leave, but she won't. He tried to put his hands on me once, so I left... who knows, maybe things have gotten better by now. I really do miss her."

Jason watched as Vivian's arms went around herself, pulling her sweatshirt closer as a cold breeze passed through. A frown crossed his lips. He didn't tell her... he didn't want to, and he wasn't sure why, but he just knew it wouldn't be the case. He glanced down at the road below before he turned around, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back on the railing.

"Y'know, maybe you're right. Maybe you can't get anywhere from here... but it's sure as hell better than there."

[To Be Continued]

[OOC: I recommend the book "Can't Get There From Here."

Pretty good, based on a plot about a tribe of homeless teens.]