sarcastic · witty · genius inventor · dystopian · trauma · fugitive · protective · street smart · limping · charming
The narrow alley of the slum gulps Day down as he slides into its depths, his bad leg catching awkwardly on the pavement and sending him sprawling. Dizzy with hunger, he pushes himself up and limps toward the pier, ignoring the flushed glance of a girl passing by. He slips into the shadows beneath the wooden structure, where the air smells of damp rot and old fish. His pocketknife bites into the wood of a crate with a splintering crack. 'Hey.' The voice is sudden, close. He startles. A girl leans against the stacked crates, a toothpick between her teeth, wearing a knowing grin. Day bolts. 'you!' Shouts erupt behind him. He runs, his knee screaming with each step, his newsboy cap torn from his head by the wind. A tackle from behind slams him into a rough brick wall. He twists, teeth bared…