"I can't help but close my eyes for life
And dream a different ending
That when I wake, I won't be so exhausted
And I will stop with my pretending
That I'm fine, I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
And my lie will drown out all of yours
I will not bend until I break, how much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me"
Age: 19
Location: Slum District G17, Coruscant
My hand slipped into the pocket of the…well, I guess you could call him a man, although the tentacles on his face say otherwise, in the middle of the crowded street. A well placed shoulder disguised the move as an accidental run-in, to be expected at this time of night in the slum district. As he turned, grumbling curses in a language I did not know, I quickly held my hands up in apology, the stolen comm unit falling smoothly into my sleeve.
A sheepish smile and bumbled apology always did the trick, the man turning around and continuing on his way. I chuckled to myself and allowed the comm unit to slide down the skin of my arm, coming to rest back in my hand. It was smaller than the common models seen around my area of town, meaning it would be worth a few hundred extra credits. Slipping the unit in the small satchel at my waist with the few other goods I’d secure on this trip, a shout from behind stopped me cold.
Three boys, two humans and a Chiss, were headed straight for me, their faces a mixture of thunderous anger and outrage. I’d ventured into enemy territory a few streets back and had assumed the Red Suns didn’t patrol this far out. I was wrong, and now I was caught poaching on enemy territory. Turning and heading deeper into the crowd, the shouts intensified as I maneuvered my way to the edge of the street, slipping into a side alley. My best bet was to lose them and hope that one comm wasn’t worth a turf war.
Boots clamored down the alley behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know that they were still hot on my tail. Kark.
I picked up my pace and eyed a small rundown apartment building up ahead and to the left. Most of the apartments were used for spice deals and gambling rings, but it would do. I ducked into the entrance, pissing off a Rodian as I swung past and knocked him off his feet. My apology was muffled with laughter as I headed for the turbolift.
The brief trip to the top gave me a chance to catch my breath. They’d be a short distance behind, buildings like this one always had second lifts for the large amount of occupants it hosted in it’s heyday.
As soon as the lift stopped, I flew out, headed for the door to the rooftop patio. This area had also seen better days. Worn and torn chairs and tables mingled with garbage and discarded technology, already picked over by the scavengers. Pausing long enough to find my bearings, I heard the door slam open behind me followed by angrier shouts and threats. Without thinking, I launched into a sprint, heading for the west edge of the building. Three feet from the edge I jumped, sailing the small gap to land smoothly on the building next door.
I never stopped running. I was faster and could easily hurdle the small alleys between the residential units. I could only hope that the boys would give up or hesitate.
A quick glance behind me widened my eyes. Instead of being deterred, they followed hot on my heals.
Another gap ahead, this one slightly wider than before, but still easy. I jumped it smoothly, landing and taking off without pause. Two more buildings, turn, run…I couldn’t breathe well anymore. How the kark were they keeping up?
With renewed determination, I aimed for the building dead-ahead of me. The gap was larger than the others, 8 feet maybe? I waited until the last possible second, toes digging into the edge of the concrete and propelled myself up. I knew the moment I wouldn’t make it. Preparing for impact, I gritted my teeth and grabbed for the edge of the roof. My ribs slammed into the sharp side of concrete ledge, hands scrambling for purchase. Somehow I found handholds, clinging to the top of the building for dear life.
I knew at least two of my ribs had cracked on impact, each breath sending a sharp stab of pain. My feet scrambled for anything to give me leverage to hoist myself up to the relative safety of the roof. They’d catch me, I couldn’t run with two broken ribs, but it was okay. I’d take a beating and be fine. I wouldn’t survive the fall from here. I glanced down, and immediately regretted it.
I closed my eyes and clung to the side, struggling just to breathe for a few moments. The sounds of running boots echoed through the air. I expected them to stop, to head into the building to take the lift down, anything except to try the reckless jump I just had.
But they did, and unlike me, they made the gap easily. Stopping to turn and watch me struggle to keep my grip. Their boots stopped inches from my face, the Chiss boy stepping forward and kneeling down.
“What do we have here? Looks like you’re in trouble little girl. Need a hand?â€
Without waiting for an answer, the heel of a boot came slamming down on the fingers of my left hand. I felt and heard the bones crunch beneath the pressure, my vision flashing white in pain. A scream of pain and fear tore from my throat as I clung to the side of the building with my good hand. Tears leaking out of the corner of my eyes and I cursed myself for my idiocy.
â€Tell the ground we say hello.â€
I glanced up at him, eyes wide, in time for his boot to connect with my temple. I lost my handhold and then I was airborne…
And dream a different ending
That when I wake, I won't be so exhausted
And I will stop with my pretending
That I'm fine, I'm fine if I can fool myself tonight
And my lie will drown out all of yours
I will not bend until I break, how much can one bruised body take?
Just not enough to silence me"
Age: 19
Location: Slum District G17, Coruscant
My hand slipped into the pocket of the…well, I guess you could call him a man, although the tentacles on his face say otherwise, in the middle of the crowded street. A well placed shoulder disguised the move as an accidental run-in, to be expected at this time of night in the slum district. As he turned, grumbling curses in a language I did not know, I quickly held my hands up in apology, the stolen comm unit falling smoothly into my sleeve.
A sheepish smile and bumbled apology always did the trick, the man turning around and continuing on his way. I chuckled to myself and allowed the comm unit to slide down the skin of my arm, coming to rest back in my hand. It was smaller than the common models seen around my area of town, meaning it would be worth a few hundred extra credits. Slipping the unit in the small satchel at my waist with the few other goods I’d secure on this trip, a shout from behind stopped me cold.
Three boys, two humans and a Chiss, were headed straight for me, their faces a mixture of thunderous anger and outrage. I’d ventured into enemy territory a few streets back and had assumed the Red Suns didn’t patrol this far out. I was wrong, and now I was caught poaching on enemy territory. Turning and heading deeper into the crowd, the shouts intensified as I maneuvered my way to the edge of the street, slipping into a side alley. My best bet was to lose them and hope that one comm wasn’t worth a turf war.
Boots clamored down the alley behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know that they were still hot on my tail. Kark.
I picked up my pace and eyed a small rundown apartment building up ahead and to the left. Most of the apartments were used for spice deals and gambling rings, but it would do. I ducked into the entrance, pissing off a Rodian as I swung past and knocked him off his feet. My apology was muffled with laughter as I headed for the turbolift.
The brief trip to the top gave me a chance to catch my breath. They’d be a short distance behind, buildings like this one always had second lifts for the large amount of occupants it hosted in it’s heyday.
As soon as the lift stopped, I flew out, headed for the door to the rooftop patio. This area had also seen better days. Worn and torn chairs and tables mingled with garbage and discarded technology, already picked over by the scavengers. Pausing long enough to find my bearings, I heard the door slam open behind me followed by angrier shouts and threats. Without thinking, I launched into a sprint, heading for the west edge of the building. Three feet from the edge I jumped, sailing the small gap to land smoothly on the building next door.
I never stopped running. I was faster and could easily hurdle the small alleys between the residential units. I could only hope that the boys would give up or hesitate.
A quick glance behind me widened my eyes. Instead of being deterred, they followed hot on my heals.
Another gap ahead, this one slightly wider than before, but still easy. I jumped it smoothly, landing and taking off without pause. Two more buildings, turn, run…I couldn’t breathe well anymore. How the kark were they keeping up?
With renewed determination, I aimed for the building dead-ahead of me. The gap was larger than the others, 8 feet maybe? I waited until the last possible second, toes digging into the edge of the concrete and propelled myself up. I knew the moment I wouldn’t make it. Preparing for impact, I gritted my teeth and grabbed for the edge of the roof. My ribs slammed into the sharp side of concrete ledge, hands scrambling for purchase. Somehow I found handholds, clinging to the top of the building for dear life.
I knew at least two of my ribs had cracked on impact, each breath sending a sharp stab of pain. My feet scrambled for anything to give me leverage to hoist myself up to the relative safety of the roof. They’d catch me, I couldn’t run with two broken ribs, but it was okay. I’d take a beating and be fine. I wouldn’t survive the fall from here. I glanced down, and immediately regretted it.
I closed my eyes and clung to the side, struggling just to breathe for a few moments. The sounds of running boots echoed through the air. I expected them to stop, to head into the building to take the lift down, anything except to try the reckless jump I just had.
But they did, and unlike me, they made the gap easily. Stopping to turn and watch me struggle to keep my grip. Their boots stopped inches from my face, the Chiss boy stepping forward and kneeling down.
“What do we have here? Looks like you’re in trouble little girl. Need a hand?â€
Without waiting for an answer, the heel of a boot came slamming down on the fingers of my left hand. I felt and heard the bones crunch beneath the pressure, my vision flashing white in pain. A scream of pain and fear tore from my throat as I clung to the side of the building with my good hand. Tears leaking out of the corner of my eyes and I cursed myself for my idiocy.
â€Tell the ground we say hello.â€
I glanced up at him, eyes wide, in time for his boot to connect with my temple. I lost my handhold and then I was airborne…
