I was shoved hard from behind.
I raised my elbows as I hit the concrete, but that barely cushioned my fall. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my journal go flying, its loose papers spreading everywhere.
I heard laughter. And then footsteps, coming at me.
Heart pounding in my chest, my adrenaline kicked in. I managed to roll and scramble to my feet just before they reached me. I took off at a sprint down the alleyway, running for my life.
They followed close behind.
At one of my many schools, back when I thought I would have a long future somewhere, I took up track, and realized I was good at it. The best on the team, actually. Not in long-distance, but in the 100-yard sprint. I could even outrun most of the guys. And now, it came flooding back to me.
I ran for my life, and the
