The Shadows of the Danger Line

“Hey! Get back here you brat!” yelled a furious police officer as he chased after a young teenage

girl. He had been after the brat for months, but every time he thought he had come close to

cornering the teen she disappeared.The girl continued weaving through the back allies her heart

racing as she focused on what was ahead of her. She smirked seeing a closed dumpster near

the upcoming fifteen foot tall chain link feet. She quickly jumped onto the dumpster before

ascending the fence. She jumped down her feet hitting the concrete pavement gracefully before

she continues on her attempt to evade the officer. She knew he wouldn’t bother climbing the

fence to come after her and her thoughts were confirmed when she heard him shouting curses

into the air. She pulled the hood up on her old tattered hoodie covering her dirty blonde hair and

shielding her hazel eyes from the blazing California sun. The back alleys of California were not

safe for anyone let alone the thirteen year old girl that had inhabited them for the past two

years. She had learned quickly how to survive on these streets: make friends with who you can

especially local gangs, be quick on your feet, avoid cops, and never cross Avenged Sevenfold.

She, herself, had never seen Avenged Sevenfold, but she knew they ruled the streets, and the

few people that were dumb enough to cross them were dead. She glanced up at the sky it would

be getting dark soon and that meant a bunch of drunken idiots that would be easy for her to

pick-pocket. She decided to go into the local music shop to escape the heat for now. Most people

would tell her maybe she wouldn’t be so hot if she didn’t wear her hoodie all the time, but she

wore the hoodie to cover the scars that covered her arms from the tragic accident that took her

mother’s life.

“Dakota, lass, I thought somethin’ happ’n to ya” said Mr. Keegan the local music shop keeper. He

was an older gentleman in his fifties that had taken a liking to having the teen’s company. “Sorry,

Mr. Keegan, I’ve been busy” she replied with an innocent shrug. “Get that damn hoodie off before

you give yourself a heat stroke” he scolded the teen. “But..” “No, buts lass I’ve seen the scars

before. I told ya they are nothin’ to be ashamed of. It just means you were stronger than

whatever hurt ya” he said giving the teen a stern look. Dakota knew there was no use in arguing

with the Irish old man; he was stubborn as a mule! She carefully slipped the hoodie off revealing

her purple v-neck shirt and causing the light to catch the necklace hanging around her neck.

She never knew what the necklace stood for it was a bat with wings. Her mother had said it was

her father’s and Dakota never took it off, but she did keep it hidden under her shirt. She tucked it

inside her shirt to where the chain was just showing. “I have some new clothes for ya, Kota. Just

go play the piano. I know that’s why you’re here while I go get the clothes” he told her. She

nodded before taking a seat in front of the beautiful grand piano located in the shop. Her fingers

immediately went to the keys as let her eyes fall closed. Her fingers danced flawlessly over the

keys as a beautiful melody flowed throughout the shop. Her mother had always told her she had

gotten her love for music from her father. Apparently, she reminded her mother of her father

often. She wished she could know the man that she was often compared to on many occasions.

“I really wish you would take up my offer and stay with me Kota” said Mr. Keegan as he

reentered the room with a bag of clothes for the teen. “I can’t Mr. Keegan too many cops come

through here and if they find me they will send me back to foster care” she explained. “Well, my

wife says, you better come by for your schooling when summer time is over, lass” he warned “I

know, I promised her I would and I am going to” she said. His wife was a high school teacher

and she refused to let someone as brilliant as the young teen to let their brain waste away.

“Lass, you better head out the back” muttered Mr. Keegan as he saw local cops heading toward

the shop. “Thanks, Mr. Keegan, I’ll see ya around” she said slipping her hoodie back on and

grabbing the bag of clothes from him. “Stay safe!” he called before heading to the front desk.

She did not reply as she headed out the back door knowing that it was too dangerous to stay

there any longer.

Dakota leaned against the side wall of a local bar as she watched drunken idiots stumble in and

out the bar. She had already made a bit of money from these people without them being aware

of her actions at all. They did not take notice to the teen at all. They were too busy having fun

and getting waste to notice her. Her muscles tensed as she saw a figure approaching her. She

waited for the figure to be revealed by the street light before moving, but she was ready to bolt

at any time. “Kota!” greeted Ethan, another street kid, she had known for about a year now. He

was sixteen and had helped her a lot in the past. “E” she greeted casually wondering what the

boy was up to on this night. She usually ended up in trouble when he came around. “I have a job

for you that would leave us both set for a while” he explained “What is it?” she questioned

curiously. “There’s this drug dealer one street over and he’s made quite a lot tonight. All you

have to do is pick-pocket him after I knock into him by accident” he told her. “No way, you are

trying to get us killed” she replied to the teen. “Come on, Dakota, you are the best pick-pocket

around and you are as fast as lightning” he pleaded with her. “I know you hate stealing from

people and think about it this way. You would be helping people by stealing the money that awful

drug dealer makes by selling that poison to people” he reasoned. Dakota sighed mentally

debating what she should do. “Fine, if we die I am going to annoy you for the rest of our lives as

ghost” she muttered as she followed after him. She did not like this idea, but it seemed

reasonable.

She felt her heart race as she spotted the dealer that she was supposed to be pick-pocketing. He

had spiky black hair and he wore a black v-neck with dark wash jeans. Ink covered his arms that

were quite muscular. “E is trying to get me killed” she mumbled to herself as she slowly walked

down the street. She waited patiently for Ethan to come running around the corner. He was

going to be her distraction. She took a deep breath as she spotted him coming around the

corner. She got into position and right as he knocked into the man she stole the money out of his

back pocket. The man was busy cussing Ethan as he ran off to notice her for the moment, but it

did not take long for him to realize that the roll of money that had been in his back pocket was

gone. Datoka took off in a sprint as soon as the man’s eyes fell on her. She knew she was dead

meat now. She silently prayed that she would not be caught by the man as she dashed through a

crowd of people and into the back alleys of the streets. She could hear the loud footsteps of the

man as he chased after her. She ran faster as she heard the crack of a gunshot and the sound of

a bullet whistling passed her. She cut down another alley before sliding into the basement of an

old building through an open window. She hid silently in the basement as she heard the man run

pass. Her heart was pounding and her hands were trembling with fear hoping that she would

survive the night.

She waited for an hour before she climbed out of her hiding spot in the building. She kept

glancing over her shoulder as she headed back to the abandon theatre she called home. She

turned hearing footsteps and spotted Ethan knowing he was here for his cut. “You idiot! I could

have been killed!” she shouted harshly at him her hazel eyes glaring daggers at him. “You did it

Dakota! You pick-pocketed Avenged Sevenfold!” he exclaimed. Her heart skipped a beat and a

chill ran down her spine at the sound of that name. “You just signed my death certificate!” she

spat at the older teen. “They are going to hunt me down!” Her mind started racing as she plotted

her escape plan from the city. She threw some of the money at Ethan “Don’t ever ask for my

help again” she said before walking off. She was no longer safe on the streets. She had to lay

low and get out of this state.