New York 2007
Malaki walked down New York street, staring at the ground as the sun set behind the city. He wore a white collared shirt with a blue blazer. His brown hair curled in the humid, misty air, and blew in the frosty breath of the breeze. He shivered as the gust cut through his skin.
He heard loud, rapid footsteps echoing across the tall buildings. They got closer until something crashed into him. They hit their foreheads together and the girl fell back.
She yelled out when she hit the ground. Malaki fell back as well, but he was able to catch himself on the side of the building.
After a moment of shock, he gazed down at the girl who was rubbing her head with her palm. She had gorgeous brown curls that stopped at the base of her shoulders, and she wore a tattered dress, faded to a greyish purple. It looked as if it were a mistress’s dress from the nineteenth century.
“Are you alright?” Malaki asked, discarding his surprise from his tone. This girl looked really pale and skinny. As if she hadn’t had sun shine on her skin in years.
“Yes,” she said. Then she looked up at him. Her eyes were a beautiful amber brown, but there was a fuzzy look to them. As if she was confused and disoriented.
Could she have been on drugs?
No... he doubted it. She looked scared, not high.
Malaki held out his hand and she took it. He helped her off the ground onto her feet. The girl stood shakily, but she was able to steady herself.
“What’s your name?” Malaki asked, noticing her trembling slightly.
The girl hesitated for a moment, looking around as if she didn’t know where she was. Then she exhaled. “Umm... my name is Sarah.”
“I’m Malaki, but my friends call me Mal.” He winked at her.
Sarah looked up at him and snickered, trying to mask her fear, but he could see through her act. “Are you hitting on me? We only just met.”
He gazed at her for a moment. “I think you’re pretty.”
Her face heated and she looked away. “Umm… Thanks.”
Sarah glanced up at Malaki and their gazes locked. Her eyes were a dark shade of amber, like mist on a rainy day. She looked terrified. He wondered why. Why was she so scared? Was she just mugged? She didn’t have any signs of injury, so maybe not.
It seemed that finally she registered that she was staring into a stranger’s eyes.
Quickly, Sarah looked away. She’s scared about something, Malaki thought. I can’t tell what it is, but she’s pale.
“Is everything okay?” Malaki asked.
Sarah looked back at him. “Oh! Yeah, sorry about that. I’m not used to talking to people. So sorry if I freaked you out there.” She closed her eyes and smiled.
She’s lying, Malaki thought. She was masking her fear because she was insecure.
“Well… I should get home,” Sarah said kindly. “I’ll see you around. It was nice talking to you.” Then her shoes tapped the ground as she walked away, waving goodbye, her back facing him.
Malaki stared after her as she walked away and froze when he saw her fall over.
Sarah hit the ground, unmoving as if she were dead.
Why did his stomach drop when she fell? He never felt this with anyone before.
Taken off guard, Malaki stared at her body on the ground, frozen in place.
When he finally woke from shock, he ran up to her and rolled her over until he saw her face. There was a big red bump on her forehead where their heads collided. Scrapes and bruises covered her skin from where she hit the sidewalk, red dripping down her bleached white skin. It looked so peculiar. As if someone were painting a white canvas with blood. And there was another red bump where her head hit the ground.
He tried shaking her, tapping her face, but she wouldn’t wake. He sighed. I guess she got a concussion of some sort. Her body was heated. Abnormally hot. Not like a normal human temperature. He felt her forehead. She was burning up. Was she sick?
He looked around, finding no one nearby. The streets were empty, looking almost abandoned. What was she doing wandering around alone? She didn’t look any more than sixteen.
Well, he looked seventeen and he was wandering the streets alone. But where was she going when she was this sick. He could tell she was sick. That was clear by her heightened temperature, pale skin, and dazed appearance.
He glanced around once more and then gazed down at her. Sarah’s eyes were closed and she was breathing shallowly, like she was sleeping and in pain.
He looked around again thinking of what to do, should he take her to a hospital? No. Something was off about this girl, something told him he shouldn’t take her there.
He stared at her sleeping face. He couldn’t leave her here, right?
Why was Malaki suddenly feeling so overprotective of this girl?
He bit his lower lip and tried tapping her face again.
Nothing.
Decisions, decisions, so many of them.
He gazed up at the setting sun. Gold, orange, and pink light filled the sky, shimmering down onto the black streets.
He scanned the area for other people, still thinking of what to do. Then he finally decided.
He peered down at her, her eyelids twitching, her face was turning red as the fever forced blood to rush up her cheeks. Sarah’s breathing started getting quicker. He folded one arm under her legs and the other under her back.
If he wanted to help her, he must hurry. Before she got worse.
Slowly he lifted her, her arms dangled, the blood rushing to her fingertips. He made sure he supported her back so she wouldn’t be in pain when she woke up. He held her tightly against his chest, the scent of strawberries filled his nose. Was this what she smelled like?
Malaki looked at her sleeping face, it was edged in pain. He wondered if she was sick or injured... Did she have an infection?
This girl seemed sweet, not like those other girls that were mean for no reason. He just assumed they were nice to him because he was rich.
But Sarah was different. She was nice to him even though she didn’t know who he was.
He smiled down at her even though she couldn’t see it, this was the first time he smiled in years. Why was she so kind to him? Was this an actual personality a girl could have? It seemed like it. She didn’t have to be kind… She chose to… That was the best thing that happened to Malaki. Someone actually being kind to him.
But right now, he had a job to do. He must take her and cure her. He knew someplace that could help. Someplace that wasn’t a hospital.
Carefully, he carried her to his home.
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