Summer grimaced noticeably. Every town had one. And she lived them for the few years before her mother got her license and brought them above it.
Her head shook. Every town, every city, had the "bad part of town". Where the trash resided and burdened the good, clean citizens with their existence alone.
Groaning silently, Summer kicked the crushed pop can with the toe of her shoe. She'd been walking for over an hour now, and would be there soon. Then she could go back home, and call to see if Zac was all right.
She'd be in the cleaner part, more sterile and civilized part of town. A bitter laugh escaped her throat before she could prevent it. Onlookers in filthy clothes and alcohol reeking breath watched as the lone figure grieved in bittersweet solitude.
Lights from roach motels, gas stations, and the local drugstores and liquor stores lit the sidewalks with florescent light. Memories flashed before her. Making midnight runs to places like these for milk or bread so that there'd be some kind of breakfast in the morning. Just something to fill the empty bellies.
The local graffiti hadn't changed. It was still as bright and vulgar as before. The older works fading or being painted over without care. Her hand touched a faded black half-sun. Its rays swerved and curved delicately, the edges jagged, and its mouth was twisted with anger. She smiled faintly. It had been a long time since she'd used that symbol.
Here eyes focused on the building. Garbage littered the front, its windows were dusty and dirty, and the empty floor inside was worn from the hundreds of feet that danced on it.
Summer's head shook again. They were right. She thought sadly, you can never go back.
She picked up her pace quickly. It was time to go home. Her home. Where she belonged now.
It didn't take as long to get back home, then it did to walk sluggishly over a huge part of Tulsa.
She showered first, knowing she was washing the dirt off her. Things had changed too much for just accepting it all in one night.
Decked out in her grubbie's, Summer ran a brush through her thick hair and picked up the phone. She dialed slowly; making sure her shaky fingers hit the right numbers.
She cleared her throat, "Yes, could you page Alexis McPherson please? Thank you."
Seconds past, making the wait more unbearable. "Summer?"
The voice brought her back to the present, "Lex? Is Zac okay? Have the doctor's seen him yet?"
"Oh God, Summer." The statement brought her slamming down, "They have to cover his eyes."
Summer let go off the breath she didn't even know she was holding. "What?"
"The glass… they're not sure of the extensive damage yet. They want to cover his eyes for a while, to let them heal. And then they'll see."
"But he's going to be all right… right?" Summer asked nervously, her hand twisting the hem of her shirt.
Lex sighed, "They don't know yet."
"Thanks, Lex." Summer murmured softly. "You guys going to be home soon?
"Yeah, we'll be leaving here in a few minutes. Mom's just talking with Mister and Misses Hanson now. Offering her services." She laughed dryly. "You know her."
"Yeah."
Silence squirmed in between them. "So… see you soon."
"Yeah."
They didn't say anything more, but it took a few seconds to hang up.
Oh God. Summer thought numbly, her legs curling up and wrapping her arms around them. She started to rock back and forth. Oh God.
