You kept your head down as you walked through the Upper East District of Pearldale. It was commonly known as the partying district, full of neon lights and nightclubs. It’s the district that never sleeps. A place for university students to drink their failures away and for rich CEOs to cheat on their partners. But locals knew it as the breathing grounds for drug trafficking and gang violence.

It was the fasted way home and going around the district would mean you get home even later. Which is even worse.

Traversing the Upper East District is easy if you know where you’re going and how to present yourself. Since you aren’t looking for trouble or a person to spend the night with, you keep your head down and stay to the inner sides of the street. But not too close to the buildings, you might bump into a gang member.

The blaring lights from the clubs no longer had effects on your vision. You were used to it. Unfortunately.

You were nearing a bridge connecting the Upper East District with a small village, when a man’s body skidded across the road from an alleyway. Dazed or knocked out, you had no clue.

A group of young men emerged from the alleyway, a small but tough gang. Their leader, Wren, pressed his boot against the man’s ribs and sneered, “You thought you could cross my brothers?!”

You knew of Wren. You coach his little sister, Willow, at the swim centre you work part time at. University won’t pay for itself. He’d always be the one to pick her up. Never the parents.

You dragged your eyes away from him and kept walking. Hesitation in this district caused attention.

Your feet didn’t seem to move fast enough as Wren locked his eyes on you. Fuck. If you saw this, you might gossip about at work and his sister could find out about his life. You don’t seem all that strong, a threat may work.

“Hey, Swim coach!” Wren shouted in your direction with conviction.