The alley was crawling. Shady figures stood in pairs along the damp brick walls, exchanging small, foil-wrapped packages for wads of crumpled cash. A couple was violently making out against a rusted dumpster, completely oblivious to the world. A group of guys wearing heavy leather jackets leaned against a row of parked motorcycles, passing a joint back and forth.
As I walked down the narrow lane, a few sleazy, predatory eyes locked onto me.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" a guy with a lip ring sneered, blowing a plume of sweet, heavy smoke into my face. "A lost little puppy?"
"Check out the hat. You hiding something under there, sweetheart?" another taunted, leaning off the wall to block my path slightly.
"Damn, look at that face. Looks like someone already used you as a punching b
