FML

Liang Jian Amal raced his car around the corner to the other end of the alley way intending to cut her off before she reached the other side.

When he peeled around the corner though, he was confounded to not see her anywhere in sight, or even down the alleyway as he drove past it. There were more cars on this roadway, choking up the road, slowing him, so he was able to take a good look, but quickly became frustrated at the thought of her slipping away with every second. Ignoring honks and fingers of protest from other drivers, Liang JianAmal whipped his car to the side of the street.

Alighting from the vehicle Liang JianAmal started racing to the alley to see if maybe she was in there, hidden somewhere. Or perhaps on the other side if she had turned back. As he ran through, he called her name a few times desperately, hoping she would show herself even if the chances were low.

- - - -

Chang had to have picked one of the worst dumpsters to throw herself into. It seemed to be an Asian themed restaurant's dumpster she guessed by the smells that assailed her.

Luckily it was half full, so she did not hurt herself in her haste.

Unluckily it half full of rotting food and other refuse that acted as a quick cushion which she quickly sank through.

Chang's nose wrinkled at the overpowering smell and she clamped a hand over her mouth to keep hold of her stomach, fighting queasiness.

She had planned to hide there for a few minutes, just to be safe, but the various smells and sensations were too much for her stomach too handle. Just as she reached the top of the pile she heard someone's heavy footsteps racing down the alleyway before the bellow of a man's voice.

"Chang!"

Stiffening immediately at the sound of the man's voice Chang tried to stifle any noises she might make as the sound of his approach. The plastic surrounding her was not wanting to help her at all though.

'FML,' she thought, putting a palm to her forehead. 'Guess its not time to get out yet.'

Chang hunkered down on her little garbage throne, prepared to wait more, her nerves overpowering her queasy stomach.

All of a sudden though the lid lifted and she was assailed with a fresh bag of garbage, splitting and dripping with who knows what.

Chang mustered in herself a determination she never knew she had to not immediately spring out of her hiding place. After a few minutes, or what felt like an eternity, she heard someone knock on the side of the dumpster.

"Hey girlie you can come out now. If you were waiting for him to go, that guy is long gone now."

At the sound of an older mans voice, Chang slowly peeked her head out of her hiding place, like a groundhog in spring.

She turned her head and saw the older man looking to be in his fifties, leaning against the alley wall as he smoked a cigarette next to a metal screen door. He wore a small smirk at her state of appearance as she climbed to the top and jumped to the ground. Little bits of food matter hit the ground as she did, with an "oomph."

He snickered a little as he said "Hey girlie, why were you hiding from that man. He was pretty handsome, shouldn't you be running to him and not away?." He took a long drag then continued. "I'm curious, what would make you want stay hidden after i dropped all that garbage on you."

"You-!"Her cheeks puffed out and her face reddened. 'I cant believe that guy threw that garbage on top of me on purpose! Why would someone do that? What an a**!!' Chang wanted to curse him out but knew she already did not have the time to do so. Immediately she turned on her heel and started to storm away, marching to the sound of the chuckling behind her. She then heard from behind her,

"Hey wanna clean yourself up a bit in our kitchen, in repayment for today's entertainment?"Chang ground her teeth and kept marching on, blaming Jian in her heart, as she marched despondently to work.

Her mind and feet felt weighted down with the memories that threatened to overtake her as she marched, all her vigor from earlier drained.

She was finally settling down, had a stable place to live, friends, well friend really, and soon a good job...

At the thought of uprooting again to disappear in the night her mood darkened and a couple tears leaked out slowly. She could not allow herself to be caught up by that man, anyone in this world but him.