Peddler

"Psst. Kid. Hey, kid."

I paused walking my bike along the sidewalk and glanced into the alley. I couldn't see much: just a shadowed figure, tall, in a long coat. It beckoned, and held open one side of the jacket, revealing an array of sparkling lights, too bright to look at without pain, too bright to even perceive, to understand.

"Yeah, kid. Come here. I got hopes. I got dreams. I got what you need to get through this shithole world."

"Buzz off, creep!" I shouted. I mounted my bike and kicked off, pedaling frantically away.

I know better than to mess with contraband.