I press my hands against my mouth to muffle my gasp and think to myself that whomever past me had been had probably not been so good if I had all these people after me in the present.

Suddenly, images of what I presumed to be my life flashed past my eyes and I let it all flow past me as I struggled to stay calm.

"I'm old enough to not be tucked in anymore, sis!"

"You're my little brother. I have to take care of you, ok?"

"ok...", I conceded.

Opening a book, she started to say, "Now 'Once upon a time there was a'...".

"A what, sis?", I interrupted.

"Shhh...be quiet! Let me tell the story!", she muttered, exasperated at my behavior.

The door slammed as someone else climbed in the bed and snuggled up close to the pair of us.

"Goo goo gaa!!!", a toddler pouted when the sister attempted to lift him up from the bed. "Now, what are you doing here, little one? It is nappy time for you and...", she looked at her watch and exclaimed, "Wow. Way past your bedtime for both of you."

Sister lifted the green-eyed child from the bed despite his protests, but I intervened and begged, "Sis, let my brother stay...please."

She raised her eyebrows in the moonlight, shrugged and tucked us both in before she shut door and whispered, "Good night, little bros."

Trying to get out of there, I waited for their footsteps to lead away, crawled on top of the tank lid and hoisted myself to a position where I could see the vent. Only to regret my decision as I immediately sized up the opening and realized I would not be able to fit.

Guess life isn't at all like the movies, huh you rascal?

Who said that? I think as I shake my head quickly so as to avoid another flashback. What I need to do is focus...focus! I find the thought of concentration funny at this point in time for some reason even though my life is at risk!

"What is wrong with me?", I mutter while leaping silently from the toilet and exiting the stall.

In my worked-up state, I nearly miss spotting the giant hole in the floor and swerve to avoid it only to get an idea so bad it might actually work.

Pushing the sewer grate fully off, I jump in, not even pausing for a second to marvel at the strength this body seems to have acquired. I will worry about that later when I have time.

Immediately to regret my abrupt decision when I land in the sewers below the men's bathroom.

It reeks in here, but somehow, I do not mind the smell as it keeps me going forward as I stumble around in the darkness, trying to find a way out of this place. After a few minutes, the tunnel widens, and I see the current getting faster so I figure that I must be headed in the right direction.

Surely, like the old saying goes, there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

A movement near my feet causes me to freeze while I gather the rest of my bearings. With my body on fight or flight mode, I make the decision to stay put and wait for whatever it is to approach me.

"Sss...whats...iss...a...child...likes...you...doing...here?", a man's voice murmurs in Spanish.

I tense up expecting the worst so when I feel the brush of something slimy near my feet, I spring up in fear and hit my head against the ceiling.

"Ow", I say, rubbing my temple vigorously to prevent coagulation in hope that I do not get another concussion.

Wait...have I had a concussion before? As I touch my scalp, I notice stitches near the top of my cranium indicating that the doctor at the hospital had to do an incision.

Just how bad had the traumatic brain injury been exactly?

"Child! Look...at...your...elder...when...they...are...speaking...to...you," he hisses at me.

"What?", I respond inquisitively. Had I missed something while I was reminiscing?

In the shadows, I spot him lunging forward, seeming to lash out at my lack of respect and I twist around to avoid his hit.

BAM! His punch hits the wall and his snarl grows even louder so as to signify his frustration.

"Why...have...you...invaded...my...abode? Are...you...looking...for...a...fight? If...so...tell...those...*******...to...leave...me...alone...in...peace," he tells me as I look around and try to sense where he possibly could be.

The strike hits me from behind as my back caves in as I fall to the murky water below and feel his fingers grasp my hair tightly, causing me extreme pain.

My mouth opens involuntarily, and the sewage water enters, leaving a foul taste in my mouth plus leaving my lungs gasping for a breath of fresh air.

"Tell...them...the...Crocodilo...sends...his...regards."

**** this guy!, a voice whispers to me in the murkiness of my mind.

Out of nowhere, my desire to live trumps my conscious thought, jerking my arms to grasp his neck and bring him down with me.

I emerge quickly, scan the around me and glimpse no sign of him. Where could he have gone?

Something pulls my legs from underneath me and I have a sudden epiphany while struggling not to drown in this garbage. Of course, he is obviously stronger underwater when he calls himself a crocodile! Think! What is the weakness of a crocodile?

Gently, I release my struggle and let him drag me under. He faces me with a menacing grin and I thrust out my fiercest kick towards his eyes.

"AHHHHH!!", he screams while I do my best to swim as far away as I can before his sight returns.

A floating island of trash appears before me and I stumble onto it headfirst. Resting for a bit, I attempt to fully get up when a hand grabs my right foot.

I search frantically in my left pocket, find the item that I was looking for, grab the object, open it and throw it towards the assailant's face.

"OWWW!!!", he shrieks as the lighter does its job and heats parts of his face to a crisp.

Pulling myself onto the bank, I look back and see an angry face peering back at me from the shallows.

Something snaps in me as I remark, "Next time we fight, I won't hold back."

The man-creature lowers himself into the water and slithers away slowly as I realize what just transpired.

I am in way over my head.