Down the way, a small ruckus was being stirred in the most-recently inhabited apartment. The sound of boxes being dropped and two adult voices raised in surprise, then admonishment: the mother, "Siggy!" and the father, "Sigmund! What were you thinking? I could have—!" and the child, much harder to hear thanks to his softer tone of voice, "I'm sorry!"

More was said, but the voices had lowered and became indistinguishable. Finally, a belligerent sigh, and a young boy around ten or eleven years old tromped his way out of the apartment. Around his neck were some headphones attached to the player in his hand, but he had yet to put them on. He seemed more exasperated than annoyed or upset.

After a moment of searching the surrounding area, past a few of the boxes that had yet to make their way inside...

"Hey."

The boy found Kieron.