Shadows

Rain beats against his face as a boy frantically runs through an alleyway. He stumbles into dumpsters and drifting litter as his focus is shifted behind him; eager yet unready for the visual of who may be chasing after him. He's running out of breath but cannot risk stopping before he - no - before it is safe... he clenches his jacket, closer to his chest. Its dark and the only light are from the periodic burst of lighting stretching across the swampy skies or the flickering street lamps illuminating his trail. A well thought out plan this was not but still without an alternative he must run. With every step he grows weaker - with every breath they grow closer.

"Hay You! Stop!" a voice shouts from the window of a vehicle. The tires hiss, splashing water from the gutter as it peels into reverse and doubles back towards the running boy. For a split second the boy halts in shock at the surprise of his pursuers command only to scamper quickly between another pathway. He can hear the revving of the car’s engine as it swooshes pass the entrance to the path. In sight is a staircase low enough for a single jump to reach - he pauses, listening keenly past the raindrops hitting the peak of his cap, the loose items at the top of trash can in effort to recognize any other motions but his own.

Lightning strikes - the noise from the Thunder follows shortly after as he leaps, pulling the ladder to the staircase into reach. A loud, repetitive, metallic sound echoes but is somewhat masked by the roll of thunder. Quickly, the boy makes his way up the rungs; upon reaching the first staircase he retracts the ladder securing its latch to conceal his evasion. He presses against the first windowsill he finds and attempts to pry it open – not even a budge. Lightning strikes and with the roll of thunder following, he kicks the window, shattering the glass. The sound of breaking glass beneath his feet reminds him to be even more discrete as he makes his way into the apartment. Safety within unknown walls he thinks to himself. The room is vacant and only a single table with a chair sits in the middle of the could be dining room. The sound of his stomach rumbles as he staggers - weak from his journey - and falls slummy into the wooden chair gripping his jacket making certain it’s still there.

CRASH!

The sound of the apartment door as it breaks open echoes through the room. Feet rushing into the living room could be heard as the boy scrambles from the table to find cover behind a column. His heart beats uncontrollably from the thought of being caught as the light from the scope attached to their automatic weapons reflect around the room. Voices can be heard yet the words are not distinct enough to comprehend. The boy’s only escape would be to go the way he came in but its certain moving would give away his position yet he knows it would only be a matter of time before the intruders find him. The shuffling of feet within the apartment walls get closer as he ducks and slowly crouches towards the window. The broken glass from the window pierces his arms as he is forced to crawl on his stomach. One leg makes it out the window before his wrist is grabbed by someone on the staircase.

“He’s over here!” his captor shouts as the other characters make their way to the staircase.  The boy hysterically fights to break free from what is now a choke hold by his abductors. A noise from the back alley breaks the concentration of the man holding the boy as his attention is swayed for a moment. The boy uses this as his chance to break free- kicking the man between the legs and leaps from the staircase. Only to be knocked off balance by one of the individuals trying to grab hold of his legs. Tipped over and now head first, the boy knows his fate – free-falling - with seconds before impact he unravels a box from his sweater and holds it close to his chest as until his neck is suddenly snapped on impact with the pavement. A shiny object is tossed from the now shattered box and skids down the lane.     

“Get down there! He must have had it” the assaulted character commands the others who spring from the staircase unto the ground below. The boy’s body is flipped over as one of the men rummages his pockets until pieces of the box are noticed and the body tossed aside. In the distant a siren can be heard as the men increase the pace of their search.

“We found the box. Nothing is inside” one of the men shouted to their man on the staircase.

“Secure the box and its remains. The cops are on their way.” He responded.

“What about the body?”

“What about it? Let’s go!” the man on the staircase shouted down as he made his way into the apartment.

The other men made their way down the alley way opposite the direction of the sirens that were quickly approaching.


.......to be continued........... maybe....