The roaring of thunder sends an omniscient sign of rain. Street lights flickers in an eerie pattern, it did almost nothing to illuminate the empty street. The rustling of leaves gives an impression that something is going to happen….something bad. I can’t shake this feeling of dread. With every footstep I take, my instincts heightened.
Sensing my fear, Dave gave me a cocky smile and said “It’ll be fine. It’s just a simple job. Give the package and just get out of there.” I nodded curtly, trying to reassure myself with his words. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breat- *uck this shit! Whoever says that taking a deep breath helps to calm one’s nerve is obviously drunk. The butterflies in my stomach isn’t going anywhere, if anything, they are increasing and laughing. My stomach emits a rumbling sound in agreement. Damn! They are definitely laughing at me.
For the millionth time I asked myself why am I doing this. ‘Because you ran out of money that’s why’ my mind automatically answers sarcastically. Great! Now I am talking to myself. The next thing I know I’ll go crazy and start a murder rampage on-
“Almost there,” Dave grunted to himself, interrupting my internal dialog.
He lifts his right index finger and point at the direction of an alleyway, “Let’s get this over with”
I nodded in agreement and began to motion my heavy legs towards the alleyway. No more second thoughts. I want to do this. No, I need to do this.
With every step I take- the temperature, which comes in contact with by bare skin- drop colder and colder. I started to shiver, whether from cold or fear, I can’t say. The rotting garbage was strewn along the path ways- making it hard to navigate around. To make things worse, the horrible stench of garbage has woven itself with the cold air. Any signs of life were indicated by the sounds of movement-of creaking, shuffling, cracking- that bounces off the wall. Mice, cockroach and other vermin could be seen scurrying off as Dave and I move. I tried-no, I don’t want to think of what I plunge my shoes into. Is that a mouse carcass? I swear myself out. Dave seems unfazed about this environment. His face was unreadable poker. Sig-gagging to myself, I began to breathe through my mouth.
Suddenly, I hear a foreign sound. A soft strange sound. A soft muffled sound.
“Hey, Dave you hear that?” I asked, whispering.
“*uck Carter! If you’re having cold feet just-“
“No, really! Can you hear something?”
“No shit Carter, only your *ucking crazy babbling!”
“I’m telling you! There’s a-“
“What? Ghost?!” his words drip in sarcasm.
“Its...I don’t know okay? There is something!”
“Quit wastin’ time!”
“But- Aargh just wait here,” giving up, I gave him a frustrated look, and then quickly I pivot my body around to the direction of the sound-wanting to prove him wrong. I scan through the garbage for any clue of what am I looking for. With nothing out of the ordinary, I just relied only on my ears. As the sound got louder-which indicate I was nearer-, I began to recognize that sound. I hasten my search.
The sound echoes from a huge garbage dump. I took a deep breath and a quickly roll my sleeves up. I started scavenging for the source of the sound. After pulling out a few plastic of decomposing food, I found what I was looking for. I sighed in relieve that it’s still alive….Albeit a little blue due to being crushed by a few piles of plastic but it should be okay. I slowly take it to my arms and run back to Dave.
“See, toldja!” I smirk triumphantly as I cradle it, soothing it to sleep.
“Congrat! You got yourself a child, now leave it,” Dave snorted.
At that moment the baby began to wail, as if he understands what Dave has said.
“*uck! Make it stop!”Dave shouted to compete with the baby’s wailing.
“I’m trying” I replied softly as I rock the baby on my arms.
“Shut it up!” Dave threatened pulling out his gun from his pocket and pointed it at me…more specifically at the baby. A wave of emotion came over-shock, fear, angry, sad, disappointment, protective-in a single nano-second.
Without a second more to lose, my instinct kick in, quickly I held the baby closer. My stance immediately turned protective-buying me some time to calm the baby. I gently shushed the baby. Whispering sweet nothing to him. But no avail.
“You know what? *UCK THIS! I am doing this job myself and you can go screw that thing!” Dave screamed as he stomps off to do the job.
Wide-eyed, I stare blankly at his back until the darkness eats his image up. After that, the baby wail came to a halt.
“You don’t like him much do you?”I ask knowingly to the baby, giving her a fond smile.
I made a makeshift bed on the cold concrete floor (from trash bags) for the baby. I strip my hoodie off my back to give warm for the baby. Walking in the alleyway topless and getting flu is much better than a baby dying of cold. Better me than her.
“I’ll be right back, I need to apologize and help him, he is after all my best friend and he is nice if you get to know him,” I smiled warmly before gently put her there.
I ran hastily towards the direction of Dave. When I saw him in my line of sight, I was about to apologized when-
BANG
A clear ring of gunshot was heard. I saw Dave dropped on the cold cemented ground like a puppet whose strings have just got cut. I muffled my gasp with my hands making sure I don’t make a sound.
Dave was drench in blood-his blood. His whole body was shivering, whether of blood loss or fear, I can’t tell. His hazel orbs were dilating-stricken in even more fear- as the shuffling of footsteps began to draw nearer and nearer. His completion grew paler by the second. He mouths a plea of help to my direction. Unfortunately, my fear looms heavily on my back, thus paralyzing me from moving.
In the corner of my eyes I saw a man clad in a black trench coat walking casually towards Dave. He was holding a gun-presumably the gun he used to kill Dave. He has a short spiky hair, eyes that crazy people have and a tight calm smile. He uses his right leg to step on Dave’s head. Daves’s eyes widen, fearing on what is to come. The man’s calm smile contorted into a menacing frown. He pulled the trigger and…Dave’s eyes turned dull with death.
With no time to mourn, I snapped myself out of my panicked reverie. I made a 180 degrees turn and quickly bolted. Hearing my frantic footsteps the man, quickly turned his attention to me. He began giving a barrage of bullets for me to dodge and avoid. At this point adrenaline started to course into my veins. With every step I made, was a miracle by itself. With every second I survive was a blessing by itself. If there was a time to believe in God; now was the time. I can hear some of the bullets singing death threats over my ears. I can feel the force of air created by the cutting of bullets grazing on my skin.
I saw the baby in my line of sight and quickly-as if practiced- I scooped the baby up and continue running without changing my speed. Not caring if the baby cries. I would push some rubbish dump to obstruct the way in the hopes of slowing my assailant down.
Even out of the alleyway I still continue running. I ran and ran and ran and ran….until my legs gave out and the adrenaline wasn’t enough to keep me standing. Thankfully, the assailant stopped perusing me.
I sat by the road. Panting and wheezing, trying to catch my breath. Soon, my adrenaline ran dry. My whole body sore. Sweat; coming out from every pores of my body. Slowly, my emotions caught up to me. Tears start dropping out of my eyes. How ironic, those tears are both meant for mourning a death of a friend and a celebration of surviving. For what it’s worth, I gained a friend.
I looked at the baby with a smile, tears still dreaming down.
How funny, I saved you….. And you saved me. Fate could be funny.
One sentence:A poor man who gained an unlikely friend(baby) by losing(death) one friend in a process (work)
Soundtrack The rescues- let loose the horses
Will re edit...1st draft.WIP
