The Adventures of Elijah and Buddy

Escape?

I dropped all my things and watched them fall to the ground with a large thud. I bolted to the back corner of the store and pushed some boxes out of the way and crawled behind them hiding from the outside world. Again. I heard the worker come to the back of the store where I was hiding and he then piled more boxes in front of me hiding me even more. "Stay here, it will be fine" he whispered. The door slammed open and a man in a grey sweater and black jeans burst in. and within seconds, he was throwing things off the shelves.

Everything was flying everywhere. I don't have any words that can describe what I was feeling during all of this. I was almost paralyzed I couldn't move, hesitation in every breath I took. I tried to not make any sounds at all even if it meant staying in this cramped space with my spine scraped up against the rough brick wall. It felt as if I was in a small jail cell with only enough space to breathe. I went back to that night. The trick, the ally, the chasing of the car. And it came to me. That's how I felt. Alone, fearful, and discouraged.

I almost screamed as I heard a gun load and the shop worker start pleading for his life. The sound of sirens took throughout the store. I tried to jump but banged my head on the shelf above me with a violent thud, That sent the man's gun across the room. My eyes widened and I heard loud angry footsteps inching towards me. "This is it." "This is where I die." I examined the place as if it was a bright sunset. I remember every box, every corner every shadow, everything, even the sound of my own slowing breath.