Fight to Write (Write To Rank 2021)

Runaway

The morning sun glowed on her golden locks scattered across her pillow as she lay beside me on the bed. She smells like jasmine. I love jasmine.

Her back is facing me, I trace my finger across her porcelain skin, radiating like a prism, colouring my black and white world. She is my light.

I hear keys rattle, a door open somewhere. I open my eyes. I am sitting in a dining room in front of a round table, holding a gun, in the dark.I don't like the dark.

Beside me sits a woman, uncousnes, gagged and tied to her chair. Light from the street tries to barge in through the window but is halted by the darkness in the room.

A shadow walks in, unknown of my presence, I point my gun at him.

"Evening Sergeant Langley, tough day at work?"

He halts near the light and reaches for his firearm but I cock my gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I warn "You can smell it right?"

Thin shreds of light painted the outline of the bald white man. I can feel his fear more than before as he recognises the familiar smell of gas.

"One wrong move and the whole house will blow up, with your kids upstairs and your wife beside me. Don't worry she is unconscious"

"You will die too then"

"True, but I have no one waiting for me anymore.Thanks to your friends."

"I can pay you as much as you want, just let my family go." He begs, hands in surrender.

I grit my teeth. I want to tear him limb for limb, but we have a lot to talk about first.

"You will definitely pay. Sergeant"

***

I was the guardian of this city causing fear in the hearts of the criminals. But now I am an old guy limping around with a cane. 5 years ago I injured my knee and had to retire, thankfully I had a successor to take over.

5 days ago when Sargent langley and his team apprehended a gang of Albanian mob with a bomb and brought them to percent to process. In an attempt to escape, the bomb exploded killing the perpetrators and 5 members of NYPD.

That should have been the end of the story except somebody has been hunting Albanian thugs throughout the city and kidnapped Sergeant Langley from his home last night. The assailant is none other than my protege. We beat up thugs and occasionally corrupt cops, but this is different. This isn't the work of a protector, this is the work of a predator. Something made him go over the edge, I should have been here for him, instead I ran away. I have to bring back before he kills someone.

***

Her sky blue eyes looking right back at me, her round face puts the moon to shame, her smile makes the angels blush. I hear footsteps, I open my eyes, I hid in the dark hallways of an almost deserted high school, shut down a year ago due to budget cuts.

'You are a creature of the dark now. You belong in the dark' I tell myself as the man walks closer. He stops in front of the vending machine at the end of the corridor contemplating his decision for dinner. I sneak behind him like a ghost.

"Hello Jose."

Before he could turn I grabbed his head and bashed it in the machine. Once, twice, thrice.Broken glass and candy bars scattered around the floor as I drop him after the tenth hit. His bloody face is a mixture of bewilderment and pain. His eyes almost closed when I slapped him hard.