Running on Empty

Chapter 1

Hey guys, this is the first story I'm posting. I really hope you enjoy it. If you  have any comments, constructive criticism, or corrections on my spelling and grammar, please leave a comment. And of course, vote if you like it ;)

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 Vinn's hand shot up with practised speed, deftly grabbing the frisbee out of the air. He ignored the jolt to his shoulder, but still braced instinctively because of the impact. The wooden park bench beneath him creaked from the sudden shift in weight.

   The sounds of laughter, and the merry chirping of swallows as they chased each other above the trees, melted together into a pleasant harmony. Vinn heard none of it; his attention was focussed entirely on the toy that had nearly smashed into his skull. If not for the decades spent as an officer on the force, his reflexes probably would have let him down.

   Of course, ten years ago the frisbee wouldn't have made it nearly as far. Nothing worked quite as well as it used to since he passed sixty, and left the force. Sighing wearily, he brought his arm back down and rested it on the arm of the bench, still holding the toy.

   A portly labrador trotted through a gap in the big oak trees, its tongue lolling out of its mouth. Even from that distance, Vinn could hear its heavy panting. Upon seeing its target in Vinn's hand, the dog perked up. The animal's tail took on a life of its own as it wagged vehemently. It clearly meant a lot to him that his prize hadn't flown too far. Vinn scowled at the dog's delighted expression.

   "Get away," he growled. The dog barked in reply and pawed at the bench impatiently. Still scowling, Vinn aimed a sharp kick at the dog, clipping its left flank with his heel. Yelping, it jumped back a few paces.

A young man in shorts and a black vest sprinted out from behind the cluster of orange and red oaks. Seeing Vinn with the frisbee, and the labrador a safe distance away with its tail between its legs, he opened his mouth to speak. Vinn beat him to it.

"Is this your mutt?" The man nodded dumbly. "Then it's your frisbee?" The man nodded again, fumbling for a response. Satisfied, Vinn gripped the toy with both hands and snapped it neatly in half. The plastic cracked like a whip and the labrador jumped again. The man let out an enraged cry, finally finding his voice.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Don't throw things at old people," Vinn growled angrily. The man looked confused for a second, then tried to defend himself, but the words stuck in his throat under Vinn's fiery gaze. 

"Sorry, sir," was all he managed before clicking his tongue to call the labrador, and making a speedy escape. Vinn sighed again, annoyed with himself. He pushed himself up onto his feet with the aid of a black cane, and shuffled  over to the nearest bin to discard the broken pieces in his hand. He hadn't always been so resentful of other people. There was a time when he would have been the one playing with his dog in the park.

Lily's death changed him.