Paper Birds

Chapter Four ; All About The Money

The wind whipped my hair around, tugging at it to the point where I was getting desperate for a ponytail holder. The mud had dried on my pants but at the time I didn't even care. I just wanted to be home. I was so frustrated that I could feel hot tears coming out of my eyes, blurring my vision and making everything that much harder. 

I had a feeling I was being watched. I looked behind myself and saw a dark red car, a car that seemed familiar. This was not good. I owed a guy money I didn't have and I was walking in the dead of night, alone, on the streets of New York City. Is it just me or does that spell out d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r?

The car was driving slowly behind me and I quickened my pace. After a while I started to run. I needed to get away, now, now, now! The car sped up and cut me off, so I turned and ran down the nearest alley. I couldn't see very well and tripped over a loose pipe, sending me flying towards the ground. I hit my wrist strangely and heard it crack, making me grimace with pain. Four guys got out of the car and were heading towards me. I recognized the one in the middle. That was the man I was playing with. I couldn't remember his name, but knew that a lot of people called him Talon. Why? He probably rips people to shreds. People like me who don't have the one thing that he wants. 

"You know why people run?" he growled at me, a sinister smirk on his face. "They're scared. They've got somethin' to hide."

He was so much closer than he was before, and I could smell his stink so I breathed through my mouth and swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I told you that you were playin' with the big leagues. I told you that if you didn't have the money by last Saturday that there would be consequences!" He was shouting at me by now. I couldn't even respond. A low whimper left my mouth as I crawled backward, using my one good arm.

He turned to his friends and muttered, "Get her in the car." He was bald, with tattoos covering every part of his body and had only a couple of teeth. He scared me so much that I couldn't feel anything but fear. I knew I shouldn't have messed around with his money. I knew it, yet I still did because I'm greedy. I'm greedy and he looked like such a rich guy that he had nothing to lose. I was wrong. I was so, so wrong and now I'm paying for it. Two of them grabbed my shoulders and hoisted me up, being as gentle as a hungry tiger would with his prey. 

"Get away from her." 

I tried to look back to see who was talking but the guy had me in some kind of headlock and I couldn't move. I could hear Talon laugh and my stomach churned. "And who's gonna make me, little man?" Just the sound of his voice made my blood freeze. One of the men who was holding me tighten his grip, making me unable to breath. He suddenly dropped me to the ground and left me coughing on the cold cement. I rubbed my eyes and looked back, but the huge guys blocked my view of who was standing up for me. Please don't let them hurt him, I begged silently. Please.

I looked back on the ground and saw blood. I was coughing up blood. Instantly I forced myself to stop coughing, but still felt sick. I rolled over so that I was on the ground and looking at the sky, tuning everything out. I could faintly hear yelling and punching in the background but I ignored it. I couldn't think, I couldn't speak, and I couldn't move. I just stared at the dark blue sky. A star was out, flickering in out of the clouds. Normally you can't see stars in New York, especially in the city. 

I don't know why, I don't know how, all I knew is that something gave me strength. I got up and ran full speed towards Talon's gang and kicked one of their kneecaps from behind, making him lose balance and fall to the floor. I was still dizzy and couldn't see very well, though I could make out a pair of sparkling green eyes in the smoky night. Before I knew it they were running back to their car and sped away. I could feel myself falling, though someone caught me. Someone warm and gentle. My feet left the ground and I was being carried away.