Survival of the Fittest

The decision

I have to admit I don't think I've been that scared many times since. In all the stories I'd read the main characters minds always froze in fear, but that was far from the truth: I didn't freeze on the spot because of fear and my mind didn't cloud up, in fact we only froze from the shock of what had happened. However my mind was far from frozen, it was overloaded with thoughts on what just happened and what we were going to do. At that moment I understood the quote "fear doesn't shut you down, it wakes you up" because that's what happened to me.

My mind reeled with the prospect of what had happened. The only possible solution I could see was to call the police, we had to alert them of what had happened; anyway they might be able to see him it might've just been my dad who couldn't see him, I reasoned. Or maybe still my dad just went blind for a few seconds because of the light, I mean come on, did I really believe that only children could see this man? That's the kind of nonsense that makes stories but not real life, surely?

It took a few seconds before the shock wore off, and the full horror of what we'd just seen struck home. What happened after that was a bit of a blur, but we both decided that we'd call the police.

***

An hour later we both sat in a police car reciting what had happened over and over to the police; who seemed to be having trouble grasping the story.

"So you saw this girl walking into an alley, then you ran in after you heard her scream. When you found her this man, you said you've seen before, was holding a knife to her throat, and then he disappeared? In front of your eyes?"

The police man looked like he was in his late forties, he had balding hair and a double chin and was sweating profusely as if he'd just run a marathon.

"No." Luke said in a calm voice which shook slightly from the urge to scream. Though the man didn't seem to notice, he didn't appear to be very clever.

"The man and the girl disappeared after he had dragged her round the corner. But obviously he knew a quick escape route because no one can just disappear." Luke finished, giving me a pleading look. After all he'd done much of the talking; it seemed that the policeman didn't think highly of my opinion. His opinion suited his primitive looks.

"Quite right young man," replied the policeman as he wrote down the story (hopefully for the last time).

The police then went down the alley to investigate and we were visited by a policewoman who questioned us on the appearance of both the man and girl. The policewoman looked in her mid-thirties and was quite short despite the tall hat she was wearing. At least she was more intelligent than the policeman (who really didn't deserve his position) that had questioned us earlier; she also didn't seem as sexist.

While the policewoman went off to check the records to find any record or sightings of the man, and to find out who the unfortunate girl was we were asked to show the police where we'd last seen the man.

We walked into the alley with reluctance; it wasn't a place we were pleased to see again.

The alley held no clues to the man or his wear about: in fact the only proof that they'd been there was a muddy foot print from the girl. There wasn't even the slightest proof that the man had been there at all. But the police would know we were telling the truth when the girl didn't return and was in fact missing.

We showed them where we'd stood and where the man had been while the police searched round the sight, they found nothing else of interest and finally they let us free.

I went back to Luke's house for a bit; we went up to his bedroom to avoid being questioned on the events again.

During the rush of the police I'd forgotten about what the cloaked figure had said, but I was reminded by Luke who asked what we were going to do. I don't know why we didn't tell the police about what the man had said, or mouthed. But I guess it was partly to do with us thinking they wouldn't believe us and partly because we were scared. Not that I liked to admit it, I hated any one calling me a coward and I didn't get scared easily, but that man had me spooked before he'd kidnapped that girl. In that respect me and Luke were the same, neither of us could suffer being called a coward, Luke especially: He got rather worked up about it, and sometimes he let his bad temper get the better of him. Although we weren't that similar, we still aren't, he was the more adventurous and daring of the two of us. Whereas I was more of the indoor type, although I did still like a bit of an adventure but not a proper one, like what Luke craved.

"Luke?" I asked cautiously "Where do you think he'll take that girl, and do you think he'll actually kidnap us?" Luke was sitting on his bed staring into space with his eyebrows creased as he always did when he was deep in thought, but when I asked him the question he looked at me, as if startled that he was in his room and that I was there too.

He paused for a moment then said slowly "I have no idea, but I get the feeling that he is going to come after us, for some reason or another." It wasn't really very reassuring, but I was glad he was being honest.

He seemed to realise this and tried to make amends but I stopped him, he looked at me and I smiled at him "We'll be alright, it's you and me remember? We'll get through it, it's like stories where the main characters go through some rough times, but they always get through it. Remember all those games we played? It's gonna be like that, just... real." I was glad he was there, he always helped me even just because he was there.

Memories of when we were little flooded into my head; we were super heroes saving the world, next we were orphans, kidnapped because of our unknown power they wanted and we had to escape. We had played all manner of games, some frighteningly similar to our situation at that moment.

I knew I had to go, but it just didn't feel right going away from Luke, I couldn't help fretting that one of us would disappear in the night leaving without a trace with a man who left no evidence that he'd been there at all.

"Be careful. " I told Luke as I made towards the door.

He laughed and I looked at him quizzically.

"You're telling me to be safe?" I nodded not sure why that was funny: to answer my question he said "You're the one who has to pass the alley. Just be careful." Suddenly turning serious he gazed at me intently until I nodded. I hadn't really realised that I would have to pass the alley until he said it, and yet again I felt my stomach do a summersault.

I left the house and quickened my pace, praying the man wouldn't be there. As I hurried along looking round to make sure he wasn't there I wondered what I was going to tell my parents, they might ask me why I walked back on my own, and why Luke's father hadn't escorted me. The truth was though, that Luke's mother was dead, and so his father had to look after the kids and in the current circumstances he didn't want to leave them. It had been a big blow to Luke when his mother had died the year before of cancer, and I don't think he'd have coped if I hadn't helped him get through it.

I felt a pang of guil; we had planned to visit Luke's mother's grave but because of all the goings on we hadn't had the time.

I reached the alley.

Peering into it I crossed my fingers, my heart beating painfully against my rib cage.

There was no sign of the man.

I released the breath I hadn't been aware I'd been holding, hurrying passed at the fasted I could go while still being slightly dignified.

When I saw my house I could have cried: although it was nearly summer and it was still light, I'd still felt as scared as when I'd convinced myself that there were weeping angels in my room after watching doctor who.

I rang the doorbell, hugging myself at the thought of the man. I wasn't looking forward to telling my mum and dad what had happened.

In total it took half an hour to explain because my parents kept interrupting. I then wolfed down my tea and headed up to bed, it wasn't late but I just wanted to get away. I read my book for an hour before showering, brushing my teeth and then clambering into bed, it felt comforting to be in my own bed, knowing the man couldn't get in, are you sure a voice asked in the back of my head. How do you know, he managed to disappear when you saw no place he could have gone. I shook my head, it was a stupid thought, yet it bothered me.

***

Hey, thanks for reading my second chapter, please let me know what you think of it, that'd be really helpful. Have a good day and I hoped you enjoyed it.