From across the hallway

Part 25

Missy's high-heels pounded the sidewalk.

She could barely make out where she was going through her tears, as they slipped down her cheeks.

Her hands were wrapped tightly around Emily as she ran, wanting to keep her close. No, needing to keep her close.

She loved her so dearly. With all her heart. To her, she was the most perfect little thing she'd ever seen...

Missy turned a corner sharply. This street was unfamiliar to her and yet she kept on walking.

She didn't know where to...

Home?

Someplace else?

Right now she didn't care...

She just wanted to get as far away from them as possible.

After eighteen months of struggle....of pushing herself....of getting herself back onto her feet....she felt like seeing them had been like a sharp kick to the stomach...

All she wanted was to keep Emily safe...

To hold her in her arms...

To protect her...with her life...

But unfortunately for Missy, those hopes were currently crumbling around her, as she wiped at her eyes, stopping in her tacks and gazing around.

She found herself in a dingy looking alleyway. Dark and gloomy with an upturned trash can littering the path before them.

She hadn't even realised where she had been walking to...

Missy stopped, shaking herself and made to turn around, clutching her daughter tightly, but as she did so, a sudden figure stepped out of the shadows.

It was a man....or rather a kid, barely older than nineteen...with a pale, gaunt skin; beady eyes; and a black hood thrown over his shaved head.

He took a step closer to them as Missy backed up, stumbling slightly on her heels.

Fuck...

The kid didn't say anything, his, almost black, eyes locked onto her, but Missy suddenly paled in horror as he pulled a knife from his pocket, brandishing it towards her.

"Gimmee your fucking purse," he said in a hoarse voice, advancing on her menacingly.

Missy took another step backwards as Emily suddenly stirred in her arms, giving a yawn. "Mommy, wher we?"

But Missy didn't answer, her heart hammering inside her ribcage.

The kid scowled.

"Fucking hurry up and give me your purse," he snarled viciously. "Now. Or I'll fuck up you and your fucking kid."

He inched towards her, holding the knife out in front of him, it's steely blade, glinting in the dim light of the alleyway.

Missy gave a hard gulp.

Oh god...what had she done? She was so stupid.

This was all her fault!

Shifting Emily in her arms, Missy trying to free her shoulder from her handbag, the toddler suddenly turned around, her little eyes landing on the kid....and his knife.

"Hurry the fuck up!" said the man, twitching uneasily. Missy could hear in his voice that he was getting impatient and very angry. "And shut her up while you're at it. Or I will!"

Missy trembled, dropping her purse to the ground with a thud and taking a couple of swift steps away.

"It's ok, it's ok, everything will be alright..." she whispered comfortingly into her daughters tiny ear, praying to god that she was right.