Charade

Vic

As the clock ticked over to one, the temperature dropped.

Through my seven layers, the icy air bit my skin, sending sharp little shivers all over my arms and chest. My jaw rattled, teeth chattering away, as I walked down the cold, empty street. I passed heavily protected stores, complete with stainless steel bars and sloppy graffiti, and listened to the eerie silence. I looked out across the road, cracked and littered with potholes, at one yellow streetlamp, flickering, glinting off asphalt and the buttons on my coat. This place was so quiet, so empty, looking as haunted as a ghost town, but I knew the truth about this place. It was more dangerous than a lion's den.

I reached into my back pocket, feeling the thick rough fabric, and pulled out a map. On it was the entire suburb, with red X's to indicate the ATMs. A little trick I picked up from my father, who could hack anything in younger days, before he drank away his mind. According to it, there was an ATM right in front of me.

I glanced up and saw it, hidden by thick black shadows; sure I would've missed it if not for the glaring red sign above it. I approached it and made sure my face was covered. I reached into the plastic bag, fingers cold and numb and shaking, and felt the skimmer slip right out of clumsy hands. The whole thing shattered against the hard concrete, scattered across the pavement, and I clenched my fists.

"Goddammit!"

I leaned down, ready to scrape up the pieces, when a voice boomed.

"Are you alright, sir?"

Torchlight shone into my eyes, blinding me, as I looked up. Quickly, I covered my face, shoved what remained of the skimmer into the plastic bag, and got to my feet. There in his uniform stood a policeman, eyes concerned but wary, looking down on me from above.

"Fine, thank you, officer." I said, hoping to sounds somewhat normal while still trying to obscure my face with my hood.

"Uh-huh," he said warily. "And what are you doing out here this time of night?"

"Walking, officer. I find it relaxing when I can't sleep."

"Dangerous part of town to be walking in, sir."

"I'm trained in Kyokushin Karate. I'm quite confident I could defend myself if I needed to."

"Uh-huh," he said suspiciously. "Well, would you mind removing your hood? I can't quite see your face."

"I'm light sensitive."

"I'm afraid of the dark. Take your hood off."

"Can't do that, officer. You'll have to forgive me but my skin doesn't agree with light. That is why I walk during the night."

"I don't believe you."

"Well, that is unfortunate." I said.

"Don't be a smartass with me, sir." He barked. "Well, if you're not going to show me your face, I'd like to search your bag."

"Do you have a warrant?"

"Don't need one. This is a designated area and you are walking around a dangerous area in the middle of the night carrying a suspicious-looking bag and hiding your face."

He was right and we both knew it. As soon as I handed over that bag, I'd be done for. The cop would arrest me and I would be convicted and sent to jail, and then who would save Lily?

"Of course," I smiled pleasantly.

I held out the bag. A confused look washed over the policeman's face as he stood there, wondering for a moment if this was some sort of trick.

Luckily, it was.

The man reached out and grabbed the top of the bag. In one swift motion, I grabbed his hand, jerked him forward, and slammed my foot into the side of his head. His knees buckled under him as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. I quickly snatched the bag as the man collapsed and went tearing down the street. I knew the smart thing to do was to kill him, but I couldn't kill an innocent man when it wasn't absolutely necessary. He was just doing his job. He probably had a wife and some kids. A daughter like Lily maybe, or a son like Benjamin. I couldn't take him away from that.

My footsteps echoed down the street, slamming into puddles and uneven pavement, when I heard his voice behind me.

"Hey!" He bellowed, voice so loud in this quiet place.

I didn't stop. My legs carried me around several bends, the cop following close behind. I had to hide. I couldn't run forever. And the man was younger than me, faster, with movements swifter than mine had been in years. But there was nowhere. No smart person left their building open at this time of night, in this part of town. My legs started to ache, thighs burning, but worst of all my knee felt as if it would give way at any moment. I glanced behind me. The man was right on my tail. But I couldn't stop. And then, by the grace of God, I saw it.

And I didn't stop running until I reached it.

© A.G. Travers 2015