Fetch, Percy

it is taking longer than i expected to find the ball.  someone is always saying 'where's the ball?', but it is usually obvious where it is. 'in your hand, genius!'  or, 'behind your back, stupid!'.  i have to get my bearings and think.  did i have it last?

found it.  under the couch.  duh!

now, how far is it back to the park? possibly two ... er, what was it? two miles? two miles. no problem.

i take off and only use my muscle memory to guide me. i've been this way before. the neighborhood is bland and, to be honest, all looks the same to me. if it wasn't for a few key things that remind me of where i am, i could literally be anywhere.

the ball hums and rings once. why did it do that? kind of makes my ears twitch. like i've been shocked or something crawling around there. can't worry about now. i just need to run. run like i'm the champion i've been told i was. run like someone is ...

"There he is!" i hear a faint, yell behind me.

Ka-Kow!

what was that? it sounded like a rocket just whizzed past me. i know someone is after me, but i'm not going to turn around to find out who. most likely, they don't want to play, that's for sure.

i don't know how long i can go flat out running this way. i'm breathing harder now, but steady. i feel queasy and excited. this is an adventure? surely someone said that at one point. what adventure?

there is a slight bend ahead, and it looks like it cuts out into the street, but i whirl around it like an expert, brushing past a middle aged couple taking a stroll. the man curses at me, but i could care less. a ring zings behind me, and the man yells again. something about calling someone ... i can't tell. it takes all i have just to keep my head down and keep running forward.

now, i have to say, when i used to go out for runs, they were always paced. and never when it was this cold. i'm not saying i'm too good for these types of runs. it's just that i'd rather sit at home, next to the fireplace and sleep. now, i've seen runners out in all types of weather. the ones that get me the most are the runners that are outside during the rain and snow. everything is just bland and white then. how can you tell anything apart? i --

wait, did i hear something? oh, must be sirens. always loud.  always zooming down the main street.  it was bound to happen, though. always seems to be loud noises at night. and always seems to be sirens. they are probably going to chase after me. after all, i am running. and they always chase after the runners. i'll tell you what, though, i'm not stopping. not for anyone.

whoops. i need to be careful. i'm slipping on some cold patches on the ground. no more gravel to help me run. looks like flat surfaces from here on. i almost lost the ball, too. its buzzing agand and feels a little warm. the noise from the ball shocks me a little. i feel it, but it's starting to dull a little. not like the first time it shocked me. that just made my teeth rattle.

"I see him! Get him!" a new voice shouts behind me. he sounds really close.

i think that there is now a car chasing me. it's loud. really, really loud. i think they are just behind me. i can't stay on the sidewalk. they'll get me for sure. need a new way to the park. i think i know - i know, the boardwalk.

i heard the boardwalk was a place that everyone got together and sat and talked. all i saw was eating. the smell of the place was always mixed, but when you're hungry, it all smells good.

even the stale food. why would you have stale bread? i don't know. i seem to always get stuck with that. still, i'm not paying for it, so why should i care? food is food in my book.

Ka-kow!

i feel something jab at my back. maybe my leg? can't slow down to look, though. it may have been a flying rock. maybe trash. when the wind starts to pick up, small bits of things always seem to be attracted to me. hm. whatever it was, it did hit my leg. i can feel a bit of warmth and a bit of a pain. it's trying to distract me. i can't keep up at this speed. and i'm running out of breath. i'm just tired now. breathing is a bit tricky now. just trying to breath is taking up my time.

where am i?

oh, i see the turn about. i think that is the hill to cut across. i need to cross that and i'll be close.

really close.

what you can't really see is that over the street and through set of trees, is a back entrance of a park. it's usually empty here. i like it when it's empty. i get to roam around and check everything without being bothered. and you wouldn't know how many things are left here. i found a lot of toys and some silvery coins. someone left food a few times. why would they do that? i think someone must be hungry.

a squeal behind me says that they know where i'm going. it's not so close behind me and now, and i hear a var-room around the other side of the street. it's a car. the car is shiny and fast. there is a dust cloud behind it, kicking up gravel and low flying bits of trash. i don't like that. i think i know where they are going. the car can't go over the hill.

looks like i'm wrong about the hill thing. the car is running up the sidewalk and blocking my path.

i am going to go around and get behind the car. it looks like it's moving too fast to slow down.

ka-kow!

i see what they have now. it's a gun. i don't like those, either. it's aimed for me, but i'm glad the car kept going. someone is yelling again. someone inside the car. i streak behind the car and am up and over the hill before i hear the next shot.

i wonder if the shot got me. i don't feel anything, really, but my leg is really getting sore. i'm not sure how far i have to go now, but i think i'm close. close to the middle of the park. near the smelly trees and the worn out bench. the bench is odd. it has a weird smell, but looks like it's been around for a long time.

"Percy!" i hear someone call me. the beautiful girl with the wide, starry eyes is in front of me  smiling, has her arms wide opened. i collapse in her arms and can't help but to tear up, barely able to breath.

she smells like pickles. i wonder if that was her food that was left here last time.

"Can you open the gate, honey?" someone behind her asks.

"Yes daddy, I can open it," the girl takes the ball that i have and fumbles with it. i don't see it, but i feel a warm wind coming from behind the girl.

"We need to go, honey,"

"What about Percy?" the girl turns and looks up at her daddy.

He looks at me, pulls me up over his shoulder and close to his chest and walks behind the girl, who is already mixed with the wind and warm sunshine.

i hear a yell behind us and take a look at who was chasing me. they are aiming their guns again, but now they are lowering them and just staring.

things are getting dark and i stop caring about the guns. i don't care about my leg.

wherever we're going, it feels warm and i can feel the sun. i wrinkle my nose and my breathing slows down.

hopefully, the new place will have a park closer to home.

___

A/N: This is a one-shot that I saved from a few years ago.  Please read, critique and comment.

Thanks everyone!