The Wolf Who Cried Gold | Foah

you're safe now.

Noah

My head was hurting. It seemed that someone had stepped over it countless times and I couldn't even hit back. My stomach, however, hurt even more.

It was supposed to be a normal day. Just another routine and monotonous day, which sadly I'm accustomed to having. The last thing I remembered was a peculiar smell of beer when I came around the place. And the worst thing was that I was disappointing Chloe. I wasn't being good enough for her, and maybe never will be. The only thing I should do was pick up the money. Just that. And now, there's nothing left. Neither the money nor the last straw of dignity I ever had.

When I saw the gun, I swore that I was going to die. The thing seemed to carry a completely negative energy, and just looking at the trigger I was sure it would be my end. I would die young, at least. I'd be buried at fifteen, my face would still be acceptable. However, I would leave my father and Chloe behind. And that was the last thing I wanted.

As soon as the thief triggered the gun, 1001 thoughts went through my head. And in a lousy second, I handed the check with all the money I had taken out. The man smiled, pointed the gun, but shot something up.

"Saw? I have mercy." He whispered smiling. Maybe he just wanted to show he wasn't afraid to carry blood on hands.

I was scared and I'd hate to stress an armed person. The man, however, seemed to be more stressed.

"Look at me!" He yelled, and so I obeyed. When I lifted my face, I felt the taste of blood on my lips.

The guy hit me in the face with the barrel of the gun still boiling. And when my face struck the wall, thanks to the force, I felt a very strong kick in the belly.

I shrank with the pain and breathed as fast as I could, trying somehow to catch my breath. In vain. My heart was racing, and again I thought I could die there. It was night. In an alley. The city moved away from there and... I was afraid of what could happen if for some reason a bad person appeared there.

I felt the tears dripping down my cheeks and I was already sobbing.

"Be quiet!" He yelled. I bit my lips trying to calm down, the taste of blood there multiplied. Again, another kick. "I said to be quiet!"
I held tight in my belly and shrank to the ground. Tears and more tears, pain and more pain. I don't think I had any physical or mental strength to get up. I saw the man lift the gun again, pointed at me, my heart stopped.

And again he distanced himself.

I heard the guy snap his tongue, and his footsteps drifting away. I... I thought... I held strong in my stomach when I felt pain again, but I only allowed myself to cry when the man left the alley.

I couldn't control my breathing in any way. I didn't even try, actually. I had the right to cry. And I wouldn't cry just for the pain, I'd cry for Chloe... Oh, Chloe, I'm so sorry...

I opened and closed my eyes, they burned because of the tears. Looked forward hoping not to find anyone, please don't... I heard the noise of a snap. And then something that resembled someone lifting.

I blinked fast trying to focus my vision. Please don't be another bad person. As soon as I saw the silhouette walking away, I tried to get up. My body hurt so much that I fell to the ground without strength and was moaning in pain.

My head was hurting, I don't think I could talk right even if I wanted to, I... Ugh.

"Please, help me." I whispered hoping that the person there would listen. I knew it was impossible to hear me, I was so distant.

To my surprise, however, the silhouette paralyzed for a moment. Seconds later, he started walking towards me. I could feel a strange energy, he... Was he more frightened than I was? I couldn't see the face very well, by light and mostly by tears.
I felt tense hands start stroking my hair, and for a moment I felt better. So, wasn't someone bad? I could smile if my lips wasn't hurting so much.

"You gonna be fine." He whispered. The voice was flawed, at the same time was trying to pass a sign of peace. In fact, he was more frightened than I was.

"Please..." I asked him, feeling my body trembling again, I didn't knew what to do. I felt lost. More than ever.

"We need to get you out of here." I was sure he said more, though, I don't understand. I could just agree with my head as I felt the boy's hands curl up in my waist.
Slowly I got up, obviously with his help, but my legs hurt. And it was probably psychological, I mean, I don't remember getting kicked in the legs. I put my arms around the boy's neck and he was supporting me.

Actually, I was being dragged. I don't think he had the strength to carry me and I felt like he was carrying something on his back. I don't want to be a problem for someone who's already kind to me.

"You're safe now." I heard him say it. My vision was blurred, gradually darkening.

The voice was distant while we were walking, however... Feeling the light that took me out of the alley was one of the best things I had the pleasure of feeling.

It was like I was distancing myself from a recent nightmare.

For a moment, I stopped walking. The boy also stopped, I felt his gaze weighing on my face. My lips moved automatically in a brief smile, a measly moment of relief and happiness struck my chest.

But I think the boy thought I was crazy.

I couldn't look at him. I didn't have the guts to do that, and I didn't even want to end that relief.

But my head hurts again. My vision went dark one more time, and I raised the courage to look at the boy. Oh, he had brown eyes and dark hair.

Hair fell over his eyes, and that's the last thing I saw before I fainted.

I think I like dark hair.