Hey Readers, if you do take the time to read, thank you so much! It'd be awesome if you could let mw know what you think, what I can do better, change, what you liked and what you didn't, I'd be really grateful for it! Thanks again :)
Thunder echoed in the distance as I tore around the corner into an alleyway, my boots barely gripping the pavement as I skidded around the bricks, my hand searching along them for a place to disappear into. My hand slipped into empty space, a doorway, I turned suddenly finding myself face to face with a metal door, barely visible in the low light. Frantically, I rattled the handle, I knew this part of town well enough to get a fairly good lead on my pursuers, but I didn’t know how long it would be before they caught up. It was cold, the mid-winter frost seeping through my clothes. Tonight was not my lucky night, the door was locked fast in front of me and no amount of shaking was going to jerk it free. Suddenly, the lock clicked under my hand and I froze, skittering away from it, far enough for whoever was behind it to not notice me but close enough for me to see them... A weak beam of light broke across the ground, causing the puddles to glimmer under it as the rain started to fall, so lightly it was barely noticeable. My heart rose to my throat as I hear voices coming closer, from inside the building, “Filthy street rat! Don’t you dare come back boy, if I see your face here again I’ll skin you alive!” they yelled, shoving a battered body out of the door and into the puddle before him, and then the door slammed shut. I swallowed and started off away from him, feeling guilty but more concerned for my own safety, sizing up the fence as I walked towards it. “Little help please?” He croaked behind me, my eyes widened and I pivoted slowly, turning to face where he was keeled over on the pavement, “if you don’t mind miss, I could really use a hand.” I raised my hand up to my chest in a questioning gesture as if to ask me? I could just make out his eyes rolling, “No, the other girl in the alleyway, who else genius?” I frowned, listening out for my pursuers as I wandered cautiously toward him. I reached out my hand, bending my knees to assist him when he rose suddenly, grabbing me and forcing me back into the door way I had previously used a refuge, and the same one he’d been thrown out of moments earlier. His hand was placed firmly over my mouth as he held me against the metal door, using the majority of his body weight to keep me there. Standing against him I could see he towered me by at least a foot, looking back behind him with a sombre expression. I could make out bits and pieces of him from the muted street lamp behind him, his hair was dark and shaggy, sticking to blood and sweat on his forehead, his eyes deep set and hidden by shadow. He had an oozing split in his bottom lip, grazes across his cheekbones and another split just above his left eyebrow. The white shirt he wore was undone to about three buttons from the top one, the edges and collar covered in flecks of dirt and the bruises on his chest visible in the ‘V’ shape the shirt had created. His sleeves were rolled up and crinkled, not folded neatly, and an embroidered waist coat hung off his shoulders, also unbuttoned, the silk tie he was possibly wearing earlier stuffed into the right pocket, its edges tickling a delicate, copper coloured button. To my surprise, his shirt was tucked into his tailored, black pants, a belt holding it up low on his hips and the hems damp and brushing over scuffed, leather shoes. I knew he’d covered my mouth to stop me screaming out but if he was smart he’d have known screaming would have drawn attention and I was not dumb enough to do that, I bit down on his hand as hard as I could, causing him to flinch away, glaring at me. “Ouch,” he hissed, “what was that for?”
“You know exactly what,” I shot back, staring up at him
“I’ll have you know, I’m saving your life miss, the hoodlums you’ve somehow gotten yourself involved with are just up the road and quickly approaching here, not too quietly might I add, so I suggest you disappear into the shadow behind me and try not to breathe,” his expression turned hard, his eyebrow raised in question. I somehow managed to fold my arms across my chest, despite the lack of space between us, putting on a show of resentment and distaste, “fine,” I spat, leaning back against the door, this time at my own will, watching him turn around in front of me. He leant his arm against the wall and tilted over, creating a shadow for me to sink into. I found a vantage point behind him, able to see under his arm if I crouched a little bit. I heard them before I saw them, he was right; they weren’t very quiet, wandering along the sidewalk, arguing loudly about my whereabouts. “Get down there,” a gruff voice ordered and soon the alleyway was dimly lit by weak lantern light, barely breaking the fog I hadn’t even noticed until now. I also hadn’t noticed that my barrier was holding a cigar against his lips, the end glowing red as he inhaled, breathing puffs of smoke out his nose. “Evening fellas,” He said aloud, I rose behind him, digging my fingers into his back in protest of his actions. The scrawny one with a wiry goatee, greasy top hat and a bronze cog monocle turned to face him, “’Ello, ‘ello, what are ya doin ‘ere in the cold this time o’ night?” he asked, wandering closer, I shrunk back even further
