I sprinted down the barren and abandoned streets. Water trickled down sewers, causing an eerie dripping sound to bounce off the brick walls. Storm clouds loomed overhead and threatened to spill their unwanted water onto the unsuspecting homeless people that occasionally dipped their heads out of the shadows. I slowed to a stop, no one will find me here. A glass bottle shattered in the distance, causing me to jump. I clutched the bat to my chest, ready to spring into action the second anyone approaches.
I wandered aimlessly around corners, I don't know what I'm looking for, I just need to find something, or someone.
I soon came upon a nice neighborhood, brightly lighted windows speckled the houses, the blue rays of TVs shone through curtains. Darkness quickly painted the sky a darker and darker shade of blue. Next to one of the smaller houses stood a backyard shed, I quickly, yet quietly jogged over to it.
The little old shed's demeanor was long in need of repair. The white paint peeled and cracked, there wasn't a place seemingly untouched by Mother Nature's cruel act of erosion and age. Its shutters dangled loosely from rusted screws, I was afraid the slight draft I made when I passed would cause them to topple to the ground. The door was an over-sized mass of splinters, I gently swung it open, the rusty hinges creaked and groaned with exhaustion and threatened to fall apart in my hands.
I carefully stepped foot into the dark hideaway, wary of the screeching floorboards beneath me.
Exhaustion suddenly flooded my brain and drained me of all thoughts. My brain was obviously not functioning correctly when my limbs were instructed to lay my exchaustion ridden body into a dusty pile if blankets that sat abandoned in a corner. Before I had realized what I had done, darkness had already consumed me.
***
I pried my heavy eyelids open and welcomed the warmth from the sun that slithered its way through the many cracks in the cabin's exterior. A dark shadow loomed before me, blocking out the sun and depriving my skin of its comforting warmth. I could feel myself shiver slightly as my arms impulsively hugged my shoulders.
They've come for you.
I jolted awake as the whispers invaded my mind. I gasped as I lunged forward and managed to crack my head against something hard and solid. I wrapped my arms around my head, tears pricked at the outside corners of my eyelids. You baby, you can't cry, all you did was hit your head on a board. I tentatively lifted my head back out of my arms, no board. What the heck did I hit my head on? My eyes drifted to a lump on the floor, the lump stirred.
"What the heck was that for?" A boy's voice emitted from the tell-tale lump. The boy turned to face me. I slowly backed myself into the corner. Is this who they is? My fingers grazed a forgotten crowbar. I could feel my eyes widen as he drew closer. I suddenly yanked the crowbar from its hiding spot and thrust it between the boy and me.
"Stay back," I warned. His eyes widened as he pulled his hands up and protectively held them in front of his body.
"Whoa, no need to go there, I just want to help."
"How do I know you're not going to hurt me?"
"Hurt you? Why would I want to hurt you?" The boy smirked, "Do you go to school here?"
"It is not your business as to whether or not I go to school here."
"Sorry, it was just a question," the boy dropped his hands and laughed, obviously at ease with the conversation. I raised the crowbar a little higher, I could feel a scowl pull at the end of my lips, and I surrendered. "What's your name?" I lowered the crowbar a bit. I don't know why I hadn't swung yet; maybe it was the palpable innocence that radiated from his body.
"Manda," my name spilled from my lips before I had time to register what I was saying.
