Tank

Chapter Four

[Chapter four]

As I continue to walk through the footpath, I hear massive approaching footsteps behind me. I take a deep breath and exhale in a series of short breaths- I breathe in and out. In and out. In and out. My heart thumps against my rib cage. It fought for space in my chest with the air frozen in my lungs. I place my hands on my heart to calm it down.  The footsteps continue rubbing my eyes with the base of my palms. My hands stop the rubbing motion, and I push them deep in my sockets.

There was a crunch of gravel behind me, not the kind of continuous noise you'd get from a rolling car, but the defined slight crunch of a footstep. The darkness pressed in on me as I fought the urge to turn around. Then there came another crisis, this time lighter and slower as if the maker of the noise was trying to be quieter, to sneak up on me perhaps. I ran, each footstep scattering stones as it hit the driveway and sinking in like I was running in sand, each step pulling me down a little before I could spring forward away from my attacker.

"Hey! What are you going to?" A person says in a loud tone of  voice. Frozen in my tracks, I stop running and quickly turn my head, looking at where the sound had come from. I happen to find a boy with brown eyes looking at me with his eyes full as if they are about to pop out of his head. His eyes were the colour of a deep sienna, with a mischievous glint that seemed to reflect the corners of his mouth, which were fighting a smile. They were every shade of brown you could imagine, a raw umber and caramel mix, dotted with bits of dark chocolate. They glow with humour and playfulness that gives you shivers and wraps you in a warm embrace at the same time. I take a deep breath and run my hair through my fingers. Jesus Christ, it's just a kid.

"Are you okay?" He says this time softly.

I glance up at him, and I say "Dude, you wouldn't believe what the fuck I encountered. I was freaking kidnapped by these two kids, holy shit, and they like came to my work and hit my head, put me in a freaking chilly warehouse and I met this big, tall, alien-like creature who wants me to become a vigilante. Holy shit man, I just want to go home and where am I? Where is this place?"

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, slow down dude. What on earth are you talking about? Who kidnapped you? This is Darwin, Australia? Are you okay? Maybe you're just drunk?" He says smugly. "Rough night, was it? I understand", he adds.

Bewildered I step back, he doesn't believe me. I can see it in his eyes. I open my mouth to protest, but he begins walking away. I turn my head in his direction and clap my hands to get his attention. He turns and raises his left eyebrow as if to say what on earth happened to him? 

He opens his mouth and says "it's okay. You can stay with me till you are no longer hangover. My places just around the corner,  I know you shouldn't trust strangers, but I genuinely want to help. You seem like a nice lad. I can call the police and ambulance for you as well", he says, with a calm tone of voice.

Even though he doesn't believe me and thinks I'm some sort of drunk, I can't help but listen to my intuition which tells me he is genuine. Plus, I need to call the police to tell them about what's happened and who is behind my kidnapping. I will file a report against those two kids who came into my mechanic because their car tire was supposedly  slashed by a tree. Hmm, even if the police don't buy what I'm saying there are cameras at my mechanics which will prove that I was kidnapped and hopefully charge those kids behind this and that strange alien like figure in the warehouse. 

I turn towards the kid and for the first time in how long it has been I smile knowing there is hope in all of this. I am safe, breathing, and alive. I master the  courage to ask, "where did you say you live again?" I say smiling at the kid. He looks at me in response and chuckles.

"Just around the corner mate" he replies. 

Relieved I walk beside the kid, trusting my intuition. 

Authors Note: Hey, chapter four is up!! I hope you enjoyed reading :D Please let me know what you thought!! Yaay, Tank has met someone who may be able to help? But can he trust him? Tank is skeptical, but he is hopeful that the kid is telling him the truth. What do you think might happen next? Let me know down in the comments xx 

sincerely

Radifrah