Konnor sighed as yet another hour chimed away on the clock. He was only twenty-three years old and he was already stuck in a shitty office job, wasting his youth on menial tasks. His cubicle was neat and meticulous, not even a PostIt note out of place, and contained not a single personal nick-nack or photograph.
He feigned working for a few more hours until work ended, though he didn't have anything planned for after work anyway, so he didn't really have anything to look forward to; he never did. When that last hour chimed, he remained seated until everyone else had left, to avoid any small talk that might ensue if he rushed, so it was dark out by the time he left the building. He cursed himself; he didn't own a vehicle, or even have a license, so that meant walking home, and the city wasn't even safe for walking in the day. He contemplated the best way to get home; the quickest way was to cut through the park, but at this time of night, it was nearly a death sentence to go through the park, but if he went around, it would be another hour before he was home. He checked his phone, the time was already past ten, and he hated getting home late.
He was nearly half way through the large expanse of trees and parks when he heard it: the unmistakable sound of a woman screaming.
He didn't even think before he ran towards the noise. it took him a few tries before he found its source; a man stood with a knife held against a young woman's neck, pinning her up against the back of a building.
"H-Hey, let her go!" Konnor's voice sounded weak and pathetic, and at first he didn't think the man heard him, as he didn't respond.
"Hey, I said stop it!" He said a bit louder. Both the man and woman turned with flabbergasted expressions, to look at Konnor.
"Are you talking to me? But, thats impossib-" His statement was cut short as the woman kicked him in the gut, freeing herself from his knife.
Konnor watched in shock as the man righted himself and wrapped his hands around the girls throat, seemingly forgetting about Konnor.
All at once, Konnor realized that he had to save her; He pulled his phone out, quickly dialing the emergency number, amd requesting help. He dropped his phone and charged the two, tackling the man and knocking his hands from her neck.
"You little bastard, mind your fucking business," the man was all but growling at Konnor, but Konnor kept his grip on him, getting in a good punch, before the monster of a man got the better of him.
Konnor heard the woman yelling, but before he could comprehend, the man had him pinned against the wall, punching him in the gut, three times before he let Konnor drop to the hard ground.
The man turned to confront the woman, who had only just turned and ran, but Konnor dragged himself up and rushed him again. Konnor jumped on the man, and did the only thing he could think of; he bit him. He bit and he didn't let go until he felt the mans fist in his gut again. Konnor staggered back and spit a chunk of flesh at the ground.
"You son of a Bitch! You bit my fucking ear off!" The man roared with rage, and this time it was him who rushed Konnor.
Konnor once again felt the pressure of his fist in his gut, as the man hit him with all the force of a freight train. Konnor fell back against the wall, away from the Man. It was only then that he noticed the blood dripping on the ground. He looked down at his torso; a large red stain had began spreading across his shirt, starting at the shiny glint of the knifes hilt sticking from his side. He hadn't even felt the knife when the man stabbed him, but he felt it now. He dropped to the ground, landing hard on his knees, only for the man to then punch him again, this time in the side of the head, dropping him to laying in the fetal position.
"YOU! FUCKING! GOD! DAMMED! SON! OF A! BITCH!"
With each word, the mans steel toed boot connected with Konnor's ribs.
When the man finally stopped, Konnor couldn't breathe. Whith each attempted breath, came a bloody cough. Konnor could feel a warm puddle of blood pooling underneath him as he curled in on himself, whimpering as the pain became overwhelming. He had just enough consciousness left to watch the man run to the edge of the alley and look around, swearing when he didn't see the woman. He began to follow her, when sirens appeared in the distance, so instead he walked back into the hidden darkness of the alley. What he did next, Konnor could not comprehend; The man seemed to be checking his watch, fiddling with it, when all of a sudden, he was consumed by a blinding ball of light, and then he was gone, leaving nothing but darkness behind.
Konnor tried to cry out for help, but nothing came out of his mouth but more bloody gargles.
He briefly wondered of anyone from the office would attend his funeral, and then he let the inky blackness around him envelope his thoughts, taking the pain with it.
YOU ARE READING
Book One - Time In Abundance, A T.I.B. Novel
Science FictionKonnor McKinley lives an ordinary and dull life. His job as a computer programmer is utterly uneventful even on a busy day, and he lives by himself in an empty apartment. He had long before accepted his normal, boring life, until now. He is on his w...
