Jailbird Tango

Part 2 - Alleyway Paranoia

I kept seeing him in every open door. Just an outline.

Out of fear, paranoia, I took a different route home from university. It extended the walk by fifteen minutes, but negated the need to go around that block.

It was lightly raining again, but this time I had my headphones in. Happy music poured into my ears, allowing me to bouncily walk along. Why take an umbrella when everything was going to get wet anyway? Crossing the road, I rolled my eyes as an idiot on a skateboard nearly knocked me over.

My happy music was interrupted, just as my favourite part of the song started to play. Laura was ringing, again.

'Hey!'

'Hi, what are you up to?'

'I'm still walking home. Did you need anything from the supermarket? Nothing too heavy mind you, I don't have a car.' I chuckled, waiting for her response.

'Uh, just another bag of chips. Oh! And instant ramen.' She chirped before hanging up.

The supermarket and gas station combination was not the worst one in town, but it was pretty bad. Mostly because of the bottle shop down the street. I was about to head past the small alleyway that divided the gas station and supermarket when I heard some obnoxious laughter, and a grunt of pain.

Gripping my bag tighter, I looked around. There wasn't really anyone passing by. A single mother with her two kids hanging off her, a bored gas station attendant who looked a generous fourteen. Not many options. Someone had to do something. What if they were beating up some poor kid?

I could also hear a continuous mumbling, almost like steady humming. With a gulp, I entered the dim alley.

'Wh-Who's there!?' I called out, my voice gaining strength and volume.

'None of your business Dude!' One of the teens called back. He sounded like he just expected me to leave the alleyway and continue on with my day. I suppose most people did.

There was another thud and a pause in the hum like mumbling. One of the other teens continued taunting whomever they were beating.

'Stupid trash. We don't want blind bums around here, this is our turf. Come on trash, fight back!' There was another thud. They were seriously hurting someone who was blind!

'Get lost kids! Take your petty beating somewhere else. I have my phone, ready to dial the police!' I screamed at them.

The one who spoke to me first replied, 'Are you sure about that Pansy?'. They waited in silence as I pushed the numbers, emitting dial tones. They knew I was serious.

The three teen boys, who looked about sixteen, rushed past me. They were still in their private school uniforms. Too late, I had already pressed the call button.

'Hello, what is your emergency?' The calm and serene voice answered

'Hi. There were three boys, all around the age of sixteen who looked like they were taking part in suspicious gang activity. Wearing private school uniform. In the alley between the Broad Street supermarket...'

'Can you confirm what they were doing?'

'I heard them abuse a blind person ma'am.'

'Understood. Does this person have any injuries?' She asked, I looked around struggling to see the person laying in the darkened shadows. I could see that they had a bloodied bandage as I bent down to look at them.

'Uh yes, they have -,' the phone was pulled away from my ear by a hand tightly gripping my wrist. Holding in a scream, I concentrated on their quiet mumblings.