Poetry in Motion

24

Much like most streets within Gotham City, this particular one was grimy, grotty and dingy. The buildings surrounding either side of the road were all of a similar grey brick. Dismal. It just made everything dismal. Peeling posters and advertisements were slapped and plastered about, but the weather had played havoc with the print. Writing and details were faded and disappearing, billboards were few down here, those were more up in the higher part of the city. But, something both parts of the city had in common was the height of the buildings. How tall they seemed, easily dwarfing the people milling about on the streets.

Something else both parts had in common: the people. Everyone had severe expressions, no one looked happy or pleased to be out and about. Most just rushed, not glancing at whoever was nearby. Basically, they were all in their own little bubbles, so much so that barely any paid notice to the clown outside of a certain shop. A sign in hand, bright yellow, rather obnoxious in contrast to the dim street.

It stood out, yes of course it did. But that didn't mean that the people walking the streets paid heed or notice to what was actually written on it in bold, red writing. No. No matter how much the clown moved the sign in exaggerated movements, no one really noticed. Most seemed to awkwardly glance away, as if embarrassed to even look upon him.

Kenny's Music Shop was going out of business, every instrument within had been halved in price and then halved again. A more muted yellow banner was stuck in the window advertising the urgency that everything must go. There was even a pianist outside playing a rather upbeat tune, not that the man playing looked upbeat. But that was okay, it didn't matter, not to Arthur at least.

Despite of everything, the miserable grey sky above with equally miserable clouds blocking the sun; to the few walking past ignoring him and the music playing, Arthur still had a smile on his face. Not just the red painted one, but genuinely a smile as he danced and continued to twirl the sign about. Hoping, wishing really in some way that him being here would aid in this shop ceasing in its sudden decline in business to possibly halt and disappear completely. If only for a little bit, mind you.

But regardless of Arthur's attempts here, it seemed all to be in vain. Mainly because within moments a group of teens had seen fit to take it upon themselves to bother him, whereas Arthur was bothering no one. He was just trying to do a job. In one swift motion, the sign had been knocked out of Arthur's hands and no matter how quickly he turned in efforts to get it back, it ended in failure. There was more of them than just the one and they all seemed to have purchase of the sign at one point in time or another as they fled the scene. Jibing and joking as they did so, knowing full well that Arthur was running as fast as he could behind them.

He'd call out every so often, for them to stop, or for someone to stop them, but no one intervened. No one helped him, and everyone they passed just avoided properly watching and looking. They were quite a distance ahead, not that even if Arthur was wearing proper shoes would he be able to catch up to them. They were all very fast and had a head start on him. Even as they darted across the road, managing to avoid cars as they went, they didn't slow down.

Arthur however wasn't so lucky, he only just managed getting missed by a horn blaring car as he held his hands up in apology before taking up running again. Even with this moment, he could still spy the group as they ran away. Arthur sprinted after them, his lungs starting to hurt from the strain, his arms and legs aching ever so slightly as he continued to call out for aid, or anything by now. What little use it did as Arthur saw them divert down into an alley.

Of course he followed them, not before skidding on the ground slightly because he lost his footing. He managed to right himself though and pick up their trail. His pace didn't slow at all, he could see the teenagers had all paused to catch their breaths halfway down the alley too. However, even as he grew close, he was too slow to notice or realise the one with the sign was missing in action.