2:50 AM 4/10/2018
I got off work at around 9:25 PM but ten minutes later than usual. While I walked home, I was texting my girlfriend consistently as we were planning a trip to visit my father in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It’s been hard to save with the way the current job market is right now but we have each other and for that, I am so thankful.
As we continued our streaming flow of questions, refining all the details of our excursion, my cell-phone gave out an electrical whimper. The battery was running low. Looking up, I saw that the bus I normally ride, pull away from the curb and speed away. Just my luck.
Running as fast as I could, I sprinted alongside the bus to catch up. I passed faces watching in amusement as the little man ran. Most had their heads drooped low and over their phones, distracted or just absolutely apathetic. Reaching the door, I slammed my hand on the glass and shouted. But the bus would not slow its speed.
I stopped running and stood in the middle of the street. The bus bent around a dark corner at the end of the street, my lungs choked on the cold air. My saliva turned thick and stuck to my tongue. Although technically Spring, there is still a good deal of snow on the ground and the end of Winter still held its firm chill that would numb your body in seconds.
A car swerved past me honking and I slipped, my phone flying from my grip. Without balance, the brunt of the weight fell on my left leg and I felt it twist as the ankle almost touched my hip. The pain send a volt through me and I flopped like a fish out of water. Rolling my weight off my left leg, I tried extending it. My leg started heating up as blood flushed in, swelling my ankle.
After a few moments of writhing in pain, I manage to get myself back to my feet. It hurt like hell when I limped to the curb and sat down. Stretching the foot out made me grunt. No way I’m going to try walking home on this useless foot. I reached for my cell phone but remembered it had a little flight lesson earlier and looked around for it. Just down the road a bit, lying against the curb.
When I pulled myself over to it, I picked it up and cursed at the broken screen. I just got this phone like a week ago. Brand new fucking phone and the screens already toast. Love it. Better yet, I go to use my lifeline and make that call for reinforcements. Nothing. The damn things dead. Great, looks like I’m limping all the way home now before I freeze to death.
Shuffling down the street, I turn down a bike path that leads between rows of townhouses. There isn’t much light, save the moon and a street lamp coming from the start of the bike path. The further I walk, the smaller that beacon of light shrinks behind me. Up ahead and to the left, I can see the tear in a chain link fence that will take me to my street.
On the right just in front of me, the house split, allowing a pathway between them and through to another street. It is not paved, it’s just a space between to lines of housing with a couple scraggly pines missing most of their lower branches. Casting torn shadows across the snowy ground.
At first I didn’t see them, blending into the darkness that hugged under the branches of the sick pines. I heard a snicker at first and then it was followed by a hiss. My eyes immediately combed the area until I found the harsh sounds coming from under the trees. The end of each hiss was marked by the glow of an ember in the shadows. A cough and a cloud of smoke rose out. Two dreadfully pale men walked into the light and faced me as I hobbled along. Watching
silently with hungry eyes.
My heart rate beated faster and I tried to pick up the pace but my leg hurt too much. That is until I heard the heels of their boots hit the bike path behind me. They became louder and faster with every step. My heart stopped and I looked to the fence. It was so close and I thought that if I could just get through it, I could give myself some time to hide or find someone nearby to help. I just wanted to get some distance between me and the two smoking figures following me.
Within about eight feet of the fence, I started hopping like a jack rabbit and ducked under the fence, almost falling. I turned and pulled the fold of chain link across the opening, hooking it upon itself. Then with great determination I hopped, skipped an jumped through the dark alley path and came out between two rows of short condo’s. At least now, there was some light.
From behind me I heard a rattling and some bickering. After a final shake, it became silent. They had gotten through the fence quicker than I thought they would. In fact, I actually though they would have just given up chase. But I was wrong.
Still limping along, I managed to reach one of the on site dumpsters. The kind that are enclosed but the front has a gate with a lock. That wasn’t going to stop me though. I dropped down, with a wince that almost came out a cry and shimmied under the gate. Then pulled myself up and shifted to the back of the dumpster. There, wedged between the cold metal of the dumpster and the tin gate’s wall, I held my breath. Waiting and I listening.
The boot heels came. Slow and spread out. I could hear them hissing to each other as they searched The hair on my neck raised stiff. Then silence.
I waited a good ten minutes. My leg seared with pain and all I wanted was to be in the safety of my warm home. The thought of freezing to death behind a dumpster made me mad and I decided to make my move. Slowly. So’s not to make a sound.
I dropped down to the ground and crawled under the gate, cold stones and gravel digging into my palms and wrists.
Struggling back to my feet, I scanned the area for the two pale men. The street looked dead. I looked to the end and saw the lights outside my front door flicker. Between me and them, about a block of housing and then a busy street cutting across. A beacon of hope, nonetheless. Shifting most of my weight onto my right leg, I hopped towards safety. Every
bounce and landing sent short spasms up my left leg. I almost lost my balance a few times but held firm in my lame trot.
My doorway was within a few yards when I heard a shout. I didn’t even bother looking behind me to see where it came from. I just kept my eyes trained on the front door of my townhouse. My heart pounded like a bass drum and I huffed for air.
Again, another shout belted out but this time it was closer and I could hear the growl in it. The soles of two pairs of boots beated the concrete road behind me. I reached the road splitting the townhouses and my home street. Vehicles sped by, flashing across my view in a blur.
Behind me, the beating of heels began to slow. I took a deep breath and hopped forward into the oncoming traffic. A honk, a swerve. Close one. I kept moving and another vehicle ripped behind me, a gush of wind turned up the back of my coat up with it’s speed. After reaching the other side, I turned to see my pursuers but they had disappeared. Questions flooded my mind and I searched the opposite roadside. Where were they? Did they give up? Did they go up the street to the intersection?
I turned around, feeling confused, my panic was still high and heart beating fast but I moved slow. The adrenaline dump hit me hard and I started sweating. Feeling shaky and weak. My vision, which once felt highly tuned was foggy and sluggish.
Stepping onto my doorstep, I inserted my house keys and unlocked the door. Before I could open the door, my body seized up and everything turned red for a moment, then black.
When I awoke, it was with a burning heat spreading through my body. I picked up my keys and stumbled indoors. Strangely, my leg already felt better but now my neck was sore. I went downstairs to my bedroom and undressed. The heat was too much. I started feeling dizzy so I went to the washroom for a splash of cold water. I was shocked.
Staring into the mirror, I saw no reflection. Just drips of water falling from mid air, into the sink.