Run
Run
Footsteps behind; footsteps ahead.
On either side of the fleeing boy the stained graffiti of the alley walls slipped past, warping the echo of his gasping breaths until the narrow pathway seemed to constrict around his lungs.
He couldn’t stop, though; even as he slowed, the harsh yells from those hunting him came ever closer, the noise swelling around him so he had no choice but to run on.
Night was falling now, casting weird shadows that reached from the depths of every corner and doorway in the concrete maze - unable to go on any longer, the boy stopped, ducking into the shelter of a gloomy alcove to hide.
Not a breath, not a movement escaped him, standing statue-like as he listened for any noise that might betray his pursuers – so intent on locating any sound, in fact, that it was many minutes before he realised that the only thing surrounding him was a heavy silence.
Frozen in place in a desperate attempt to merge with the surrounding shadows and become invisible, it was almost as if time had stopped around the boy.
Even the usual sounds of the back alleys were silent; the constant dripping and scuttling, the sounds of the creatures, animal and human, that roamed these hidden worlds – all of this, hushed.
Only the steady, rapid beating of his heart broke the utter stillness around him as he stepped cautiously out of his hiding place, into the now absolute darkness of the alley.
In both directions, silence and darkness reigned.
Neither way looked familiar to the boy, who was quickly realising that In his frantic hurry to escape – to run, to hide, to survive – he had avoided one danger, only to be faced with another, far more terrifying, and much harder to elude.
He was lost.
And in this maze, where each corner could just as easily lead you to freedom or danger, being lost was the worst possible thing that could happen – because there is always someone or something that knows their way around better than you.
With a sinking heart, the boy suddenly realised why the silence was so unnerving.
Every other living thing was long gone from here, and for a very good reason; the huge, growling thing that was slowly emerging from the shadows where it had been lying, patiently waiting for some clueless creature to stray into its range.
Both predator and prey knew already that the end was inevitable - but even as he saw this, a single thought, the desire to survive, took over the boy’s mind.
No matter how hopeless his chances, there was only one thing left for him to do.
Run.
On either side of the fleeing boy the stained graffiti of the alley walls slipped past, warping the echo of his gasping breaths until the narrow pathway seemed to constrict around his lungs.
He couldn’t stop, though; even as he slowed, the harsh yells from those hunting him came ever closer, the noise swelling around him so he had no choice but to run on.
Night was falling now, casting weird shadows that reached from the depths of every corner and doorway in the concrete maze - unable to go on any longer, the boy stopped, ducking into the shelter of a gloomy alcove to hide.
Not a breath, not a movement escaped him, standing statue-like as he listened for any noise that might betray his pursuers – so intent on locating any sound, in fact, that it was many minutes before he realised that the only thing surrounding him was a heavy silence.
Frozen in place in a desperate attempt to merge with the surrounding shadows and become invisible, it was almost as if time had stopped around the boy.
Even the usual sounds of the back alleys were silent; the constant dripping and scuttling, the sounds of the creatures, animal and human, that roamed these hidden worlds – all of this, hushed.
Only the steady, rapid beating of his heart broke the utter stillness around him as he stepped cautiously out of his hiding place, into the now absolute darkness of the alley.
In both directions, silence and darkness reigned.
Neither way looked familiar to the boy, who was quickly realising that In his frantic hurry to escape – to run, to hide, to survive – he had avoided one danger, only to be faced with another, far more terrifying, and much harder to elude.
He was lost.
And in this maze, where each corner could just as easily lead you to freedom or danger, being lost was the worst possible thing that could happen – because there is always someone or something that knows their way around better than you.
With a sinking heart, the boy suddenly realised why the silence was so unnerving.
Every other living thing was long gone from here, and for a very good reason; the huge, growling thing that was slowly emerging from the shadows where it had been lying, patiently waiting for some clueless creature to stray into its range.
Both predator and prey knew already that the end was inevitable - but even as he saw this, a single thought, the desire to survive, took over the boy’s mind.
No matter how hopeless his chances, there was only one thing left for him to do.
Run.