Snippets

As Sharp As Silver

I gasp as I run, headlong bent for trouble, careening past stop-lighted intersections and pedestrians. If I was wearing anything more casual I might have stopped and blended into the crowds as usual, becoming one with the flow of moving bodies heading to and fro in every which direction.
But my constricting business suit and flats and the shouts of enragement not only convince me otherwise but also remind me that I'm not micro-chipped. If someone clever enough to think of scanning the crowd did just that, I'd be in lock-up before the CopperBloods could say "freeze".
Shaking my head at the thoughts of cold walls closing in on me and even colder food, I pump my legs a little harder and sprint across another street crossing, bumping into a fedora-wearing tourist as my feet hit the paved wood on the other side.
The momentum with which I hit the person causes him to lose his grip on the parcel tucked under one arm and send him toppling into my path even further.
My trail blocked I swerve to try to avoid the impact I know is coming for the man but only manage to collide with another man strolling past, causing all three of us to topple to the ground.
My legs entangle with the tourists and my head nearly suffocates in the other mans armpit. Struggling for air, I catch the heady scent of silver and sandalwood.
My heart almost stops. As if my night couldn't get any worse. I had to go and knock over a bloody SilverBlood.
And I'm touching him...
Gasping, I wiggle my way out of the awkward embraces of the two men as fast and efficient as I can without touching anymore limbs than I have too.
As I stand up, the tourist rolls to his feet smoothly, brushes off both shoulders and swiftly disappears into the choke of people but not before giving me a quick glance with scarlet eyes.
"What's the rush, love. Could've seriously hurt someone." The sharp clipped tone of SilverSpeech cuts through my thoughts of abandonment and guilt, making me spin around realizing once more the situation I've gotten myself into.
"Stay back! Don't touch me." I warn, backing away hand raised, stumbling slightly over the parcel that the Silver had had clutched in his hands before the tumble.
"Oh come on, I'm not contagious. Look, just give me my property and we'll call it even." His voice matches his eyes, clear and just light enough of a blue to make me wonder if they are, after all, gray. "I'll even point the Guards in the wrong direction."
Some sort of weird virus must have been injected in my coffee ration this morning, that or the adrenaline is catching up to me.
But whatever the reason, I ignore the Silver's pleading tone, only hearing the importance that package must mean to him in the rising urgency in the tone of his voice.
Important means money; money means food and food means happy me.
Without a second glance at the approaching Coppers or the Silver reaching for my arm, I snatch the parcel off of the pavement and bolt for the cover of the nearest alleyway with the sound of my pounding heart as rhythm for my aching legs.