Detour

The End

Carefully, one step after another I made my way away from the scene. Dusk was falling like a cool blanket, the chill reminding me of the winter to come. I shivered, but not from the wintry breath of air. Leaves rattled lazily in the trees and scattered across the pavement. The last rays of sunlight licked the horizon mockingly, as if to say good look at escaping in the dark. Then all trace off light was gone.

A streetlight flickered to life way down in the alley. Funny, the irony of light at the end of this "tunnel". I hugged my coat closer, a death grip on my pepper spray. Five dead and I the only witness. I would have stayed. Would have told the police. Would be warm, sitting in an old chair sipping at some tea in an interrogation room.

Who sits still when they're the only witness and the killer is right there, reloading his gun? With utmost caution, I made my way to the old streetlight. It's sallow glow made this whole nightmare just that much more eerie. Then a gun shot fired and took out the streetlight. I jumped and turned on my heel. Wind lashed my hair away from my face as I took off at a full out sprint towards the main street that the alley branched from. A pale light came from that direction. I made it out to the street to see that it was another streetlight down a ways.

Another gunshot and I was thrown into complete darkness. The sound of glass shattering on pavement set my nerves on end. Fear made my stomach drop. I ran down the road, stumbling over curbs and glass shards. A car sped by and the flash of light blinded me. I fell, skidding across the pavement and putting holes in my jeans. Blood oozed slowly from my knee and a shard of glass cut into my arm. Tears ran down my cheeks and another car flashed by. Fear overrode pain and I struggled to my feet before taking off again. Gun shots rang out and I dropped to the ground. Gravel dug into my palms. Unfathomable pain sunk into my shoulder and I screamed. My arm was paralyzed with agony. More lights blazed by menacingly and double vision hazed in. Shadows crawled through the night and paranoia rattled deep in my bones. Now my stomach whirled sickeningly and I could feel myself retch.

Red and blue flickered and a bit of hope crept into me. I shouted for help, but it had barely left my mouth before another shot fired. Inky blackness covered my vision and all the pain abated.