Runners

Chapter One

   "Come on. Let's go," Price placed a hand on Wesley's shoulder and shook him, throwing the moon a wary look. As they walked down the street, Price kept a close eye on his brother. "You ok?"

   "Yea. I'm fine. The night just gives me the creeps." This possession the moon had over Wesley started occurring a couple of weeks ago. He had tried to stop it, but was powerless to being drawn toward the moon, adding to his hate for the night.

   They arrived outside of the girl's window after the slow, painful walk cradling the stereo. Wesley stubbed his toe once, and Price consented to take the boom box, hoisting it onto his shoulder as if it were as light as a feather. Wesley hadn't known whether to admire his brother's strength or furiously become jealous.

   Now the boom box was resting on the ground directly beneath the girl's window. Wesley realized with some agitation that the frame of the window was the same pale white of the moon, but it might seem that way because the moon's reflection cast an eerie shadow on the windowpane.

   For the first time in his life, Wesley felt like he could swallow his adrenaline with the rapid, close beating of it in the back of his throat. Wesley did swallow but it was involuntarily, and it made a loud gulp. He noticed that his conscious finally decided that he was worthy of having a conversation with. Although, all it told him was that his brother was an idiot which he already knew.

   Wesley shook his conscious and watched Price put double A batteries into the stereo then pop a CD in. Price wasn't giving Wesley any directions so he curiously gazed at his surroundings. By accident, he saw a black bat with bright, yellow eyes staring at him in a nearby tree. The bat cocked its head then squinted its face into an evil glare. It shot out of the tree and flew right toward Wesley's head, but he ducked and just barely dodged the attack. The bat, hissing, swerved around and stretched its claws at Wesley's head. Wesley sidestepped and luckily missed that attack as well. The bat gave up and flew off into the night, shrieking and defeated.

   “I swear, nature hates you," Price laughed heartily.

   Wesley sighed, "Only at night." He shivered, still seeing the bat's talons behind his eyelids. He forced himself to erase the startling image from his mind.

   He could feel the moon staring at him, calling him to her. A chill ran up his spine and he shivered.

   "Ready?" Price had an adventurous grin on his face. He felt daring during the night. A lot of people that Wesley knew did feel that way, but he never experienced that luxury.

   "Yeah," Wesley tried to smile enthusiastically, "the sooner the better. What do you want me to do?"

   "I want you to watch for the night patrol and the neighbors. I don't want them to think I'm breaking in." Of course, Price would want a lookout. Wesley sighed, "Fine."

   It was good that someone was watching for the police, because it just so happened that a drug dealer lived across the street. Most people wouldn't recognize this, but Wesley knew from familiarity. The person across the street left their Christmas lights on year round. Wesley came to this conclusion because it was September and the lights were currently glowing. Most would call the guy a redneck and say that he was lazy. Others would know that when the lights were green it meant open. When they were red it meant closed. Wesley, thinking about his past with dealers, gulped loudly. That had been a bad experience, Wesley thought.

Now bored, he watched one of the street lamps flicker on and off as it fought for its life. He heard Price shuffling around in the road and assumed he was looking for pebbles to bombard his "girlfriend's" house with. Price swore a couple of times as he stumbled around during his search. A light fell across the street slowly widening. Wesley looked to the drug dealer's door. He saw a small teenage girl slip out of it. She moved very quickly and the beam of light faded. She scanned her surroundings, turning in multiple short circles. She wasn't obvious, though. She knew very well what she was doing, and if Wesley hadn't noticed the light escape from the house he wouldn't have seen her. Therefore, he wouldn't be watching her now. As quick as a flash, two bright, amber lights appeared. Wesley blinked to correct his focus and to his alarm, realized those two amber lights were her eyes, and she was staring right at him.