The Rejected Ones

Chapter 1: It is only the beginning

They're chasing me....

They 'll catch up any second now....

I have to keep running...

I keep running through dark alleyways in an abandoned and quite dangerous area of the city. I keep doing sharp turns which end up with me almost bumping into the wall corners...I can't risk to slow down. If I do, they will catch me. They're fast. Luckily, I know a shortcut.

I pass the giant conteiner as my pace begins to fasten. Right about know, there should appear a chain link fence, which should be easy to jump across. I quickly do another sharp turn, almost colliding with a brick wall. When running I try to be as quiet as I can. In this darkness it would be easy to track sounds.

I'm starting to run out of breath, and my legs became weak as a sharp pain strucks my muscles. I'll have to stop sooner or later. The fence should slow them down, however I was sure it had to be here somewhere?...

I have been running for more then 15 minutes now, but the fence is nowhere near. Have I missed something? I do another turn and bump into a wall. Very tall wall.

Dammit.

A dead end.

I decide to at least take a breath and quiet down a bit more. They did follow me, but I don't hear their steps anymore. I already got used to the darkness, but the eerie silence was upsetting me. I took out the knife from my pocket and peeked around a corner.

Empty alleyway.

Yeah, right. Only a fool would believe that. When living in the streets, you know damn well not to believe in things like that. There is always someone there.

Keeping the thought at the back of my head, I take a step into the alleyway. Carefully not to make a sound I keep moving forward. A sudden loud unexpected noise catches me off guard and I almost lose balance, immediately collecting myself and starting to run towards the noise. It was a gunshot, and it was somewhere near. I ran towards it and just as I arrived at the place the sound came from, I was shocked.

There was a man. A Man of an average height, black hair with dark blue highlights. He wore black leather jacket and some ripped jeans, however he had a gun in his hand. The gun was pointing at another man who was lifelessly laying on the dirty ground of the alleway. I immeadiately recognized him as a member of my former gang who were after me. The gang is known as „The Bulldog Clan", the most shady gang in the entire city. They have the biggest territory and most gangs are afraid of them. This specific member went by the name Scrapple, he was the youngest, and he was to replace me.

As I was watching his lifeless body with slight disgust, I didn't notice that the other man had his gun pointed at me, trigger ready to be pulled.

„Wait!" I said. He just tilted his head slightly, his emotionless face not giving away any reaction, a gun still pointed in my direction.

„Just why should I?" his cold but rough voice spoke, „You come here in the middle of my bussiness and expect me to just brush it off and let you go?" he smirked a bit. „That's not how it works."

„I know." I fight back with a stern look and serious voice, „I just wanted t-„

„Save your breath." He cut me off.

„If it's my last one I might as well use it." I reply and and he sighs in annoyance. He clicks his tongue and continues.

„You are one of them, aren't you?"

„Well..."

„Spit it out! You know this guy, don't you? The dirty pig named Scrapple."

„I do. But I'm not one of them."

He chuckles at that. „Liar."

I shot a glare at him „I'm not lying."

„Riiight. Let's pretend I was to believe that. Then what? You can just walk your ass out of here like nothing happened?"

„ Of course not. I know damn well I can't do that. But I can thank you."

„Thank me? For what exactly?" He seems cofused.

„You know, in case you didn't notice, Scrapple was after me. You just did the job I was supposed to do." I reply. He looks puzzled, as if he is trying to solve a mystery, while still pointing his gun at me. Then he looks behind me, as if someone is there. Just as I turned around, another incredibly loud noise rings through my ears with a sudden realization it was a gunshot that the man before me has fired.