Vice City : The Bud

Chapter 21 - Understand Me

I'venothing but a serious expression about me so I'm altogetherconfused about what's happening. What's he accusing me of ? Is heactually awake ? Does he see me ? So many questions but there's notime to answer them. I can feel the presence at the door growingrestless. It's ambition pushes against the wood like the force of awave smashing up on the hull of a ship. My friend collapses again andthis offers a chance to make an escape. Fleeting feet fly like ficklesparrows in awe at their own misjudged impressions on thesurroundings. I make it to the window and I'm lucky enough to finda 'fire escape' set of metal framed stairs. They run from the topof the building to the bottom with an intersection on each level.Gingerly I open the panel and slide myself out onto the metal sheetbelow. It creeks as I do so and this in turn causes my friend to stirand wake. I'm not the first thing he sees. His sole fixation isLilly. I close the window and allow my friend to come to terms withwhat 'he' has done.

"Lil?"

Ican hear him ask.

"Butit was a dream ?" He calls out to her.

Politelyand silently I bid my fondest farewells to them both. Wrapping onehand across the railing I begin my descent. The smack of thegradually lightening rain hides the subtle clip of my shoes as theyhurry down, floor by floor. Finally I kick loose the ladder thatsends me from first floor to the alley below. It lands on theconcrete with a clang. The rain beats down on my face and this momentof fleeing is almost sentient in its ability to push me onward. Myheart should be racing, but it's not. There should be sweat oozingthe pores of my forehead, but there isn't. I am calm. I am still. Iam rational. I am logical. The only two tears that shed my gruffexterior are for the friend and the love I've left behind. I lookback up one last time.

"Perhapsthere is some worth to friendship," I accept.

"Theyhelp you out when the world turns its back," I quote.

Myshoes hit the ground and I freeze. Not a hundred feet away is a manwho fiddles with the power box of the building. He's dressed in along brown trench coat and a tidy suit which changes colour withevery slash of rain that hits him. Quickly I navigate the rest of thealleyway. There are no other exits. The back end is fenced and evenif I was able to scale it there'd be no way I could do it quietlyenough. My only choice is to go through him. A sturdy tackle shouldbe all I need. Peevishly I take two steps back. Digging the fronts ofmy feet into a push off position, my heels lift up. Now I'm readyto run. A clean, stern knock is all it would take. Something withenough force to push him aside and by the time he's recovered I'llhave disappeared. I'm just about to go for it when the man raisesan arm to reach for a higher notch and beneath his coat I spot a gunand badge.

"Wellthis is making things more complicated," I say, mulling over my,now limited, options.

Hepulls a switch and suddenly the apartment above glows. Its lightshines out on the alleyway and before long I'm lit up like aChristmas tree. No more decisions to be made. I need to move and Ineed to do it now. My body darts of its own accord. The hand dashesto grab a shiv of metal which is conveniently sat atop a dumpster.The finger rubs against the blade to check for bluntness. It cutsthrough the first few layers of skin before my legs have made fortheir next destination.

"Hmm.Maybe I should have been an electrician," the man smiles.

Nowarning. I'm behind him with tattered dagger in hand.

"Sopower's back on," he continues.

Isteady my hand. I've only got one chance or he'll shoot me down.

"You'rewelcome Gram..."

Theshard glides through his neck like a swan across a lake. His sentenceis cut short. His eyes search for help but both he and I know thatit's too late for that now. He curls one hand around the gash andreaches for me with the other. My shirt scrunches in his grasp. Hislook is a plea to ask why but I have no answer for him, at least notone that could bring him satisfaction. I bend to his level and softywhisper.