Person of Interest

Chapter 1: Witness

"see ya, pal." 

"NO!" 

I didn't realize that I'd screamed until the tall silhouette seemed to pause and shift slightly, cocking its head towards me. I gasped and stumbled back a few steps.

"I... d-don't..." I stuttered softly over the sound of the frightened man's whimpers. I could feel the gunman's stare boring into me from beneath the shadows, trapping my words in my throat. I swallowed and tried again.

"P-Please... please d-don't-"

My plea dissolved into a shriek that was covered by the gunshot that cut sharply through the night and set my ears to ringing. Tears stung my horrified eyes, blurring my vision slightly as I watched the man's lifeless body crumble silently to the ground. His eyes were still open, looking for all the world like they were staring straight at me. I let out a choked sob of grief for him and the wife and child the killer had mentioned before. I trembled as tears rolled down my face, freezing on my cheeks in the cold.

"heh... you aight there, sweetheart?"

The gunman had holstered his weapon and turned to face me, his posture deceptively lax and unthreatening. I didn't turn to look at him, unable to avert my eyes from the body's lifeless gaze, unable to move as he drew closer, the snow beneath his feet crunching softly with each measured step. Emotionally drained from sadness and shock, I couldn't even muster up a flinch when he stopped right in front me and slowly lifted a hand to my chin, gently tilting my face up to meet his gaze. I looked up at him in helplessness and confusion; why would he... how could he... How could he?

"aw, look atcha; shakin' like a leaf," he murmured, almost to himself. He cradled my face in both hands and gently swiped his thumbs across my cheeks, wiping away my tears.

"first time, huh darlin'?" He cooed. I couldn't tell if he was being mocking me or being sincere. "poor lil' thing..."

I swallowed dryly as his fingers ghosted over my trembling lower lip. 

"W-why..." I managed to rasp. 

He cocked him head. "hmm?"

I cleared my throat and tried again, fighting to get the words past the tightness in my throat.

"Why?" I whispered, unable to muster any other words. 

He paused, then chuckled a bit. "well, I'd tell ya, but see, the thing is..." he leaned down so that his moth brushed the shell of my ear.

"i'd have ta kill ya." 

A rush of adrenaline shot through me as I processed his words, snapping me out of my numb stupor. I yanked myself out of his grasp, spun on my heel, and ran. I practically flew, sprinting down the street like my life depended on it- which it very much did. A deep, booming laugh followed me as I went, piercing my skull and scraping down my spine like a tangible thing.
 

"ha! there it is!" He guffawed as I fled. "knew ya had it in ya!"

I felt some measure of relief when I heard his laughter fading. He wasn't following me... oh, thank God.
 

I arrived at my apartment building in less than two minutes, having sprinted the last two blocks in record time. I was numb and shaking by the time I climbed the stairs, too cold to even register the exhaustion that my muscles must have been feeling from the rush of activity. My teeth chattered as I fumbled with my keys with shaking fingers. When I finally suceeded, I threw open the door, threw myself inside, and slammed it shut behind me, quickly twisting all three locks before collapsing against the wall in a trembling, freezing mess of gasps and tears.