School Work

A Hopeless walk

He ran with an unexpected speed through the dirt road town. His red backpack shuffling back and forth as he pumped his little arms as fast as he could. He looked behind him to see the black smoke following him faster than a mountain lion. His quick thinking came into play as he spotted the little convenience store down the road. He made a B-line for the store as he ripped the door open, quickly shutting the door behind him as he leaned against it. He took deep breaths as he tried to fill his empty lungs back up.

"You okay there, little man?" An elderly woman said as she looked worried at the boy.

He quickly looked behind him at the glass door to see nothing there, like always, before looking back at the woman "Y-Yes ma'am. I'm f-fine."

"Okay then," The woman said with slight hesitation before she walked away.

"Hey, Matty!" He looked over to see who called him. It was Bob, the man who ran the small store. "Get over here and help me with the cooler, would ya?"

"On it, Bob," Matty said with a small smile before he walked over to the cooler. He took his switchblade out before he cut into the plastic packaging. Taking the warm beers out before he loaded them into the ice chest.

"Matty..."

A chill ran down his spine as he looked outside to hear the woman's voice call out to him. The black smoke sitting there calling out to him. It was so enchanting, magical even. He knew he shouldn't go near it, but it just called to him

"Matty..."

"Matty..."

"Matty!" He snapped his head over to see Bob looking over at him. "Get away from the window, boy!"

Matty looked to see he was right at the window, the black smoke and him could almost touch if it weren't for the glass window. He quickly gulped before he backed away and walked over to a concerned Bob.

"What's got in your head?" Bob asked him with a concerned look. Bob wore a flannel shirt with busted up blue jeans, his baseball hat strapped onto his head. His favorite accessory was already worn, his long beard that was greying at the ends.

"It's back," Matty told him with a sigh.

"That smoke thing?" Bob asked him.

"Yeah, it's following me again," Matty said.

"Want to stay upstairs in the apartment again?" Bob had worried written into his wrinkles as he looked at the torn-up boy.

"Naw, I'm just goin' to try and make it home before the sun sets," Matty shrugged his shoulders as he brushed it off.

"Your Ma and Pa not back yet?" Bob asked him

"No, but it's fine," Matty tightened his straps on his bag.

"Alright," Bob pulled out a brown bag from under the counter before he passed it over to Matty. "You need anything, though, come back here."

"Will do, thank's Bob," Matty said with a smile before he grabbed the bag off the counter. "See ya tomorrow."

"See ya," Bob called before Matty dashed out of the store.

He gripped his brown bag in one hand before making his way down the street, looking twice before he crossed the road. His little legs taking him past the rows of shops before he made a left down the road. The giant cactus that sat as a reminder of his turn to get to his house that sat at the end of the dirt road.

"Matty..."

There it was again.

That voice of an angel.