i'm surrounded by people.
my breathing becomes erratic as i stalk through the centre of town, finding no solace in the harsh yellow streetlights and the deafening chatter of the people around me. i shiver in my coffee coat, slender fingers reaching to turn the collar up in an attempt to block out the rumble of the cars driving past and the drunken laughter spilling out onto the street from the restaurants; i only had to endure a few more minutes of this nightmare and then i'd be safely within the quiet of my own home.
i kept this comforting thought in a vice grip as i swerve around a blissfully unaware couple, silently cursing them from under my mask. the volume of the noise rises and falls in my ears, making me dizzy and my breath shallow. my pace quickens and it's not long before i'm sprinting, laughing manically as i leave the drumming of the city in my dust. i rest in a quiet alley, carding a hand through my hair, exhaling slowly. this is better.
the moment i step back into society, a yell shoots past my ears and the distressed feeling returns. i take on a brisk stride to get away but the sound follows me; they're calling out for me.
"excuse me!"
i turn to see a shock of red jogging towards me, waving something in the air as he races to catch up. i manage to get a better view of him in the streetlights: his scarlet tracksuit garishly contrasting the navy blue of the surrounding city and straw coloured hair peaks out from under his ivory beanie. who is this guy?
"i think you dropped your wallet." my hands fumble in the inside pocket of my coat and tense when they brush against nothing but a gaping hole in the silk: it must've fallen out when i was running.
"thank you," i mutter, reaching out to take it off him. he seems much younger than myself so my eyebrows shoot into my hairline when he wavers and hovers the leather above my outstretched palm.
"how do i know it's yours? what if you're some robber trying to steal from an innocent civilian?"
i crinkle my nose in disgust at this comical heroism and sigh.
"this isn't some anime, kid. can i have my wallet back? or i'll call the police."
i wouldn't really, but this tomato with legs doesn't know that. still, he refuses to hand the wallet over and i almost splutter out with laughter at this ludicrousness.
"are you serious?"
"what's your name? i'll match it to the id to make sure."
"give. me. my. wallet."
the stranger shakes his head and his fingers begin to peel open my wallet. in a flurry i lunge forward, smacking it out of his hands. it lands pitifully onto the road but i'm not finished with him yet: i drag him to the nearby alleyway where i had rested only moment ago and slam him against the brick, feeling no mercy as his hands fly up beside his head and he starts pleading.
"i'm sorry! i was just messing with you. you can take your wallet, just please leave me alone!"
his voice gets loud, irritatingly loud: my fist connects with his jaw and after a satisfying crack, he groans and a mixture of blood and teeth dribble out of his mouth. i swing again and we struggle together as i land hit after hit, but not before he lands a good few on me too and i become irate in an instant.
"do what you're fucking told next time," i hiss right beside his ear. a kick in the right place has his kneecaps folding in and he slumps in my hands, no longer able to support himself.
"leave."
my hand pulls away from the lapel of his jacket and he crumples to the floor, crying out for help as he drags himself into the street. in the cover of darkness, i observe his sluggish pace and the contortion of pain on his face with every movement. he keeps crawling, leaving a trail of blood like some grotesque fucked-up snail, his goal being the other side of the street where more people traipsed.
a blaring car horn and the sound of a skull shattering disrupts the easygoing laughter of the late-night diners and a crowd swarms over the twitching body.
i simply scoop up my wallet, dust away the dirt and slip it into my pocket as i carry on in the direction of my home.