1. Fist from the Mist
Past Will went the other people of the world. Men in suits; mothers with children; groups of friends.
Will was on his own, but not alone.
He was heading for the bank at the end of the high street. His mother's purse had been 'stolen' again and they didn't have any money for the shopping. He looked at every person and car that passed by, but didn't heed them. His mind was still in turmoil over his past experience with Her.
But as difficult to put a side as it was, he'd have to start thinking about something else while his mother was in her present state.
A new car to look at rounded the corner. It was a black Mercedes with darkened glass. A merc wasn't a boy racer. Why should it have darkened glass?
Then just as he realised who was in the car, the car recognised him. It swerved into the lay-by parking in front of the shops and the pale haired man was out before will could decide whether they had been looking for him, or stumbled upon him.
Will turned and walked casually into the shop next to him. Judging by the racks of CDs lining every bit of wall space available, he'd walked into the record shop. Luckily, it was empty, save a boy of about 17 behind the counter. He had a grungy get up on and looked up from a magazine on the surface.
'Hi.' He said with a nod,
'Hey.'
Will moved round the shop, pretending to look at the names of the bands as he passed. Stopping at a name with plenty of CDs behind it he began to flick though them, pausing to read each title. But his consciousness was on the shop window.
Had the man seen him enter the shop?
Will was running out of CDs. He looked up at the window and jumped- the man was right there looking though at him, and now he saw Will's face he sprang for the door.
Will was already at the counter- he vaulted it and made for the doorway to the back of the shop, there had to be a back way out.
'Stop him!' the man bellowed at the shop boy- who was too startled by this sudden action to move. 'Damnit!'
Will saw what he was looking for, the back door. There was another man at a filing cabinet in his way, he looked up instinctively jumped out of this boys way.
Will knew what to do now. Without slowing he gave a pull at the cabinet and it fell forward, taking bookcase of supply CDs with it. Jumping of this obstacle he'd made he ran out the door and ran round the corner and ducked behind the wheelie bins.
He heard the man curse again as he crashed though through the carnage of CDs, files and startled shopkeepers. He finally broke lose and crunched onto the gravel out the back. Will was in his element now and the crunching gravel betrayed the Man's location. He stepped left and right, trying to determine where the wretched boy had slipped off to this time.
Will was also looking around from behind the bins. Behind him was a wooden panel fence, no barrier for him, he jumped for it like a cat and clambered over it, looking over his shoulder as he jumped down, he saw the Man come sprinting round the corner. Will grinned at him and fled.
His escape route had taken him about ten metres up the road- toward the car. People were ignorant, but were still aware of a 13-year-old boy coming over the fence and making off up the road. The car saw it too and pulled out of its parking spot. Will was a fast runner, but he wasn't going to out run a car. He looked desperately round the street. No hiding places. Over his shoulder the Man had scaled the fence and was after him again. He decided to change tack and headed toward the car, the street wouldn't let it turn in one go. Ahead of him the bank loomed, his mind flicked back ten minutes and he reflected on how quickly the situation could change. He dived in the bank and yelled out:
'Quick! There's a bloke coming with a gun!'
His idea worked and one of the cashiers panicked and hit the alarm button. The doors began to close and he ran for the other doors, the Man was now close behind, but the doors were too quick. Will was out and the Man shut in.
He kept running, if he could make it beyond the high street there were plenty of gardens and alleys to hide in.
He slowed for a second, something else was coming, what, he couldn't tell, but something else was changing. His moment of freedom was suddenly squandered, looking back, the Man had escaped the bank and was on his path again.
There was an alley to his right, he dived into it, then using his momentum, swung himself over the fence and crouched down. Around him he saw a small car park area with garages along the walls.
The Man clomped round the corner and stopped again, Will stayed silent.
The Man had stopped and ran his hands through his pale hair. Then he check the road behind him, and came back down the alley.
Then his mind clicked, the left side of the alley was a brick wall- the boy couldn't have climbed that in a hurry, he reeled round and climbed the fence, Will tried to run, but for the second time he had gambled too hard on his hiding spot.
'So-ho.' Said the Man,
'What do you want from me?!' said Will, exasperated,
'Want? We figured were you've been over the past two months, we want The Knife.' he said, 'as would many people for that matter…'
'What are you talking about?'
'Don't be so naïve William! You being inscrutable can't hide you're activities. I had a chat to a man you may have heard of.'
'Who?'
'Father MacPhaile of course, he was quite eager to hear what we know too, but we lost contact recently…' his voice trailed off, 'Right! To business; Come quietly and we'll make it easier for you too.'
The fence behind Will was solid, climbing would take too long. There was no escape this time.
Then he felt it again, a tighten on his heart, this time he recognised it:
There was a thud against the fence behind and a large cat leaped over. It was a black cat, but had shades of grey and the darkest of blues in its fur. Without pausing it launched itself toward the Man- who jumped backwards, allowing the cat to land neatly and run for Will.
And then they both ran down the compound, round the corner, and were gone.
The man stood up and dusted himself down.
Past Will went the other people of the world. Men in suits; mothers with children; groups of friends.
Will was on his own, but not alone.
He was heading for the bank at the end of the high street. His mother's purse had been 'stolen' again and they didn't have any money for the shopping. He looked at every person and car that passed by, but didn't heed them. His mind was still in turmoil over his past experience with Her.
But as difficult to put a side as it was, he'd have to start thinking about something else while his mother was in her present state.
A new car to look at rounded the corner. It was a black Mercedes with darkened glass. A merc wasn't a boy racer. Why should it have darkened glass?
Then just as he realised who was in the car, the car recognised him. It swerved into the lay-by parking in front of the shops and the pale haired man was out before will could decide whether they had been looking for him, or stumbled upon him.
Will turned and walked casually into the shop next to him. Judging by the racks of CDs lining every bit of wall space available, he'd walked into the record shop. Luckily, it was empty, save a boy of about 17 behind the counter. He had a grungy get up on and looked up from a magazine on the surface.
'Hi.' He said with a nod,
'Hey.'
Will moved round the shop, pretending to look at the names of the bands as he passed. Stopping at a name with plenty of CDs behind it he began to flick though them, pausing to read each title. But his consciousness was on the shop window.
Had the man seen him enter the shop?
Will was running out of CDs. He looked up at the window and jumped- the man was right there looking though at him, and now he saw Will's face he sprang for the door.
Will was already at the counter- he vaulted it and made for the doorway to the back of the shop, there had to be a back way out.
'Stop him!' the man bellowed at the shop boy- who was too startled by this sudden action to move. 'Damnit!'
Will saw what he was looking for, the back door. There was another man at a filing cabinet in his way, he looked up instinctively jumped out of this boys way.
Will knew what to do now. Without slowing he gave a pull at the cabinet and it fell forward, taking bookcase of supply CDs with it. Jumping of this obstacle he'd made he ran out the door and ran round the corner and ducked behind the wheelie bins.
He heard the man curse again as he crashed though through the carnage of CDs, files and startled shopkeepers. He finally broke lose and crunched onto the gravel out the back. Will was in his element now and the crunching gravel betrayed the Man's location. He stepped left and right, trying to determine where the wretched boy had slipped off to this time.
Will was also looking around from behind the bins. Behind him was a wooden panel fence, no barrier for him, he jumped for it like a cat and clambered over it, looking over his shoulder as he jumped down, he saw the Man come sprinting round the corner. Will grinned at him and fled.
His escape route had taken him about ten metres up the road- toward the car. People were ignorant, but were still aware of a 13-year-old boy coming over the fence and making off up the road. The car saw it too and pulled out of its parking spot. Will was a fast runner, but he wasn't going to out run a car. He looked desperately round the street. No hiding places. Over his shoulder the Man had scaled the fence and was after him again. He decided to change tack and headed toward the car, the street wouldn't let it turn in one go. Ahead of him the bank loomed, his mind flicked back ten minutes and he reflected on how quickly the situation could change. He dived in the bank and yelled out:
'Quick! There's a bloke coming with a gun!'
His idea worked and one of the cashiers panicked and hit the alarm button. The doors began to close and he ran for the other doors, the Man was now close behind, but the doors were too quick. Will was out and the Man shut in.
He kept running, if he could make it beyond the high street there were plenty of gardens and alleys to hide in.
He slowed for a second, something else was coming, what, he couldn't tell, but something else was changing. His moment of freedom was suddenly squandered, looking back, the Man had escaped the bank and was on his path again.
There was an alley to his right, he dived into it, then using his momentum, swung himself over the fence and crouched down. Around him he saw a small car park area with garages along the walls.
The Man clomped round the corner and stopped again, Will stayed silent.
The Man had stopped and ran his hands through his pale hair. Then he check the road behind him, and came back down the alley.
Then his mind clicked, the left side of the alley was a brick wall- the boy couldn't have climbed that in a hurry, he reeled round and climbed the fence, Will tried to run, but for the second time he had gambled too hard on his hiding spot.
'So-ho.' Said the Man,
'What do you want from me?!' said Will, exasperated,
'Want? We figured were you've been over the past two months, we want The Knife.' he said, 'as would many people for that matter…'
'What are you talking about?'
'Don't be so naïve William! You being inscrutable can't hide you're activities. I had a chat to a man you may have heard of.'
'Who?'
'Father MacPhaile of course, he was quite eager to hear what we know too, but we lost contact recently…' his voice trailed off, 'Right! To business; Come quietly and we'll make it easier for you too.'
The fence behind Will was solid, climbing would take too long. There was no escape this time.
Then he felt it again, a tighten on his heart, this time he recognised it:
There was a thud against the fence behind and a large cat leaped over. It was a black cat, but had shades of grey and the darkest of blues in its fur. Without pausing it launched itself toward the Man- who jumped backwards, allowing the cat to land neatly and run for Will.
And then they both ran down the compound, round the corner, and were gone.
The man stood up and dusted himself down.
