The city was alive. With thousands of lives and millions of stories, it wore infinite faces. It threw its spires and rooftops into the heavens, blanketing out the stars with its lights - red, gold, white, blue, and everything in between. Everyone in between. But the more lights that you have, and the brighter they shine, the more shadows fester in the outreaches…just under the surface. Darker than any night, night that never falls in a city that never sleeps.
New York breathed.
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He stepped out into the ocean of night. It opened its arms and enfolded him – his city. He heard its song – knew its tides and waters, its strengths, its undercurrents that could pull the feet out from under you. You could lose your life to the dark. Funny thing, existence. Fragile.
Life goes on, always does. Droplets in the sea, human lives. Not that any of these morons elbowing past him had any idea, heads bowed against the rain, protecting themselves…from what? They should appreciate what they've got, be grateful for their life. Never know when it'll be gone.
People were skirting past him now. One woman even splashed into the gutter after seeing him. What did she think he was going to do, rape her? He had more important things to do tonight. Just means that he'll get there quicker. Wake them all up sooner.
Someone has to do it. It needs to be done. It just so happens that it'll be him making some decisions tonight. Shaking some droplets into the seas.
On the bus now. Not long to go. Grey faces, exhausted from the rat race. Light and water on the glass. He twisted his fingers on his lap. Smiled to the night. Swam in its depths. On the streets again, feet pounding through the driving rain. He needs to get there faster now. Wants to see if they hide from him, too. As they say, you can run, but you can't hide. Not in his city. Not on these streets. He'll find you. Suppose you do know some things.
The apartment block loomed over him, windows broken and doors boarded up. Innocuous. He mounted the steps. 1, 2, 3. A little boy laughed. In the grand scheme of things, life goes on.
He stepped through the door. Eyes blazed.
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Her soft curls tumbled about her face, tousled and shining in the dancing lights. Around her the city hummed, voices murmured, but she didn't notice. Her delicate eyelashes cast shadows upon her eyes – dark, enchanting eyes. They'd captivated him. Curled on the armchair, away from the storm outside maybe, a hand gently caressed her cheek, neck, resting for a while, unsure if she slept or woke. Thunder growled and lights flickered. The hand withdrew.
"Dead" One of the men with sliver badges stepped away from the corpse. Yellow curls, blue lips, red blood.
"This one too." Another man, older this time, pulled away from a body with blazing eyes, dripping knife in hand, the agent's bullet lodged in his bleeding gut. He shut the eyes.
"What else?"
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help me help me help me can't breathe. no breath to scream too scared to scream. can't move. smothered suffocated…screams, bang, shouts…don't leave me…drifting away…fight it…falling asleep again…stop…let me out…hear my silence…forget me…fall away…out of focus…forget everything…
"In here!" A woman's voice cried out, hands struggled, arms wrenched, water soared shining through the air, past a blonde head. "Alive?" A second woman this time, swirling colours on dark skin.
She crashed to the floor pale skin blue lips. Pumping chest moving heart spurting water gasping air.
New man now, dark, lifted her and carried her out.
Frightened eyes dragged open. She screamed.
Blue lips. Red blood. Yellow curls. She screamed.
Burning bullet. Blazing eyes. She screamed.
Into the rain.
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