The yellow and red light blurred in the reflections of the dull and flickering parking lot lights. I stared into the shallow puddles that made the lot into a virtual swamp. I considered how the distorted images of the lights in the water made the whole scene look like a carnival, but it was far from it. My breath was visible in the chilly and yet sticky air. We would try to sneak by and enjoy the rest of our night.
Then they were there. They glared and smirked at us menacingly. About ten feet away, past a single abandoned car, they stood and stared, waiting for us to make the first move.
“Robbie…” my acquaintance and guide for the night, Ben, warned with fear in his throat. It was in mine too, I could feel it rising, rising. Robbie, the dark haired one then took a step forward, raised a gun, pointed it at us, and more directly, at me. I considered asking how good his aim was.
The fear escaped me in a squeak, “Robbie. Please, we don’t need this, why would you do this?” I took a cautious step backwards, attempting to be inconspicuous.
“You’ve seen us, and we don’t like it when people glare at us like we’re trash,” Robbie said, daring a white toothed grin.
Another couple stumbles of nervousness backwards on my part. Benjamin began to follow me. I was now coming out from behind the car, a clear shot for Robbie. Him and his friend turned to face us, Robbie taking one step forwards, still pointing the gun.
“Glaring? I wasn’t glaring. Please. Please don’t shoot me, “I pleaded. I took another step, and another. We were slowly headed towards the old rusted wire fence. There was a gap in the fence which led down a gated path into the gardens.
“You were. I saw you, and I said to Jim, I said, “They’re staring at us. They’ll pay for that. They shouldn’t stare,” Robbie took another step forwards, leaving is partner, Jim, glaring at us with a grin from behind. “Look, you’ll stay right there and do what I say. Stop, go, stop, go. Doesn’t matter. Do what I say.”
“We weren’t trying to. Oh please. God. Don’t shoot us. Please,” I was going to die. I wouldn’t go without a run.
Just as I thought that, Ben nudged me and we dashed; we ran hard and fast for that gap in the fence. We didn’t stop to see if they were following, we could hear them anyways. The shouts of anger followed us as we ran. All I could think was “I really want to wake up; please let me wake up.” The plants that looked like trimmed hedges gone wild leaned over the rusty fence and glared at us. The squish of our steps on the cold, wet grass was becoming more and more dominant as the shouts faded. Had we lost them? I didn’t know, and I still don’t, all I know is that where I am now is safe. I’ll never leave.
I’ll never open my eyes again.
