As I passed the door I caught his glance – sideways and unsuspecting, but I caught it all the same. He noticed me – how did he know I was coming? I walked on by and up the high street, willing my shoes to be lighter, softer on the ground. I could hear footsteps creeping closer and closer, inch by inch they were gaining ground and in turn my legs moved quicker across the pavement.
Crossing the road ahead I thought I’d lost him. For a second I considered turning to check but then he’d have the opportunity to see my face. Instead I kept walking across the street and down by the river. It was dark down here, the street lights were gone and I was grateful for the metal rail and water that caught glimpses of the moon. The light was the only thing guiding my path now.
Behind me I heard a noise and spun a quick glance around – no one was there. It’s all in your head – the recurring voice yelled at me in the usual tone. I continued walking forward, powering just a few feet from the river edge and heading for the light which marked the bridge.
Another noise from behind stopped me in my tracks and as I turned around to sort fact from fiction I pushed into a shadowed figure.
‘I thought it was you – I just needed to be sure’.
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it was him. The sheer size of him had me weak. I wondered how to get out, how to escape and realised the chances were I wouldn’t.
‘I was told you’d be there – please don’t hate me.’
‘Hate you – I have no reason to hate you’ he said with such clarity I almost believed him.
In the distance the group moved closer.
‘Now you do’ as I suggested, willed him to turn around.
Five men or more, all shadowed figures themselves, clung to the railings, threatening. I didn’t know who was who, just that I wanted to get away. I’d done what was asked of me and now it was time for me to leave. The only opportunity I had to escape this nightmare.
‘You don’t need to worry about them’ he says in a calm and steady voice.
‘I don’t?’
I expected him to be frightened, as threatened as I felt, or at least as intimidated. Instead he stood his ground and gave no signs of any of those things.
‘So which one of you pussies wants to hit me first?’
As the words were muttered two of the shadowed figures leapt into action and in a moment were flat on the ground.
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