Headlines

Just a dark alleyway. What could go wrong?

"Hey there!” I shouted at someone about to walk down a dark alleyway, alone. “Don’t you know that’s dangerous?”

“Well,” the young man stammered.

Angrily, I asked, “Well nothing! Don’t you know there are people in this world of ours who will try to kill you? Haven’t you read the news?”

“The serial killer? Yeah his latest victim was found yesterday in an alley. Gee, mister, you’re right. That last guy was alone too. I just never thought anything like that could happen to me,” the man replied. Finally, someone who listened to my reasoning.

“Yes, and it’s not safe to go home that way alone. I usually go the long way home, but I will gladly keep you company. It’s safer that way, wouldn’t you agree?” I was not about to take ‘no’ for an answer. Everyone in the city knew there was a killer on the loose, and I wasn’t about to have someone get this hapless gent.

“Why, thanks, mister,” the man replied as we walked down the dark alley. The air was thick from the lack of light. My lantern barely illuminated a foot ahead of us.

“Right, not too much longer now,” I said as we slowly walked forward, wary of any sounds. I reached into my pocket for my blade as a cat scurried across out path.

“My word!” the man squeaked, too scared to speak above a whisper.

“Calm yourself. There are scarier things in the world than a cat. Don’t you know there are people who will try to kill you?”

I’m sure he would have nodded in agreement had I not stabbed him in the throat. He should have known there were people who would try to kill people. Some would even succeed.

I cannot wait to see the newspaper tomorrow. I’m sure he’ll be front page news, just like my others. At least this one followed me willingly.