Nightcrawler

by N Gray

  But, I needed help urgently. At first, I cried out softly. When they didn’t respond, I cried out louder. The talking stopped, and the footsteps slowed down. I glanced over my right shoulder to see the entrance of the alley and rested my head; it was too much effort to keep my head up. In the light, I could see three of them, one slightly ahead of the others, and they were all staring at me.

  Their eyes glowed like a cat’s would when in the dark. The men were were-animals, and I was potentially vulnerable prey. The man in front, his face concealed in darkness, stood painfully still—was he tempted?

  I cried out again, this time a whimper as the pain ripped through my body.

  The men spoke quietly to each other, then the man in front nodded. I closed my eyes for a second and when I opened them again, the two men were in the alley and heading toward me. One of them bent down on his haunches and showed me his hands, letting me know he had no weapons and meant no harm.

  I tried to speak, but no sound came out. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Help me,” I whispered.

  “Your leg is bleeding. I will try to stop it and then pick you up. If we don’t help you now, you will die here.” He looked up at his friend and then back at me. “Can you hear me?”

  “Yes.” I nodded and swallowed hard. I think everyone around the block could hear me swallow. “Please help me.”

  “Give me your belt,” the man said to his friend, lifting his hand to wait for the belt. When he had it in his hands, he wrapped it around my left thigh and fastened tightly to stop the bleeding. When he pulled on it, to fasten the belt into place, I cried out until the night swallowed me.

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