Witness

You have to be brave.

Her foot slipped and skid against the concrete as she shuffled back against the wall, grinding up dirt and mud against the soles. She sat quietly next to the dumpster, placing her hands over her mouth to stop any instinctive sounds she’d let out. She breathed in through her nose, in and out, over and over again trying to keep calm as she rocked silently in place.

 

Her eyes were closed shut, tightly, trying to collapse the vision that she had just seen.

 

The rain poured down around her, the clothing she wore was soaked and her pants were dirt ridden. Rain fell on this gray night, the dark clouds illuminated by the city’s lights. Lampposts lit the street beyond her, but the alley she was situated in, was covered with shadow.

 

Slowly dropping her hands to reside limp on the ground, the smell of the garbage beside her was finally acknowledged by her senses. But she ignored it. It didn’t mean anything to her. She just tried to breathe.  She needed air, time, and silence, regardless of how stale and filthy the oxygen seemed to be.

 

After the longest minute of her life, she slowly, oh so slowly, moved her head. She moved her eyes around the corner of the brick building, slowly sliding her sight of the street into view which was hindered by her current position in the alley.

 

With her back pressed to the wall, to make herself as invisible as possible, she took in what was before her.

 

The man was standing above another. The one on the ground was on his back, rain pouring down on his clothes and face, as though it was tears streaming down his cheeks. His chest was a mixture of blood and mud and water. He was as dead as stone, and his full expression was hidden from the girl’s sight.

 

And the well dressed, fully alive man, the one drowning his lungs in smoke from his cigarette, held the gun at arm’s length.

 

Her eyes widened, and her breathing shook again. She gasped, but she was sure the rain and thunder covered over whatever small moan had escaped her mouth. The girl’s hand had reflexively grasped her thigh and she started to squeeze, stopping only when she felt the pain that had reached its way through blue jeans. That pain reminded her that everything was real. The gunshot she had heard wasn’t thunder. The flash that emitted after the trigger wasn’t lighting.

 

The man retrieved the cigarette from his mouth, and flicked it on to the body. In his large trench coat, he turned and his eyes came toward the alley way.

 

Did he look right at her?

 

She immediately pulled back and held her breath.

 

Rain pelted the buildings’ walls and concrete path, against the dumpster like drums, and she felt like a prisoner by it. Unable to muster the courage to move, the girl heard every splash, every foot fall as the man drew closer.

 

It seemed like any moment he’d shoot her next. And she would swear she felt the bullet strike her, the trigger sound being clicked. She flinched at the image.

 

He moved on.

 

He was unaware of her. His silhouette was dark and she could make out nothing about his facial features. With smooth steps he left the street, leaving behind the girl.

 

Unknowingly, he had left behind his witness too.

 

And that witness, would be the first part of a series of clues that would lead to his downfall and arrest for first degree murder. Her life would be forever changed by the event, and though she brought a criminal to chains, to this day she would never choose to relive the moments spent in that alley. No one could fully know what it meant to stay silent and alone, and leave her place to face reality. To walk up to that cold body, stare at that face for the longest time in the rain and give a prayer in respect for him. She couldn’t remember what was racing through her mind at the time, if anything was. She only knew she was scared. Fear tried to keep her numb.

 

Still… there were other emotions, more powerful feelings, which kept her firm.

 

It took a little time, but she eventually slumped herself out onto the street to get a second look. 

Author's Note

My sister really liked this one a lot. Wish I had written more xD

Reviews

[Rick Egin]

Loved it. You have an excellent ability to build suspense and you possess a remarkable sense of pacing. I'll be reading more.

[Marcel Grant]

Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the other stories I have here, if you get time to check them out!