AllFreeNovel
Share Us
?There was a lot of foot traffic, and the sidewalk was busy but not too crowded. Every type of person rushed about at a pace only New Yorkers can maintain.
?A small restaurant across the street had just opened, and the staff was putting tables and chairs outside so that diners could enjoy their meal al fresco.
?Despite the people who walked past us, I suddenly heard footsteps. I caught a glimpse of a figure in black out of the corner of my eye.
?Before my reflexes could act, a tall person in a large black coat moved between Sheryl and me. Whoever it was pushed us apart with enough force to knock both of us down.
?Everything seemed to move in slow motion, as the figure snatched the plastic bag with the pipe out of my hand when I fell.
?I glanced up, only to see a black ski mask and sunglasses, which completely covered the face of our assailant.
?As my knees painfully struck the pavement, time resumed its regular speed, and I looked up to see our attacker as he took off. It was a tall fellow in black pants with a large black pea coat, which was unbuttoned and flared open as he ran.
?I must have been muddled, as the only thing going through my brain was how odd it was to wear a ski mask on such a warm day.
?People stopped to watch the assailant run off but did nothing to stop him.
?Typical New Yorkers.
?Sheryl, however, was only knocked off balance. She straightened up and threw her purse to me.
?“Take this,” she said as she took off in hot pursuit of the black-clad perpetrator.
?“No,” I croaked, and raised my hand to reach out and stop her, but I was too slow.
?She was gone like a shot after him.
?I fought to get up with pain in my legs, and with her purse in my hands, I began to follow the pair of them.
?They were more than a full block ahead of me. I saw the dark shape weave in and out through the crowd as he ran. Sheryl tried to gain ground, but our foe moved quickly to get farther away.
?I pushed myself into a full run, but Sheryl was faster than me, and our thief was faster than us both.
?As I reached 56th Street, I had no choice but to stop. I grabbed a nearby light post to hold myself up. I stood there and panted hard, the air painful in my lungs as my heart felt as if it wanted to burst from my chest. I looked up and saw that the pedestrian crossing sign blinked “Don’t Walk.”
?I had to agree.
?I looked down at my pants. Both the knees were dirty, and the left knee had a tear in it. I saw a small trickle of blood and decided that any career I might plan as a marathon runner would have to be put on hold.
?I stood there for about five minutes with the purse in my hand as I tried to catch my breath, until I saw Sheryl stride back through the pedestrians toward me.
?She also panted, but at least she was still upright and able to move forward.
?She reached me, and I offered her back her purse.
?“Thanks,” she puffed, and held onto the pole with her free hand. “Fast.”
?“Yeah,” I panted back. “You…you’re pretty…fast…too.”
?“Odd,” she said.
?“Hmm?” I managed.
?“I thought…he was…a purse-snatcher, but…didn’t try to…get…my purse.”
?I nodded. “Only the pipe.”
?“How could anyone…know…it had anything…to do with a murder?”
