Page 6 of His Puppet

I couldn’t scream for help. This isn’t the type of place where help is available. So, I ran. Fast. Hard. Trying not to think about how the guy knew my name or how he found me.

Then I ended up here.

The man’s shoes click on concrete, and they stop in front of the dumpster. He lets out a long sigh, and I cover a hand over my mouth and hold my breath.

“Where oh where could she be?” the man ponders out loud. Or he’s pretending to ponder, at least. With the amusement in his voice, there’s little chance he doesn’t know where I am.

I consider making a run for it, but I won’t stand a chance this time. He’srightthere.

His footsteps sound again, and he starts whistling. He comes into my line of sight, kicking garbage bags a few yards away from me as if he thinks I might be hiding behind one. I turn my head away and close my eyes.

Metal scrapes from him lifting a trash can lid, and a crash sounds a moment later.

His whistling ceases. “I’m curious…” More rummaging. His voice sounds farther away now.

Could he really not know where I am? I open my eyes and peek over at where he was before. I don’t see him.

“Is Polly Pickpocket a play on Polly Pockets? Like the dolls?”

He waits as if he’s expecting an answer.

“My sister played with those when we were kids.”

More silence.

“I was more of a remote-control car kid, myself. I liked taking them apart and seeing how they worked… I’ve outgrown the cars, but I still have that interest.”

A trash can tips over just to the left of me, and I let out a squeak. I cover my mouth again and barely hide my shallow breaths through my nose. The man snickers. I still don’t move.

Run. My mind screams it, but my body doesn’t obey. I’m too terrified.

He lets out another sigh, scraping his shoe across the pavement as he does.

“Rats,” he mutters. “I could’ve sworn she was here.”

He starts up his whistling again, and it gets farther and farther away. I pull my hand from my mouth and take a deep breath.

Is he really gone?

I hesitantly slip from behind the dumpster and peek over the top of it.

He’s down at the end, casually leaning up against the wall with the orange glow of a cigarette drawing my eyes. I dart back down and press my back against the wall.

Shit. Shit shit shit shit.

Do I wait for him to leave?

My whole body quakes as I take another peek.

Immediately, my heart leaps, and I dart my gaze around the alley, no longer seeing the man. Somehow, that’s even more frightening.

I take off down the opposite end of the alley and stumble over a trash can lid. It makes a loud scraping sound, and I look over my shoulder in a panic. He’s still not there.

I pump my legs and arms in a sprint toward the road. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness of the alley, and the street looks so bright compared to it. I hate running for it, the feeling of being exposed just up ahead, but I don’t have a choice. I have to get the fuck out of here.

I let out a whimper and look over my shoulder again, spotting no one.

It’s okay.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com