Dark Light

Sadie

Goosebumps rose upon my arms beneath my black sweater as a cool fall breeze pushed through.I leaned against a brick wall in an alley, which offered no warmth.I waited as cars drove by, their bright headlights competing against the yellow streetlamps shooting up out of the sidewalk like an invasive plant species.I stayed out of the light as much as possible, preferring darkness.Tonight was especially dark, with a new moon and clouds to hide the shimmering stars.A perfect night for taking care of business.

I watched the Hotel Valentine, a well-to-do whore house. It stood near the seaside of the city, just enough you could smell the salty air, but from most rooms all you could see were warehouses.No one came here for vacations.The neon “Valentine” glowed brightly, as if freshly changed.I bet they even scrubbed the grout between the bricks.

The rich and wealthy took their mistresses here for a little time alone rather than crawling back to their mansions.The man I was after visited the Hotel Valentine enough that he got the member discount.I had watched from a distance as he entered with the current flavor of the week: a cute blonde a few decades too young for him.My nose twitched at the thought of them together, an over-active imagination showing its ugly head.Now I waited for them to exit.

As if summoning the devil, she appeared from the big double glass doors with him not far behind. Her ruffled hair and his unevenly buttoned dress shirt spoke to their evening activities. Even his overcoat seemed caught in the mad love making. It didn’t seem to fit him quite right, a rare sight for the rich.He shrugged it off, placing it around her bare shoulders.They waited a moment as a black car pulled up.Like a gentleman, he opened the door and that’s when I slid out from my hiding place. My hands went for the Glock at my hip.I looked down the barrel at his head and pulled the trigger.

The shot echoed through the night.The blonde screamed and the driver got out of the car.I waited a moment, as if silently apologizing for my crime.It wasn’t my first, nor my last.Every time I pulled the trigger my breath caught, as though my soul escaped my body a little more.Another sin written in the book.

Footsteps ran towards my alley and I thought it best to duck away.Creeping through the dark, I made my way through the city.I strolled, glancing over my shoulder every so often to make sure I wasn’t being followed.That’s when I ran into a lovely young gentleman.

“Watch where you’re going, bitch,” he said, scowling.

I refused to acknowledge him.

“I think you owe me an apology.” He reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

I immediately reacted. Latching on to his arm and pulling him towards me, I elbowed him in the stomach as I turned around.As he bent over I grabbed his head and shoved it against my knee.His nose broke with a sickening crack.I pushed him aside and continued my journey, but now I faced three other men.They each pulled out a gun.

Turning on my heels, I ran down the dark alleyway, being sure to knock over boxes and barrels.Running towards the main road, away from my beloved darkness, I began to form a plan.A pair of headlights came into view as I bolted into the road, barely missing the sedan as breaks squealed and gunshots echoed around me.Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the thugs arguing with the driver before he pulled away, eager to get away from the scene.It granted enough time to get a head start and disappear back into the night.

Something wasn’t right.My side hurt and I rarely got side stitches, especially not for that short of a jog.A hand deftly went to the pain, finding a wet mess. I had been shot by one of those bull-headed assholes.It didn’t seem deep enough to kill me right away, but could if I didn’t find a doctor soon. I could smell the salt of the sea, which meant I was too far from home.In the distance I could make out neon lights in the mist now forming as dark clouds covered the moon and stars.