• Where are you? Hello? Is anyone there? ... Hello?

    In the dark sky, filled with thousands of bright stars, there was me, walking down the street, alone. A cold wind was coming through. I wrapped my arms close together to try to get a little warmer. My thin tee-shirt was not ideal for this weather but it was all I had at the moment. My mom was dead and my dad had left me.
    My dad and I were on the way home when he stopped on the highway and left me there to fend for myself. Me, a thirteen year old boy, alone in the streets.
    I have been walking for almost an hour now. I had finally gotten off the highway and now was on an empty street trying to find someone to let me in.
    I have been to five houses now. No one has opened the door.
    A mist was blowing with the breeze now. The mist soon turned into a slight rain, then a hard rain. I ran across the street and went to another house.
    I beat on the door, waited, and then beat again. No answer. I stepped away from the door and then turned around and walked slowly again down the street.
    The rain now was in a complete storm. Winds were howling, the rain was pounding, and now the street was flooding. The water filled the ditches near the houses and poured out into the street. I ran down the side walk to the next house then stopped.
    A car was coming. I moved into the road and waved my hands violently in the air. The car kept moving. I continued to wave my hands when finally the lights of the car were on me, and it came to a screeching stop a foot in front of me.
    The car was still for a moment when the driver door opened and a dark figure stepped out.
    “Get out of the way kid!!” A deep, male voice said.
    “Can you help me, please?” I said over the loud patter of rain and the car engine’s rumbling.
    “No, I can’t, now out of the way!” the voice yelled angrily.
    “Please!” I yelled.
    There was silence for a moment then the man said, “Hugh… What do you need?”
    “I just need a place to stay. I have no where to go.” I said tears coming to my eyes.
    “Why don’t you go on home?” he replied.
    “I c-can’t!” I said tears now mixing in with the rain.
    The man stood there bewildered. He shifted slightly, and I noticed that he was wearing a long black coat and a big hat that covered most of his face.
    “Well, uhh… why not?” He said.
    “My d-dad left me a-and I-I don’t know where to go.” I said, stuttering and shaking.
    We stood a moment in silence with my crying growing louder and louder.
    “Listen kid, I’m not the one you should be asking-“
    “I just need a place for the night!” I yelled.
    We stood in silence again when he finally broke it.
    “Fine, come on.” Then he got in his car. I stood for a moment then walked to the passenger seat. I opened the door and sat down. The man had taken off his hat and I could see his face. He had a dark mustache and black eyes. He was old, at least in his forty years old, with deep wrinkles. He had short, black hair as dark as his eyes.
    “Alright.” The man said quietly, and we drove off.
    We went splashing on the flooded roads for about five minuets until we reached the end of the street where we turned left. We continued down when we reached another neighborhood and then a big brick house. It was a two story house with a white front door and big porch.
    We pulled into the driveway and then into the open garage. The door of the garage closed behind us and he turned off the car.
    “Here we are.” The man said as he opened his door and got out. I got out as well and looked at where I was. The garage was cluttered with boxes, big and small. There were stairs that led to a door on my right and a cage under them.
    The man walked up the stairs and opened the door.
    “Well come on.” He said. I walked over to him and went inside to find a beautiful house with wood floors. In front of me there was a hallway that had doors all along the wall and then stairs at the end. To my right there was a kitchen with marble table tops and to my left was a living room with chairs and a TV. In the living room there was another hallway that led to another door.
    “Your room is the one at the end of the living room,” the man said. “The bathroom is the second door in the hallway.”
    “Thank you,” I said. “You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
    “Yeah well, its nothing really. Oh, and I leave early in the morning so I need you to leave when I do.”
    “Ok.”
    “I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go.” Then the man walked to the end of the hall and up the stairs. I turned and went to the room in the living room. I opened the door and found a twin sized bed and a single cabinet. I went in and took off my shoes and socks and went to the bed. It was soft and comfortable, begging me to lie down. Before I knew it I was asleep…

    Hello? I’m still here! Don’t leave me!

    I woke with a start.
    “Wake up!” The man said. I slowly sat up and shoot my long hair. I looked around the room. The man was at the door with his black coat on and hat.
    “Come on, I have to leave.” He said earnestly. I got out of the bed and my feet touched the cold floor. I went and put my socks back on and then my shoes while the man waited for me.
    I finally got my shoes on then the man and I went over to the front door. He opened it and I walked out.
    “Thank you again.” I said softly.
    “Don’t mention it.” He said kindly. I noticed that there was a definite change in his voice. Just a moment ago he was tense and in a hurry and now he was calm and kind.
    I turned my back and walked to the road and then the sidewalk.
    I hadn’t gone very far when I heard sirens coming from behind me. I turned around and saw four police cars driving toward me. But before they reached my they turned into the house I was just in.
    The cops got out with their guns aimed. Not far behind them two SWAT vans came and men came out and ran to the door, two men on each side the rest directly in front.
    The burst through the door and ran in yelling. There were gun shots over and over with the SWAT men still yelling. Then there was silence.
    I stood there in shock. The came out dragging the man I was just with out of the house covered in blood. I stared wondering what I just saw.
    “Hey there’s the kid!” One of the officers yelled. They all turned and looked at me then came running.
    I didn’t know what to do. So I ran. I turned around and ran in the exact opposite direction.
    “Hey stop!” They yelled. “Get him!” They came after me yelling for me to stop.
    I continued to run when finally they caught me. One of the cops jumped on me and missed but had enough reach to get my shoe. I stumbled and the rest of the police caught up. They tackled me and pinned my arms behind my head and put their elbows in my back.
    “Get off!” I yelled franticly. They pushed harder on my back shooting pain up my spine.
    “Get him up!” One of them yelled. The got off my back and lifter me up by my arms.
    “Yeah it’s him. Do you know what you just got out of kid?” He asked.
    “You just killed the man that saved me!” I yelled.
    “No, we just killed the man that was going to murder you. The guy’s house you just left is a mass murder.”

    Why did you leave? Am I alone again? Come back…