Into The Night

Peter kicked his feet in the puddles as he walked past them. He glared at each pavement square as if it had just kicked his dog. He picked up stones as he walked and threw them at the sides of buildings. He glowered at each passing person, making their days just a little bit worse.1

He couldn’t stop splashing and glaring and throwing, because if he did, he wouldn’t have anything to occupy him and he would have to stop and think about what had just happened. And if he thought, he would break down, and he couldn’t do that. 2

Peter’s body had a different plan, however. One can only take so much angry activity before you get tired and after a while, Peter’s muscles ached and his neurons wilted, crying out for him to sit down. Reluctant, Peter found a bench and sat down with his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands and thought.3

He had nowhere to go. He couldn’t go back to his apartment, because of the rent that was unpaid, and the window that was broken, and the man who was waiting for him there in the dark. He couldn’t go to a friend’s because of the way he had yelled and shouted and raved at them the day before, not understanding why they weren’t supporting his new path.4

He understood now.5

And he definitely could not go to his girlfriend’s house. Well, ex-girlfriend, probably. He was sure she had left him messages on his phone, which was back in the dark apartment with the waiting man, ending any contact with him, due to the girl, and the Job, and the things she had found in his apartment, and , of course, the man who was waiting.6

He had nowhere to go.7

Well, just for the night maybe he could sleep on the bench, Peter thought. It could build character.8

And then tomorrow? 9

Tomorrow he could walk and walk and find a new city, a new place and start over, get a house, a job, friends, a new girl. He could do anything he wanted to, start his life over.10

But no. He had no identifying papers, no passport, no credit card, no diploma. Even if he did have those things, he couldn’t use them, because they would find him.11

He could go out into the woods, and live like his ancestors, in caves, in tune with the spirit of nature, and hunting for his food, wearing only animal skin. 12

But being alone in the forest just seemed so….alone. Besides where would he find a cave in a forest in New York?13

His stomach made an angry noise, rather like a bear who has come home to find their supply of food has been eaten while they were gone. He had nowhere to go, nothing to eat, and no one to help him.14

Peter hadn’t cried since he got the Job, and he wasn’t going to now. And he didn’t, but the smoke from cars made his eyes water a little and his nose ran from the smell of gutters nearby. He wouldn’t let this defeat him, it was a new challenge to overcome, a simple task. He could do it. He could overcome it. He could…No.15

He couldn’t do it. There was nothing he could do. His life was over. He would spend the rest of his life as another beggar crawling around on the streets. There was nothing he could do. There was no way out.16

Unless…Could he? Was he brave enough?17

But what did he have to lose?18

Peter stood up from his bench and waited patiently by the road for a large truck to come by, quicker. He stepped out with a smile and felt the roads tar under his feet. He had left his shoes on the side of the road. This was something better done barefoot.19

There was the briefest of moments that went like a caught breath, long and short packed into a couple seconds. And then Peter disappeared into the night. 20

The man alone in his room would keep searching for him, but he would never find him. But the man didn’t care. His work was done.21