Another Ordinary Day?

In a dark street lit only by the blinking light of a nearby streetlamp a young man leaned up against the wall of the building he had just walked out of, a black bag clutched in his hand. A grey mist appeared in front of him as he sighed wearily. “Why is that guy such a tool?” He asked the uncaring night sky as he slowly moved to the street side placing the rubbish bag down on the curb.

His face now lit by the streetlamp revealed his even, but plain features were set in a frown his grey eyes cold. “That’s the third waitress this year that’s quit because he was being sleazy”.

The look on the cute blondes face as she slowly stared down the manager, as the scene form earlier that night replayed itself in his mind her gaze slowly moving towards where the security cameras that had been recently installed after the owner had gotten tired of the complaints from female staff members and the young man himself who somehow always ended up becoming the person who the young women would turn to despite them usually being around his own age. His years of living by himself after the death of his parents had only increased his usually serious nature making him seem more mature to others of a similar age.

“Still he’s in for it this time, not his best idea trying his moves on a law student”, the young man mused his previous frown morphing into a smirk mischief suddenly glinting deep within his eyes as he slowly meandered his way down the street.

Turning around the corner he stopped at a nearby bus stop and pulled out a battered cell phone to check the time it’s cracked screen revealing a picture of three individuals, a younger version of the phones owner and two older people, a tall thin man with dark hair the same mischief that had earlier infused the younger ones features plain to see on his face. As well as a much more serious looking woman with honey-coloured here staring down at the boy in the photo one arm wrapped around his neck the other gently ruffling his brown hair as the posed for what would be their last family photo together.

His investigation of the time completed he sat down in the nearby shelter, smoothly slipping the phone back into his pocket. Shortly after a familiar bus came down the street which he quickly flagged down, nodding to the bus driver as he passed a card over the scanner. He moved slowly down the aisle passing a wary look over a group of young men clustered towards the back.

The young men in question where quite loudly making certain suggestions about what they were going to do tonight giving away the fact that they had been drinking for some time already, the bus driver casting an aggravated look their way as he pulled out into the street.

As he sat down in his customary seat, the youth proceeded to insert earphones into his ear and attach them to an older model of music player, quickly he poked the screen several times to find something suitable for his mood he is jolted by the bus pulling up at another bus stop, he looked upwards in annoyance as a young girl walked on, as she moved down the aisle the group of men at the back decided that they would act as drunk young men usually do, propositioning her via catcalls and crude comments.

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To her credit she ignored them as she sat down near the young man who gave her an encouraging look. This didn’t impress those down the back as they increased their volume and the bus driver called out for them to quieten down.

Rock music playing in his ears the young man sat silently waiting for his stop. After getting off the bus he noticed the girl had followed him off and realised he had seen her on that same bus previously and was surprised to find the group of young men had gotten off as well, he pulled the cords out of his ears cautiously not quite confident of walking the rest of the way to his apartment at night.

Walking down the street a short way he hears a short gasp and turns to find himself alone, he looks around wondering where the noise had come from his eyes skimming over the shopfronts and sidewalks and finally coming to rest on the narrow opening of a nearby alleyway.

He slowly crept towards the narrow opening hearing small scuffling sounds and grunts coming from further in.

‘Ahh shit really’, he thought as he moved closer his head moving around the corner, ‘really hoping I’m imagining this right now, not much I can do if I’m right.’

Not seeing anything shuffled around the corner behind a nearby dumpster. ‘Dammit those noises are getting louder I need to see what’s going on.’ He moved further in coming up to the side of another building and peeking around it.

To his horror the exact thing he had not wanted to see was occurring. The group of men from the bus her holding a struggling girl who currently had one of their numbers’ hand clamped over her mouth. One of the delinquents hissed under his breath, “Dude we can’t do this, there’s no way we won’t get caught.” He was looking at the largest in their group who then swung his fist backhanding him across the face sending him sprawling.

Their silent watcher crept slowly backwards his hand fumbling for his phone as he reached the street he was on previously he cautiously dialled the number that would bring police to his location, he quickly explained what was happening and was told to stay put, as they were on their way.

His eyes fixed on the alleyway he clenched his empty hand into a fist not knowing whether it was possible for the cops to arrive before it was too late, a memory of his late father appeared in his mind an unusually serious expression on the man’s face. “Kiddo sometimes you’ve gotta do something even if others would advise against it, rules are there for a reason but following them all the time isn’t always going to make sure everyone’s safe, sometimes the person on the scene has to make a decision.” His father’s eyes closed as his young son looked at him, “What I’m saying Jacob is something that you’ve heard many times over the course of your life, ‘a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do’. . His younger self groaned at the bad cliché spouting from his usually irresponsible fathers’ lips, but a small smile appeared on the face of the older version. He knew that the reason his much more serious mother had stayed with his father over the years was because when he needed to his father always did what was needed, no matter what others thought

Jacob shook his head knowing that he was probably about to make the biggest mistake of his life. He wasn’t far off.