Ah damn it. I'm so tired of running. I've been weaving in and out of these alleys for a while now. Maybe about ten minutes? I don't know though.
Agh, if it wasn't for that stupid cat I would have escaped cleanly. Well my situation won't change for the better if I still think about it. Come to think of it I've been breathing heavily for a while now.
Huup!
I quickly change my posture into the likes of an old person. With the back pain and all.
As I was panting for air, I glanced at a torn pillow on the side walk. It looks comfortable enough to sit on...
Might as well try. Seems clean enough.
As I head on over to the location of the pillow, I slowly notice the state of my surroundings. The walls didn't change much, except for a few graffiti.
I quickly skim them over, some of which said "Fuck the Government!!!", with a bit more variation here and there.
With a reddish brown hue and those triple exclamation marks, I wonder what grudge did the person who wrote this hold for the country to write such a hateful message?
I know this place is trash and all but...
Ahh, I caught myself talking to me again. This sucks.
The lighting of this place is quite warm, with the colors of the light being in an orange-like color.
It gave me this sense of security. But I won't give in just yet. I know those bastards are still chasing me. Right behind my tail.
While being vigilant I slowly sit down on the pillow.
Plop!
It felt much more comfortable than expected. Guess all that running around is gonna give me some exhaustion.
"Sigh", I let out a sigh in the comfort of the pillow on my bum. It felt so heavenly. Even though it was covered in mud and some unknown liquid...
Yep it isn't comfortable at all. I can feel the water seeping through my clothes. It feels uncomfortable. Very.
Dang it, I'm being chased by thugs, got kicked out of the house and now this pillow is wet?!
"Can this day get any worse?" I unconsciously spoke out loud.
"Maybe, maybe it won't." A voice echoed from the part of the alley that has not been lit up yet. I assume that the time right now is still early afternoon.
Then why did it get so dark all of a sudden?
That thought pondered me for a while, before continuing with the matter at hand.
Then I heard a stepping sound. It seemed to be getting closer.. With me scared out of the wits of my mind, it felt like each and every passing second was an eternity.
I constantly wonder who it is. My pursuers? The Guards? The other assassins my father sent? Sweat was trickling down my forehead to my chin in droves. It formed a small puddle at the base of my feet.
Heh, I can just beat him though, cause' I've got a shiv! While I stare at the direction the steps formed, I carefully grab the weapon out of my back pocket. I couldn't tell earlier but my limbs were shaking. Pretty hard at that too.
I honestly thought that me being abandoned didn't cause me much turmoil, but it actually did. Getting kicked out of that damn place really took a toll on me, didn't it? Hell, I just couldn't expect myself ever feeling gratefulness to that god awful family.
Ah, can I stop thinking about that shit for a second? What's wrong with my mind?
While my head was trapped in my thoughts, the stepping soon stopped. The source of those sounds stood under a shadow cast by the light hitting an A/C unit.
The figure stood at about one and a half heads taller than me.
Didn't know how he got there in that short amount of time, but I instinctively knew he was dangerous.
I hauled myself back by three steps, creating distance. Even though I'm not an experienced fighter, I still had some training in school, so I should be able to fend him off a little bit.
I readied myself, using a crouching stance, while bringing the shiv close to my face. I kept myself low to force that thing to lower it's posture too, cause it is quite taller than me. Probably heavier too.
Thock!
It began to step into the light, slowly revealing it's attire. Or should I say he, judging by his physique. He was wearing a white hooded mantle coated in golden lines at the rim of the coat. The hood had marks at the sides of it, which seems to be a cross. Weird. He even had blue hair, and a crimson red bandage wrapped around a part of his head.
Injured maybe?
A clergyman perhaps? Then why is its presence so strong? And how could he hide it so quickly? What is a priest doing in this alley?
A million thoughts crossed my mind, but I quickly snapped out of it. He seemed to be approaching again. I stiffen my pose in anticipation of an attack, ready to counter at any moment.
But it seemed to be unfruitful.
The hooded figure zoomed right past me, appearing at my behind. I couldn't even react to it.
How is he so fast? That thought occupied my mind, while the hooded figure leaned in closer slowly to the back of my head, before suddenly pulling a strand of hair.
''Woah white hair! Quite rare around these parts!'', he shouted at me in awe and amazement. Cause of my hair.
Left confused, I turn my head to his direction, leading with a question, ' W-who are you?". I ask shyly.
The clergyman noticed my probing. With a smirk that made me wanted to punch him, the figure confidently said, " I'm just a wandering man of god! Nothing suspicious here!"
...
I can clearly see his nose actively get longer, which I brush off as my imagination. "Huh, sure are?" I attack him with another question.
The priest, having not expected that as my response, replied " W-well I really am a son of god you know! Look I'm even wearing the priests' attire!" HE seems to be quite a terrible liar.
While yes he seemed to be wearing it, only the priests can adorn that clothing. Publication of the attire other than that of the church is illegal and if caught producing a look-alike, it can result in the death penalty. Though he still seems suspicious.
To answer my curiosity, I asked him another one. "So Father, what're you doing in this alley? This shouldn't be an in the jurisdiction of the church. Got lost? Are you from the upper floors? By the way are you young, cause' your voice sounds, uh, youthful I guess." I bombarded him with questions so he would feel overwhelmed and answer it quickly.
The priest, seeming to be used to this situation answered calmly. " I'm here to do blessing work for the orphanage located at the edge of the slum. As said before the orphanage requested assistance. No I did not get lost. And no I'm not from the tower. Yes my current age is 19.'
He brought a chair from what I can assume is a port-a-bag and sat on it, with legs crossed and his arms forming the thinker pose.
He responded to my questions with a smirk that made me want to punch him again. Only more because of his attitude.
While I was preparing my fist, I heard another voice from the back of the priest.
An even more youthful one.
A woman's.