Monday, February 26, 2007

   Fleeing the Scene

"We have a 10-31 south of the terrace. Suspect is fleeing on foot." A figure dashes agilely through the crowd surrounding this most recent murder scene. "Suspect heading north.10-4." The wind rushes around the body of the fleeing figure. Red, blue, and white lights reflect off of the figure, exposing its dull grays, browns, blacks, and bright whites. These colors are only visible for a short time as the sparse photons are dragged with the figure, creating a glowing aura.
"Victim is in bad shape, might make it. Requesting EMTs." The figure continues running. Police begin to follow. They wave their flashlights around the dark trying to catch the figure in the light, but fail as the figures dodges the beams and remains in the shadow of night. Adeptly as it moves, it falls under the light. Every one of the half dozen police chasing the figure stop and gape in astonishment. The figure, not making a single stop, falls to all fours and blazes away. "County, officers on foot have lost visual contact with suspect, requesting assistance north of the mall. All units please be advised, suspect last seen fleeing on foot north of the mall. Stop all traffic headed that direction. We’re gonna to catch this freak."
The figure, having returned to an upright position, looks into the skies as it hears helicopters and sees the search lights, one in the east and one in the west. Police follow from the south. The figure keeps running, leaving a drip or partial footprint of the victims blood infrequently.
"County, we have a 10-41, possibly our 10-40. Requesting permission to pursue. 10-4, beginning pursuit." A patrol car speeds out of a parking lot with its lights off and begins following the figure, which again drops to all fours. The officers shine the cars spotlights and hi-beams on their suspect, but once the figure’s grays, browns, blacks, and whites show, the cruiser squeals out of control and comes back onto the road. "County, our 10-40 is a 10-11. 10-9? Our 10-40 is a 10-11. Suspect has blood on it and is evading us. Requesting permission to shoot to disable. 10-4."
The police officer in the passenger’s seat expends countless bullets attempting to hit the figure that isn’t so hidden anymore in the leg or thigh, but is always just off the mark. The driver taps the other officer on the shoulder and whispers to him, "We have a chance to catch this freak. See it? Chase it into there."
A dead end. They think the figure will stop, not knowing where to go. What they don’t know is that the figure knows the city better than anyone else. The officer continues shooting at the figure, trying to direct it straight into the retaining wall up ahead. Approaching the wall, the figure takes one big leap and clears the wall. Astonished, the police screech to a hault. "We’ve lost him! He’s heading north-north-west just north of the dead end on Tiffany Ave. Get choppers on this freak now!"
The figure lies panting in the tall grass just past the retaining wall it cleared. It rolls on its back and looks up so it can tell when the coast is clear. Helicopters buzz overhead, waving the grass over the figure, which then recedes and returns. Spotlights flash everywhere from overhead, allowing very slim chances of escape. The figure decides to make a break for it.

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