Chase

The dark-skinned criminal gasped desperate breaths as his feet pounded the concrete road. His jet-black hair swished around as he spun his head and bored his frantic stare into the scene behind him.

Blue-coated police chased after him, panting, their black shoes pounding the ground in a faster rhythm than his own.

He turned and dashed between two buildings. A door sat slightly ajar and his hand grasped the smooth handle, yanking. The door opened with such velocity that it crashed into the wall of the building and slammed shut, barely missing his back as he darted through.

He ran up a flight of stairs...and another...and another...His feet beat a constant thud upon stair after stair after stair. Suddenly he slammed into something - a door! He whisked it open and ran through it - and stopped. Fresh air breezed around him, and a small parapet surrounded the edge of the roof.

His gasps came in sharp echoes. He turned back towards the door - too late.

Four police men stood, blocking the entrance, panting heavily.

"It's okay now," a soft, quiet voice said. The owner of the voice, a tall, lanky police man, stepped forward.  The chaser and the chasee locked eyes, sizing each other up.

Slowly the small, timid criminal backed up, shaking his head.

"No." His voice pierced the still air. "I'm not going back!"

"Come on..." the tall police man said gently, advancing forwards.

"No!" the desperate man cried suddenly. He spun around, twice, his eyes searching...he was trapped...no way out...Desperation covered his face.

"NO!" He screamed. No way out...trapped...thoughts pulsed through his head, squeezed him, pulled him deeper into despair.

Everyone stood there, waiting, wondering, suspense hanging in the air, stilling it, making every second seem like an hour.  Once again he spun around...faced the parapet...and ran. A loud scream ripped from his lungs as he hurled himself over the edge - the only way out.

"No, stop, wait..." cried the police man as he ran to the parapet, grabbing hold of the edge and staring over wide-eyed.

Time blurred, and people swarmed. Some were sick, some cried, others showed no emotion. But life went on and an hour later the four police walked slowly away from the scene, leaving the horrid experience behind. They had done their best, tried their hardest. But deep down they knew; they would never be the same.