| This little atricle-let is a continuation in story form of a Sim (online game) I used to play with my friends. It was an RPG 'simming' game, which means each player would assume the personality of a character in the storyline of the game, and play out that characters role. My character was named Trev. The last thing that each of us did in the game was begin a little summary of what our character did over a summer vacation. So, I turned what little I had of that after the game was over and started writing a little story. Here's where I got to so far. |
| Now here was a place he hadn't been to in a long time. It felt like a long time, at least. But Trev knew it had only been three years since last settling in this alleyway. Most things didn't change. There were even the boxes at the far back still arranged in a line, as his bed. The thought of sleeping here for a week filled him with a strange sense of comfort.
He looked up at the windowless brick walls on either side of the alley. They were still grimy and it didn't seem that anyone had been here in a long time. A cool breeze began to blow and Trev could feel the dark shadow cast on the alley by the buildings it was between begin to grow darker. The sun was setting. -> |
One thing bothered Trev, though. Looking above the crates in the back of the alley, he saw a big wooden board attached to two crude blocks of wood which were lodged in strategic points in the wall. It reminded Trev of the hinged door to a bar's countertop that swung upward to allow passage. The block of wood closer to the back of the alley was a little higher than the one closer to the entrance, making the board tilt forward. There were also two long, sturdy tree branches that were lying down at the left of the lined up crates. -> |
| Someone was doing some redecorating. No matter. He threw his one bag on the floor near the row of boxes and sat down, looking around the narrow space. He was home again.
Then he noticed something else, which puzzled him. The floor was spotless. Well, as spotless as any old alley could be. Trev stood back up and walked back around the L-shaped bend in the alley towards the street. "Hey, Scooter? Did you ever find that dream apartment you always said you wanted?" He looked around the dark passage, and out onto the dimly lit sidewalk. Nothing...it was just like the back half of the alley. But no answer. "You do know who I am, right, buddy?" Still no response. Trev sighed and walked back to his bag. |
"Okay, unpacking time." He smiled as he remembered 'Ryn's reaction to hearing that he didn't plan to stay at a hotel...
"Well, if it's not a hotel, or a motel, or a friend's house...where are you going to sleep?" She had looked puzzled. "Same place I've slept many other nights in New York. At home," he had responded. And he said the same thing to every one of them who asked. "But you didn't have an apartment, Trev." "Since when do homes have to be IN doors?" he challenged her. -> |
| A loud meow interrupted Trev's thoughts. He looked up and saw a tiny gray cat approaching slowly from behind the bend. "Scooter!" Trev kneeled on the floor and Scooter jumped into his arms. "Wow, you're still here! I hoped you'd be here, I didn't expect it though." He stroked the cat's head. "How've you been?" Scooter purred softly. Trev let him back on the floor and the skinny feline jumped up on the row of boxes behind him. Trev sat back on the boxes, beside Scooter, as well. -> | He reached into his bag and began checking his inventory. Then he grinned. "I bet you didn't eat in a while, huh, Scooter?" He took out a small can of tuna from the bag and pulled the tab up, yanking off the top with some effort. Scooter immediately began sniffing the air and he walked up on Trev's lap, locking the tuna in his sight. Trev smiled happily, pet the cat, and placed the can on the floor. Scooter pounced on it and eagerly began munching. -> |
| Trev looked down at his feline companion lovingly and his mind started drifting back in time, remembering when he first met the starving cat. Trev found Scooter in his alley one day when he returned home with a jacket full of free samples of cookies that he took from a local bakery. At first, the cat seemed scared of him and backed away to the wall. But then, when he had offered it one of the cookie samples, the hungry cat gladly accepted. From then on, the cat--who Trev nicknamed Scooter--returned almost daily and eventually took up residence with him for the free meals every so often. -> | Trev watched Scooter eat for a while. The cat continuously kept looking up at him, as if thanking him silently. Trev was very hungry and watching the cat eat reminded him of the times he still used to live in this alley. Three years ago Trev used to have to steal or find food to eat. He checked his bag again. Three pairs of clothes, a light sweat shirt in case the weather turned unseasonably cold, 'Ryn's hairbrush (which she had insisted he borrow--and use, for that matter), a can opener, a little bit of ready-to-serve canned foods, a big bottle of water, a towel, four very big, black garbage bags, a flashlight, a pen and a notepad, and 500 dollars in cash. -> |
| It grew darker as the sun set and the sky was turning a dark, hazy blue. Trev pet Scooter again and took some time to let memories flood his mind.
Just as Trev was getting ready to spend his first night back in New York, he heard light, quick footsteps by the entrance. A little surprised, he started walking to the bend in the alley--then stopped. He heard some more footsteps, quicker this time. He walked to the bend and looked out at the entrance. No one was there. Trev walked to the sidewalk and looked around. There were only five street lamps on the entire block, making it very difficult to spot anything more than fifty feet away. Trev felt a slightly stronger wind standing on the sidewalk than in the alley. -> |
The only thing he could see was a rolling soda can, rattling as it continuously bounced against a building, and a crumpled up newspaper which was doing somersaults in the middle of the street.
Trev took a last glance at the street and turned back in the alley. Trev was walking back to the L-shaped bend when he again heard the faint footsteps, except they were louder and faster than before. He turned around again and for a fraction of a second saw a completely black, intimidating human figure standing, leaning toward him in the entrance. Then something very hard slammed into the side of his forehead and Trev fell to the ground, knocked unconscious, before he even had a chance to scream. |