August Writing Day 31
I just wanted to thank Jan and everyone involved in August Writing. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot. Thanks also to lee_terati for telling me about it. You're all a beautiful bunch of cats!
Jim was scared. He had no idea why he was being chased, but the fact was undeniable. People were after him and he didn’t know why.
It had started out like any other day. The alarm had gone off and he’d stumbled to the kitchen and once more blessed whoever had invented coffee makers with timers. After coffee, toast, and a shower, he’d set off for work. At first, driving along, he hadn’t noticed the car that was following him. He’d been singing along with the radio when he’d pulled up to a stop light. A car came up next to him. He’d looked at it, just to have someplace to rest his eyes while he waited for the light to change. The man in the passenger seat had glowered at him. “He needs more coffee,” Jim thought to himself. He’d lifted his travel mug in a brief salute, grinning at the man, but had gotten only a deeper scowl in return. The light changed then and Jim had gone on, shrugging and doing his best Tina Turner impression.
He’d noticed the car as he walked from the parking garage to his office, but dismissed it as a coincidence. Later, when he’d gone to lunch, Jim had seen the glowering man slouched at the corner.
“Weird,” he’d thought to himself. But then he forgot about it in the bustle of the noon-time crowds.
When the man had still been there when Jim came out to go home, he started to feel apprehensive. Jim had glanced around, seing if there might be someone else they were targeting, but he didn’t see anyone. Jim grasped his keys firmly, trying to remember everything he’d ever seen on television about avoiding thugs. He made it to his car without incident and breathed a sigh of relief as he started it up.
But as he was leaving the parking structure, Jim made sure to check his rear-view mirror. Sure enough, there was the same car from this morning. He gulped and grasped the steering wheel tightly. Though he debated with himself wheter or not to return home or go somewhere unexpected, Jim elected for home. He’d be fine once he got there. The men in the car would realize they had the wrong man. And they must have the wrong man! There was no reason Jim could fathom why he’d be followed and watched. It had to be a mistake.
Feeling better as soon as his house came into view, Jim once more checked the rear-view mirror. The car was gone, and he heaved a sigh of relief. They must have figured out they had the wrong guy. And whoever it was, Jim didn’t envy him. Passenger-man looked tough, not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley.
Whistling, Jim pulled into the garage and got out, trying to decide if he’d nuke a frozen pizza or order Chinese for dinner. A shadow fell across him, just as he was going up the front walk.
Passenger man was tough, Jim realized. Tough and big! He loomed over Jim like a bad dream and Jim’s heart began to pound.
“I think you know why I’m here,” Passenger-man snarled, his hand on his hip.
“No I don’t,” Jim squeaked. “There must be some mistake!”
“The boss don’t make mistakes,” Passenger-man growled, and launched himself at Jim, drawing a knife from a sheath on his belt.
Jim was frozen with terror for a moment, but just at the last second, he ducked.
The knife came down, missing him by inches, and he took off.
Jim was scared. He had no idea why he was being chased, but the fact was undeniable. People were after him and he didn’t know why.
It had started out like any other day. The alarm had gone off and he’d stumbled to the kitchen and once more blessed whoever had invented coffee makers with timers. After coffee, toast, and a shower, he’d set off for work. At first, driving along, he hadn’t noticed the car that was following him. He’d been singing along with the radio when he’d pulled up to a stop light. A car came up next to him. He’d looked at it, just to have someplace to rest his eyes while he waited for the light to change. The man in the passenger seat had glowered at him. “He needs more coffee,” Jim thought to himself. He’d lifted his travel mug in a brief salute, grinning at the man, but had gotten only a deeper scowl in return. The light changed then and Jim had gone on, shrugging and doing his best Tina Turner impression.
He’d noticed the car as he walked from the parking garage to his office, but dismissed it as a coincidence. Later, when he’d gone to lunch, Jim had seen the glowering man slouched at the corner.
“Weird,” he’d thought to himself. But then he forgot about it in the bustle of the noon-time crowds.
When the man had still been there when Jim came out to go home, he started to feel apprehensive. Jim had glanced around, seing if there might be someone else they were targeting, but he didn’t see anyone. Jim grasped his keys firmly, trying to remember everything he’d ever seen on television about avoiding thugs. He made it to his car without incident and breathed a sigh of relief as he started it up.
But as he was leaving the parking structure, Jim made sure to check his rear-view mirror. Sure enough, there was the same car from this morning. He gulped and grasped the steering wheel tightly. Though he debated with himself wheter or not to return home or go somewhere unexpected, Jim elected for home. He’d be fine once he got there. The men in the car would realize they had the wrong man. And they must have the wrong man! There was no reason Jim could fathom why he’d be followed and watched. It had to be a mistake.
Feeling better as soon as his house came into view, Jim once more checked the rear-view mirror. The car was gone, and he heaved a sigh of relief. They must have figured out they had the wrong guy. And whoever it was, Jim didn’t envy him. Passenger-man looked tough, not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley.
Whistling, Jim pulled into the garage and got out, trying to decide if he’d nuke a frozen pizza or order Chinese for dinner. A shadow fell across him, just as he was going up the front walk.
Passenger man was tough, Jim realized. Tough and big! He loomed over Jim like a bad dream and Jim’s heart began to pound.
“I think you know why I’m here,” Passenger-man snarled, his hand on his hip.
“No I don’t,” Jim squeaked. “There must be some mistake!”
“The boss don’t make mistakes,” Passenger-man growled, and launched himself at Jim, drawing a knife from a sheath on his belt.
Jim was frozen with terror for a moment, but just at the last second, he ducked.
The knife came down, missing him by inches, and he took off.