Written by Lily for the game Fire Starter, Writing Prompt #13

 

The bite in his tongue was deep and bloody. Joe moved his teeth over it slowly, wincing as he tasted the blood. If he shut his eyes, he was four and on the football pitch again, watching as his Dad ran towards him. Mum had always told him to be careful. To watch where he was going. Then again, he didn’t think she could have predicted this.

He opened his eyes and looked down at the man lying ten metres away. His arm was bent funny and his neck was all mushed up in places it shouldn’t be. Just minutes ago this man had been trying to steal Joe’s money. How did he end up like that? Joe shut his eyes again and willed his brain to work. He must have hit his head on the floor when the man pushed him over, because everything was a little foggy. He shook himself and opened his eyes. That wasn’t important. Joe knew that the most important thing was getting the man out of the street before anyone found out. He didn’t want to tell anyone, but he knew that he couldn’t do this on his own. He pulled out his phone and dialled.

Twenty minutes later, Kian’s moped screeched round the corner.

“Shit, man.”

Joe couldn’t reply. His hands were stained red but underneath they were blue with cold. Together, Joe and Kian dragged the man to a nearby alley that led to the park. They took him to where the trees were the thickest, and dug with the spades Kian had brought until the sun started to come up and they could hear voices approaching. They left him there, alone, mushed up neck and all. That was the thing that stuck with Joe. The fact that he was all alone.