vvhisperways:
█ ▌ Night had settled over the city, and snow fell gentle and silent from an inky black sky. The streets below were nearly empty, save for the occasional lost soul wondering what had happened to their apartment keys, or perhaps contemplating the reason they were walking around in the snow at all. Mostly, there were just the rows of street lamps bathing the frost-coated streets in sickly, artificial yellow light - and the single sports car parked beneath one such lamp.
The glossy black paint, accentuated by gratuitous amounts of neon green decals, stood out starkly against the solemn backdrop of its surroundings. The sleek frame of the vehicle sat quietly in the lamplight, as if patiently waiting for its driver to wake the fuck up from his nap.
Evander had been entirely sure he’d parked himself in the most vacant, forgotten corner of the city to get some sleep - but this assumption was proven wrong shortly after he’d fallen into a comfortable food coma after feasting on a box of chicken nuggets and fries.
He liked to consider himself a vigilant man, but it seemed he’d failed in the fundamental ritual of locking his car doors before he passed out - thus allowing the unknown stranger that had suddenly appeared at the passenger window to easily invite himself into the vehicle.
It wasn’t the sound of the car door opening that violently startled Evander out of his slumber - it was the person now sitting beside him screaming ‘DRIVE!' in his ear, and the odd proximity of what sounded like police sirens.
Heart pounding wildly in his chest and eyes flickering open in groggy bewilderment, Evander glanced at the stranger in his car, then through the back window to see the distant red-and-blue flicker of what were indeed police lights. Jaw clenching tightly in extreme annoyance, Evander proceeded to ignite the car’s engine and slam his foot down on the gas pedal as soon as his Shelby rumbled to life. It took a moment for the tires to gain purchase on the snowy pavement, but the car soon launched forward without further protest.
Silence filled the small space as Evander expertly maneuvered through the streets, cursing under his breath whenever the car began to slide. Slightly leaning forward over the steering wheel and eyes glued to the road, Evander grit his teeth and made an attempt to elbow his unexpected - and unwelcome - passenger in the ribs.
"Wha- who the fuck are you, and why did you think it'd be a good idea to jump into my car?! We're both fucked at this point!"
█ ▌ Neat stacks of construction paper lay before a perplexed toddler, boxes of crayons and markers framing either side of the perplexed lump. The woman ogled at him expectantly, grinning and nodding at the supplies she had set up for him, ready for usage. The child only stared up at her. His mouth hung open lazily, dribbles of saliva threatening to leak from the corners of his lips. A moment of silence passed between them and the woman sighed, standing from her crouched position.
The click-clack of heels marked the departure of his mother,leaving the child to channel his inner artist. Neat stacks would not remain sofor long, the scattered parchment and torn boxes long abandoned, trampled underthe hands and knees of the small boy.
He drew his weapon. Crayon brandished tightly in each fist,Seryth produced his first strokes of brilliance, marking the ivory wall withvibrant shades of red and green. He drew shapes and squiggles and did not stop until he felt a deafening screech in his ears. Manicured hands reached around his waist and yanked him away from his unfinished masterpiece, foiling his plans of ultimate beauty.
There was little satisfaction in working small, the walls of his house were always proof of that. The smell of fresh paint was a constant one in Seryth’s youth, and no amount of time-outs withered his desires to work bigger. Eventually his parents allowed him to paint the walls of his own space, but even after his initial excitement, the expanse of his bedroom began to feel cramped.
It was easy to guess what happened after that.
No amount of rattling could summon more paint to emerge from the spray can, causing it to be discarded cruelly to the ground. The foundation of his sneakers crunched under the snow as he stepped backwards to admire his work. He paused, tilting his head and squinting. The man grunted, unsure of his satisfaction with his creation. The sight of his breath against the chilled air made him grin however and he shook his shoulders, shivering against the cold. The sun had set hours ago and yet he remained, a flashlight in one hand, and his medium of choice in the other. Seryth had hoped he could finish before sunset, but even after he surpassed his own time limit, he could not leave it half-finished. Unfortunately, the darkness was beginning to overwhelm his vision, and the cold was beginning to bite at his flesh. He could not stay even if he wanted to.
A sudden clatter ripped through his thoughts and he whipped around to find a police officer groaning on the ground, the discarded spray can below his feet. It was more than likely that it had tripped him. Did he not hear him approaching?
Shit. I have to get out of here. I can’t get caught again.
Seryth sprinted to his backpack and shoved what he could inside. He swung the strap over his shoulder and attempted to make a break for it. A rough tug on his hoodie yanked him backwards,however, stopping him dead in his tracks .
In a brief instance of panic, he retaliated against the sudden force, slamming the hilt of his flashlight into the cop’s temple.
He bolted, turning into the alley and out into the street. Sirens began to sound, the sound growing louder with his quickening pulse.
He made several hurried circles, searching desperately for an escape.
Shit shit shit shit shit.
There was nothing there except…a sports car. In hindsight, it was not the best idea, but he panicked.
Slamming the door shut behind him, Seryth contemplated simply sitting there and waiting for the cops to pass, but he could not sit still with the notion of them finding him hiding there in a strangers car. The driver was stirring from his sleep and he could not wait any longer. Chest heaving with the air of his anxiety, he shook the man’s arm and shouted.
His back slammed against the seat, trembling digits searching for the seat belt as the engine roared to life. He fiddled with the buckle under his shaking hands, cursing repeatedly under his breath as he glanced backwards at the red and blue lights shining in the rear view mirror. A sudden jab to his ribs caught his attention and he hissed, eyeing the driver as he sped down the road.
“I-I’m…You were the only car on the street! I panicked okay!?”