Raindrops tapped gently on the bookstore's windows, creating a smoothing rhythm that echoed through the cozy aisles and the distant rumble of thunder creating an eerie ambiance as I closed up the quaint bookstore.
It was an ordinary night, much like any other. I had spent my day sorting through new books and helping the few customers that frequently visited the bookstore to pick out new books and replace old ones.
It was pretty much the usual daily routine, except that the white furry cat that usually came around to keep me company didn't show up, which is very unusual, at least not since I started feeding it.
I grabbed the paperbag that contained my leftover lunch which I had kept specifically for the cat. I stepped outside and gazed out at the city of Verona.
Nothing much happens around here except for the usual tourist dramas. I pulled my coat tightly around me and stepped into the rain. I had forgotten my umbrella at home, so I would have to walk home like that. After all, it wasn't raining heavily, it was just drizzling.
Walking down the road, just when I was about to turn in the opposite direction that would lead to the house I shared with my uncle, I heard a loud noise from the alley on my right. I smiled, it had to be the cat foraging for food. She didn't show up today, so she must be very hungry.
I turned around and walked down the alley, my eyes scanning the trash bags propped up against the wall, but I couldn't see the cat anywhere. The alley was dark but I could make out objects, clearly enough for me to walk through. The crashing sound came again, more loudly, this time accompanied by a voice.
On impulse, I ducked behind the recycle bin and looked out. I could see a man right in front of me holding a gun in front of someone that was sprawled out on the floor. My heart began to beat rapidly as I tried to wrap my head around the situation I had just walked into.
"You sick son of a b****!" The man with the gun cursed. I got a good look at his face because of the tall street light just behind the wall, although it was broken, it kept flickering.
"No! No! Please.... I would be...." The man sprawled out on the floor stammered as he tried to scurry away. From my hiding spot, I couldn't see the face of the man on the floor but I could see his long legs. Three men stood against the wall to the right-hand side of the man that held the gun.
The man with the gun quickly stepped on the leg of the man who was trying to get away from him. I heard the poor fellow hissing in pain. The lights flickered again just in time as the man with the gun pulled the trigger and the noise resounded down the whole area.
"Get rid of the body." He bellowed and tossed the gun at the corpse on the floor. The men nodded and sprang into action.
I felt my legs go numb under me. My heart began to pound so loudly in my chest that I felt it would rip right out of my chest. I gripped my chest in pain as goosebumps popped up across my body and every hair on my skin stood at attention.
"Meow!" I jumped around in shock, it felt like my heart got ripped out for a second. I knocked over an empty can and it rolled down to the men at the end of the alley.
"Damn it!" I said under my breath as my eyes landed on the cat. "There you are, I was looking all over for you."
"What is that?" I heard one of the men ask as they began to walk towards the recycling bin. The sound of their shoes on the floor felt like a death sentence. I gasped for air as my eyes scanned the area. How on Earth can I get out of this predicament just in time?