The Stray (Origin)

In this dark alley, a voice struggled to be heard. It’s owner had no energy to devote to speech as things stood now: no words would help them out of their predicament, nor had they before.

Muddy tracks were indistinguishable from another in the storm and mess. The Stray had hoped to catch a break here, if only to rest a moment before running again. The small gang was not so easily thrown off. An audible curse thrown down as the gang came into view, flooding into the narrow opening and all the pairs of eyes, filled with joy and anger and spite and curiosity, gazing upon their target. The only thing the Stray could be thankful for at the moment was that this routine had made them that much better at evading capture. They thought how if it were any of the group in their position, that poor sap wouldn’t last two minutes, let alone the twenty or so that had gone by now.

The stray saw an opportunity in a stack of boxes and nimbly scaled them to make it onto the roof, kicking off hard to set the top box off. It teetered and just managed to fall off but the Stray was already moving when they heard the small crash. Experience had taught them small tricks like that. Sure, they knew the routes to take and that helped, but some of their pursuers would be familiar too. It was the maneuvers that worked on the fly that really made a difference in the end. A second or two may not seem like much, but soon a 30 second lead meant losing them was almost certain.

Rather than catch their breath, their feet hastened over the tiles and slabs that covered houses, rain softly beating down on the whole town. The stray knew their own weaknesses and few strengths. They were quick, nimble, but once they were caught then they needed to gain distance or else they were more helpless than most.

The buildings here were low, most were a single story, and the spacing was usually a small gap of three feet. An easy clearing for most who ran atop them. The stray knew just how far every gap was along with which ones they could clear. This particular strip of houses was one of their favorites because it slowly grew more dispersed until only half the gaps they could clear. The risks were greater with the rain but with the group behind them, and at least three coming up to chase them here, they had to continue. Later, they would pinpoint this thought to their predicament.

They saw the final gap they needed to clear. Roughly ten feet and that was important since the road was busy and the other side offered enough gates to stop any children from easily running into the area from the road. It was a challenge to make, but not a new one. Their pursuers knew this, as they discovered whilst airborne and pelted with rocks from a group of kids no older than eight with grins of success that what seemed like a boring post was so highly rewarded.

The Stray did not land on their feet, but instead tipped to the left and crashed into the corner of the roof, fingers scrambling for a hold against the rain. Their fingers had almost completed this feat when a weight was added to their dangling leg in the form of a screaming girl. Both came crashing down and as they fought to get to their feet, the Stray caught sight of what they feared most now, the pursuers. An onslaught of ropes also appeared and they were caught.

They struggled against the bonds as they were dragged to the outskirts of down. Their cries muffled by chatter of the captors and bellows of the storm. One looked back, a boy who may have been a teen but also managed to be the scrawniest. He had the look of someone who pushed his glasses up to sound smarter despite not wearing glasses. Smart. Arrogant. How to leverage that?

The group wound their way into Grayson park and up the hill at the center that was used for sleds when the snow fell. Now there was rain. They came to a stop at the very peak, a few members falling back to leave Books (a fitting name for him) and a few burlier kids to restrain them. They found soon they could only move a small amount and it was so slow that escaping that way was removed as an option. While Books inspected the area and pulled out a large volume that was half the size of his own torso, the Stray began to start filing away using their nails. It would not be a quick process, but it was the only option it seemed since the knife in their boot was inadvertently sealed off by the ropes.

Books smiled at the captive and opened up to the page that was earlier marked. A follower came up beside them and helped shield the pages from the rain.

Books began to speak a new tongue, and the words were unknown to the Stray but there was a rhythm to them. Some sounded alike and their eyes went wide and they began to realize just how real this threat may be. None atop the hill noticed the storm form a new shape above. A vague spiral with them at the center. Lightning cracked down in the city again, striking one of the towers built for such an occasion. None were near the park.

The nails had done so little, and the ropes were now soaked, making the task more arduous. Still, exhausted and beaten up as they might be, the Stray continued. Blood trickled as they struggled against the rope.

Books kept up his chanting, raising his voice now as the thunder made parts inaudible. The Stray watched as the others left them atop the hill. The filing continued. Books was shouting now. Then lighting struck at the base of the hill. The Stray could only react in fear and Books, whose eyes went just as wide, was feeling something far different. He shouted the next line as he took a step back.

The Stray finally took note of the ground and saw a rune with a faint orange glow marked strides away. and when they saw the next two they realized the runes form a circle and they were the center. They fought now to stand and pray they could hop or stumble over and out. As they started to rise, a rock the size of a small fist came from the side and drew blood from their temple, knocking them over. The captors had surround them and managed to plan this too. The ropes weren’t going to give yet.

Books shouted louder and his cadence has slowed. With a final howl, he gazed up into the storm and then down to his prey. The Stray took a breath just as the lightning struck down.