They were walking home, the new couple. IT was a cool fall evening, walking home to the movies. They were holding hands, laughing, enjoying life.
They didn’t see the man come up behind them; they didn’t see the greed in his eyes, hungry for a small amount of money whatever they had in their pockets. He followed them down the alley, listening to their mindless talking: What the movie is about, the new song by Journey, bills that need to be paid, etc. It was useless jabber that was tiring him. If he was going to do what he needed to do, it needed to be now.
“Hey!” He screamed out, startling the couple. He pulled out the gun and aimed it at the muscular man. “I just want the cash, I don’t want anything else.”
The couple looked startled. The blushing wife hid behind her husband who was standing behind a small sense of bravado. The man didn’t reach for his pocket or for anything. He just stood there dumbfounded. The thief was getting antsy, he was fingering the trigger. He was leaving with the money, no matter what.
After a few seconds of utter silence, the shot of the gun echoed through the dark alley. It hit the man square in the chest, lodging into his ribcage. He started bleeding instantly there was no hope for him. The woman was screaming as she felt the tears swell up in her eyes. The killer ran to the fallen man and took the humble wallet from his pocket and fled the streets. 20 dollars was all that was in there.
The woman fell to her knees and began trying to slow the bleeding. Her sight was foggy from the tears in her eyes and her hands were shaking. She was slowly losing him. He was in pain. The man took her petite hands and held them close to him.
“I’m going to be ok, sweetie,” he whispered. He began coughing and wheezing. She the new wife had started to cry even harder. “Shh, don’t cry sweetheart. I’ll be okay. It’s alright. Hey, remember our song?”
She began smile through her broken face. She wiped her eyes and started to sing bitterly.
“Just a small town girl,” She croaked out.
“Living in a lonely world,” He finished.
“She took the midnight going anywhere.”
“Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit.”
“He took the midnight train going anywhere.” He smiled as the words left his lips. He lifted his palm and stroked her face. There was no hope now, even though he heard the sirens in the background.
“Babe, promise me you won’t stop believing. The movie never ends. It’s just beginning sweetie. I love you,” He spoke. And with those words, he rested his eyes for an eternity.