Here's a little something I wrote in thirty minutes. It's an exercise I'm trying to do once a day or once every couple of days to get my creative juices flowing again. Probably won't be that great, but sometimes might be good enough for me to throw into a book chapter. Maybe.
I do not edit these at all, so please ignore any grammar/spelling mistakes you will most likely find in these. It's just to get the fingers and mind moving.
The darkened sky exploded with color. Shades of flaming red, bright orange and a hint of electric blue.
The explosion could be seen for miles, and that was the whole point. Josh kept to the shadows as people came out of their apartments onto fire escapes, pointing and exclaiming. He listened as sirens fired up and shot their way toward the fire that now raged a mile high.
His fingers tingled with anticipation as half the town's police force headed in one direction, and he in the other.
The night's cool air kept him calm, the breeze blowing through the hair poking free of the black cap on his head. He knew what he was about to do was dangerous, but he had to try. He owed it to her.
A few blocks down, he can't hear the sirens anymore and all seems quiet. Still, not wanting to attract attention, he keeps his steps to power walk, instead of a flat out run.
Finally, roughly ten minutes after the explosion he purposefully caused, he nears his target location--the Lowell Precinct. Normally a small town with only five cops on active duty, it should hopefully be empty except for the receptionist.
He approaches the building from behind, and having taken out the camera a few days ago with bird crap in a paintball gun, he's happy when he notices it's still uncleaned. Kneeling at the back door, he slips the black bag from his bag and pulls out a crowbar.
Gently slipping the prongs near the doorknob, he kicks into the slot, forcing the metal to crack. Holding his breath he waits to see if anyone heard the noise, and when nothing happens, he begins to twist the crowbar until the jam breaks and the door pops free.
That all takes less than a minute, and he's inside the building in seconds. The lights flicker on in the hall, having sensed his motion and he freezes, listening for running footsteps.
After a minute of hearing his heavy breathing, he moves down the hall and searches for the cells. Since it's a small precinct, it doesn't take long. Down another corridor, are three cells. Two are occupied. One, clearly by some drunk, but the other a lone girl, no more than eighteen.
Long black hair covers her face, as she leans forward, elbows on her knees, hands tightly clasped.
He tiptoes toward her, but gently calls her name as not to startle her, "Lizbeth?"
Her head still jerks upward, and she lets out a slight gasp, but immediately her lips form a firm line. She's not too happy to see him.
Her tone proves it. "What the hell are you doing here?" She whispers with a mixture of anger and dismay.
"I couldn't let you get in trouble for my mistake," Josh admits, feeling as if he maybe shouldn't have bothered, she's so angry.
"Great. Now they'll add escaping jail to the charges. Just..." she lets out a long sigh and looks away, "Go."
He's torn. He's committed quite a few crimes to get her out of here, and now she's giving a hard time. "It took a lot to come here. They won't find you, I promise..." his tone convincing.
She scoffs. "Promise. Like I haven't heard that from you before. Look where it's gotten me!" She half yells, waving her hand around the cell.
"Shhh, keep it down," he whispers a bit panicked.
"Keep it down?! How about you actually man up and turn yourself in. That would get me out of here without adding to the charges." She stares him in the eye, daring him.
She's not lying. If he did turn himself in for the robbery, she'd be free to go, but could he swap places. He was on his last strike, and this would mean real jail time.
She must see the torn expression on his face because she laughs without amusement. "Just fucking go already," she yells this time.
Josh hears a chair scrape against linoleum and straightens, shooting daggers at her. "I ... I tried, okay?"
She keeps her fierce gaze on him, even as he backs away from the cell, hearing those steps approaching from the other direction. He curses but doesn't dally, and shoots off toward the way he came, knowing he was making the biggest mistake of his life.
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