Summer Vacation

This is it, you think. Something has gone horribly wrong. You feel the urge to get out of there and quickly.

You take off across the mall. The cops immediatly pursue you. You're a fast runner, but no match for two police officers.

You dart into the food court, zig-zagging between diners. Just as you expected, this puts a little more distance between you and the cops.

Unfortunatly, you've run into a dead end. In front of you is a Pizza Hut. They'll surely find you if you go in there, but you have little choice.

You dart into the Pizza Hut, jump over the counter and run through the kitchen.

Two cooks yell at you, but you don't listen. You burst through the back door and find yourself in the ally behind the mall.

You almost trip over a teenage boy, lounging in the shade of the ally, smoking a cigarette.

You look at him with wide eyes and put your finger to your lips hoping he won't say anything.

Directly to your right is a dumpster. You dive into it. You sink into putrid filth of every kind.

You hear the cops burst through the door.

"Have you seen anybody run this way?" one of the cops asks. You imagine he is questioning the boy.

"Yeah." your heart nearly stops.

"He ran down the ally toward the parking lot," the boy says.

"Thanks," the cop says. You hear their running footsteps down the ally.

After a few seconds you hear a banging on the dumpster.

"You can come out now, dude," the boy says.

You jump out of the dumpster. The boy sticks out his hand to you.


"Thanks," you say.

"On the wrong side of the law?" he asks.
"Don't worry dude, I been there before."

Before you can object, he says, "My names RJ. My shift at Pizza Hut's almost over. Hang out here about ten minutes and I'll give you a lift."