Rush (Short Story)

The corridor was isolated. All doors with bolts. All except one. They had been keeping an eye for some time now. To figure out the best time to do this.

"You keep an eye out. I'll work on the door lock."

The building was fairly new and this apartment on the 25th floor was the only one occupied so far. They had kept a watch to know when the family won't be at home.

"Done. Come quick. We have about 3 hours before they come back. We will hide the bigger items in the empty house on the 18th floor and come back for it later..."

The house was beautifully done, with view of the sunset from the balcony and yet the only thing they could see were the items that could finally fetch them the money they desperately needed.

"I'll go for the bedroom cupboard and you start dismantling the items here"

The elder one was better with locks, the younger one preferred the electronics.

"The TV and PlayStation should get us a good price... Amazing !!"

"Get started... quick!! And silently, we don't want loud noises"

Even though they were moving quick, there was chaos. They were new to this... practiced in their uncle's sweatshop and yet this was very different. Barely teenagers with no real experience, they were already panicking inside.

The elder one was working the wardrobe vault when he heard it. The flush just went off in the bathroom. Someone was in fact in the house and not empty as they thought. The younger one was stuck on his feet in the living room out of sheer fear, the elder one rushed to the bathroom door.

There he was... a scared little boy, 5 to 6 years old, eyes open really wide and red in his face. The elder one grabbed him quickly as he tried to escape.

"Oh shit... oh shit... He's not supposed to be here. Who the hell leaves a small kid alone at home?"

"Shut up! Shut up!"

The kid was kicking and screaming in his hands, trying hard to escape. But he managed to hold him down and put a hand on his mouth to muffle his screams.

"Get me a cloth! quick!! We need to cover his mouth. Someone will hear his screams if he keeps on like this"

The muffler stuffed into the kid's mouth did the job. He wasn't able to scream no matter how hard he tried. Stuck there in his captor's arms, he kicked and wriggled, crying and trying really hard to escape. But he failed, the boy was a little to be strong for him. He eventually stopped trying. Fear and fatigue doing its job on the child.

"What do we do now? He's home alone... means the parents will come back sooner!"

"Let's tie this bugger up first and lock him in the bedroom. We'll... we'll take whatever we can and run!"

"He's seen our faces. He will talk to the cops. You know that !!"

"So, what? Look at him. He's too small. He won't be able to explain us to them. We will run and leave this city. To my uncle's house in his village. No one will find us. And we will have the money after the things we take from here."

"The cops 'will' find us... They always do... You know that! We're screwed!"

The panic; the rush had already set in. Adrenaline having taken over her senses.

"You have any bright ideas?"

"You're the elder one. Your plan. Now tell me, what does your 'fool proof' plan say??"

"We will do what I just said..."

The younger then noticed the kid in his accomplice's hands... He froze.

"Why isn't he moving??"

There he was, the kid, lying lifeless in his arms. Eyes deadpan, staring into nothingness; like a lifeless little doll in his hands; face blue and mouth stuffed with the cloth.

"No... No... No..."

He pulled out the cloth and shock the kid vigorously; but the kid did not move; still lying there... lifeless.

"Wake up... Wake up... Wake up!!"

The younger one collapsed into the ground. Crying now; head in his hands.

"You killed him... Son of a bitch, you killed him... We're dead, we're going to hang now... What did you do??"

He could not move. His hands on the kid's chest; eyes fixed on the kid's still face. His mind, now completely blank; all he could hear was the shrill piercing sound of silence in his ears...

He stood up, staring blanking as he slowed backed away towards the balcony; staring at the sun slowly setting far away. All hopes of a life were also slowly fading away like the sunlight.

"What do we do now?? What? Wake up!! Talk!!"

The younger kid, next to him; looking at him for answers. To fix the mess they now had gotten themselves into.

"I'll fix it. Don't you worry. I'll fix it. Trust me. You won't be going to jail...I promise"

"What do we do??"

He had his hands on the younger one's shoulders. He now seemed completely calm, back in control now. No fear in his eyes; no panic; just cold steely eyes.

"Wha..."

Things were over before he could finish his sentence. The younger one was now off the balcony headed for the ground.

It took only seconds; but for him, it was a lifetime. The look on his younger brother's face, the desperation as hell fell, staring at him in confusion, hands and legs flailing to grasp something.... anything.

"You won't have to go to jail now brother... just like I promised..."

There was a click at the door; the child's parents were back. The woman was now screaming looking at her son's lifeless body on the ground. The man saw him, standing in the balcony, looking at them. He lunged forward.

They say, when the rush of adrenaline peaks, time slows down. It was true for him, everything was in slow motion. The woman screaming for help, the man running towards him, hand aiming for his neck. Everything and everyone was moving really slow.

He smiled; smiled at the man; real cold looks on his face; just before falling backwards down the balcony railing, missing the father's grasp by inches. 

Headed down, bile running up his throat, body preparing for impact, eyes fixed into the sky, the deep blue and partially orange sky. He saw his mother, telling him to take care of his little brother. And then all of a sudden, there was just darkness; no noise; no pain; nothing... just pure darkness; all alone in the dark.

"In breaking news today, two teenagers leaped to their death from a high-rise in the city today. Police suspects it's a robbery gone bad. A child was alone at home when this happened, he was found unconscious when the parents arrived. He is at the hospital and expected to make a full recovery. The identity of the dead teenagers still unknown. Will it ever be found or will they be lost and forgotten forever, like millions of others in this city. Only time will tell..."