Catch Me If You Can

I am running as fast as I can. The two of them, one girl and a man, are also running as fast as they can, following me and hurling abuses at me. I want to react but I know that would stop me from running fast. I can feel my worn-out shoes finally giving up on me but there is no way I can stop now. And just as I think so, my one shoe has come off. I can not waste time fastening it. I just let it go and in fact, kick away the other shoe from my foot too. I have to reach home. Mom must be waiting for me. But I am not sure if I would ever reach home. Would these people kill me? Surely they do not have guns else they would have already tried shooting me. At one point, one of them, I don't know who, threw a stone at me to make me stop but nope, I was not going to slow down. The stone went past my right ear. 

I am breathing heavily now. My phone rings. I know it is mom. She calls me up at this hour daily to tell me what all to buy from the shops on my way back home from work. How is she to know that today would be a different day. Whether she will even get to see me or not!

I do not pick up the phone. I continue running. It is a lonely path. But then I have chosen this path. I am wrong. Not all paths are the same. This one is a forest range. I remember taking this path a few times earlier. But how was I to know that I would have not one, but two people chasing me on this path! So much for taking shortcuts! Maybe they know this path better than I do! Pity I chose this path. It just runs straight for another kilometer before it forks in two. I have to then make up my mind to take either a left or right turn. I am not sure which one would be better. It would all come down to luck eventually. Will it be my lucky day, I wonder. 

The phone rings again. I know it is mom calling me again. She just doesn’t get it when I don't answer her call the first time. I have often told her to wait for me to call back. Maybe she did wait. I have been running for sometime. This looks endless. I don’t even know what time it is. My feet are turning hotter. With no shoes on, it is also getting tougher with every long stride that I take. I am not wearing socks either. I really can’t wear socks in such hot and humid weather. Besides, socks would not have helped me run smoothly anyway. Something pricks the sole of my left foot. I nearly screamed. I can hear my heart palpitating. 

What if these two people decide to split where the road forked, I wonder. Or maybe they would not. After all, the man would not like to leave the girl alone to chase me. It is dark. I don't want to turn my head around even one time, as much as I am tempted to. That’s how runners lose matches I recall, by turning to see how far they have reached in comparison with their competitors! I am no runner anyway. And neither are they. 

Does the couple regret now chasing me together? Perhaps they have to catch up with each other too before trying to catch me! I am hoping my luck doesn’t run out. Never again, I am going to take this path again. Why did I want to try this path today? I have no idea. To save a few minutes? Maybe. And now I have put my life in danger. Next time, I promise myself, I would not take shortcuts...that is, if I survive this chase. 

I can hear a volley of abuses being hurled at me intermittently. Maybe they are catching upon their breaths too. 

And finally, though it is getting darker, I can tell that the road is about to be forked. I cannot make up my mind. Left? Right?  I am getting nervous now. Just after the road forks, it will be all over. Especially if they choose to take the same road as I do. I can see some lights too at a distance. Yes, I am not too away from home. I can not see it but I know it would perhaps take me just 10 more minutes.

My feet are terribly aching now. Especially my left foot. It is bleeding. I am sure mom would have an awful reaction seeing me in this condition. But only if she sees me that is! I feel these people are getting closer every second. And now I can see the road forked in two. 

I quickly take a left turn. I can not run any longer. I wait behind a tree, trying to hold on to my gasping breath. I want to know which route my chasers will take. Glad, it is dark. Suddenly I see them flashing lights from their mobile phones. They have stopped too.

“Where did that fellow go?” the girl asks the man.

“Can’t say! We could have caught him earlier on, you know!” the man says, sounding disappointed. 

“We still can! But where do we go now? Left or right? Or shall we leave it?” she says as she gasps for breath.

“Leave it? Are you insane? We have been chasing him for a good 20 minutes. He would be as tired as we are. Besides, he wasn’t that fast. Did you not see him throw his shoes away? Come, let’s take the left road,” the man says.

And they run again, passing me by. I cross my fingers, hoping that they would not flash their mobile phone’s flash pointing at the tree I am hiding behind.

After ten minutes, I take the right turn. I am cautious throughout, making sure I don’t turn my head back even once. I am finally home, all safe. 

“I got too busy, mom!” I tell her as she looks at me with disdain. 

She looks at my feet.

“Yes, some accident! But I am fine. I need to rest. Let me sleep for now!” I say, and hurry into my room lest she stops me.

I then take my phone out and type a message:

Solid gold...must be 20 grams...see if you get a buyer…

I then take out the gold chain from my pocket and keep it in the drawer by my bedside. I look at the ceiling. Who says snatching jewelry and that too from a woman’s neck was an easy job!