SHORT STORY
He was undoubtedly a villain. A quick glance at him was enough to conclude. You did not have to look carefully to spot the pocket knife he tried to conceal in his ragged pants. His unkempt hair, full moustache and darting eyes added to the dubiousness of a appearance. He wore a blank stare. Yet he was spotted daily traversing the busy shopping center and no one attempted to move him off the square. Some avoided getting close to him while others either ignored or dared him to attack them.
Summer had arrived . Shoppers crowded the plaza. Everyone was in a hurry. Even kids in tow with their parents or guardians had to be on a race track. They never knew the distance of the races but tried to complete them anyhow. Sometimes the pace was stifling as they were often jostled by athletes in many age categories. This puzzled them.
The villain was much present. He sometimes took a short sprint in the arena, causing shoppers to hurriedly move out of his way. Many were often caught off-guard and sometimes fell awkwardly on the concrete. His intermittent sprints were regularly accompanied by a shrieking sound. Then he would brace himself on a building or any edifice on the high end stores to catch his breath.
Many businesses ran ceaseless promotions on their merchandise. The shoppers invaded. They scrambled, they jostled, they wrestled. Mr. Villain was oblivious to the huge crowd increase. He danced, he ran, he looked about him. His pocket knife fell out. He darted to retrieve it as some on the square accidently trampled on it or kicked it about. The villain desperately retrieved it. A man noticed that menacing look on his face as the villain hurriedly tried to put his treasure back into his torn pants pocket. A shot rang out and the villain fell. Some shoppers ran. A few stood by to investigate. The police arrived. The villain was taken away. He died.
The evening newscasts were filled with the incident at the square. The villain's identity was unknown until one top outlet said he was a famous actor who had become disoriented because of drug use. © Wallace Paul. April 2025. (to be continued)
Summer had arrived . Shoppers crowded the plaza. Everyone was in a hurry. Even kids in tow with their parents or guardians had to be on a race track. They never knew the distance of the races but tried to complete them anyhow. Sometimes the pace was stifling as they were often jostled by athletes in many age categories. This puzzled them.
The villain was much present. He sometimes took a short sprint in the arena, causing shoppers to hurriedly move out of his way. Many were often caught off-guard and sometimes fell awkwardly on the concrete. His intermittent sprints were regularly accompanied by a shrieking sound. Then he would brace himself on a building or any edifice on the high end stores to catch his breath.
Many businesses ran ceaseless promotions on their merchandise. The shoppers invaded. They scrambled, they jostled, they wrestled. Mr. Villain was oblivious to the huge crowd increase. He danced, he ran, he looked about him. His pocket knife fell out. He darted to retrieve it as some on the square accidently trampled on it or kicked it about. The villain desperately retrieved it. A man noticed that menacing look on his face as the villain hurriedly tried to put his treasure back into his torn pants pocket. A shot rang out and the villain fell. Some shoppers ran. A few stood by to investigate. The police arrived. The villain was taken away. He died.
The evening newscasts were filled with the incident at the square. The villain's identity was unknown until one top outlet said he was a famous actor who had become disoriented because of drug use. © Wallace Paul. April 2025. (to be continued)