Footsteps echoed in the narrow alleyway as the boy ran, his breathing laboured. The dagger was clutched tightly against his chest, still moist, as he continued to navigate himself through each twist and turn.

Almost there, almost there...

His foot got caught in a crack and he fell, the dagger flew out of his hands and skidded across from him, just out of reach.

Hey, over here, I heard something!
That brat's not getting away.

The boy grimaced, and pushed himself off the floor, wincing at the pain that shot up his leg. It turned out he had banged his knee pretty hard. He hobbled over to the dagger, picked it up, and attempted to run again, wincing each time as the applied pressure of each step made his knee throb.

No, he couldn't stop now. He had to run. Keep running. He didn't any strength left in him to fight. He had to run.

His lungs and legs burned, and he paused to take a breath.
Did... he lose them?
He leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
Why did this have to happen? Why was he still doing this?
He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, only wishing all of this was a nightmare. A terrible dream.
One day he'd wake up, wake up from all this.
No more running. No more fighting.
No more... No more.

He hadn't noticed that the two boys had found out where he was, and he quickly tried to run away, but one of them tackled him, pinning him to the ground, the other looking down at him menacingly.

"So. You gonna return what you took from me."

The boy twisted against the bonds against him, trying to free himself.
It was no use though. The other boy was much too strong.
"No." he spat.

The boy standing made a face, and balled his hands up into fists.
"Do I have to beat you up first then, Jakey boy?"

The boy pinning him down tried to pry the dagger from his hands, but Jake only pressed himself down on the ground, the dagger pressed between his chest and the ground.
"Don't make this any more difficult than needs be", he growled.

"No. And don't call me that."
Jake twisted his head, and bit down on boy's arm. Hard.

There was a cry of pain, and Jake scrambled to get himself out of the other boy's grasp, holding the dagger out in front of him menacingly.

"Get away! I... I'm not afraid to use this!"

The boy standing only gave him an amused smirk, while the other cursed, nursing his arm.
"Little boy, why are you threatening me with my own weapon. Give it back here before you hurt yourself."

Jake's hands trembled slightly, but he didn't let go.
"Why... why did you have to kill Johnny? He didn't do anything!"

A scoff.
"That brat STOLE from me. NO ONE steals from me and gets away with it. No one."

Jake could feel tears pricking his eyes.

"He... he was only taking it because he needed it! You... you hoard all the food! If he didn't-"

"NO ONE!" The boy roared, lunging at Jake.
With one hand, he grabbed his throat, hoisting Jake off the ground and pinning him to the wall.

Jake clawed at his hand, trying to get free. He couldn't breathe, and the boy only continued applying pressure, choking him. There was no way he could win. This boy was easily twice his size.
He... he didn't want to die here. Not yet...

"NO ONE." The boy spat. "I'll kill you right here and now. Then everyone will know not to mess with me."

Jake's eyes widened with fear. It was then he remembered the dagger in his hand, and gripping it tightly, plunged it down on the other boy's hand.

"****!"

Jake dropped to the ground, panting, while the other boy clutched his hand, cursing at the wound.
"YOU SON OF A b***h, I'LL KILL YOU."
The other boy who he had bitten seemed to have recovered, and lunged for him.

This was, if anything, his cue to leave.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in his knee, Jake ran and ran.
He... had just stabbed their gang leader. He was as good as dead.

Not knowing where to run anymore, he turned a corner and stopped abruptly.
Where...
He had known these streets his whole life, and yet... he had never seen this part of area yet.
The area before him was pitch-black, darker than the usual alleyways that got no light from the sun.
A movement caught his eye, and he stared into the darkness.
Had the boys cut him off somewhere, and were waiting for him right here?

He took a step back, eyes never leaving the darkness, until he saw it again.
Something...
His eyes widened.
He quickly turned around, and ended up running into the boy who's arm he had bitten.

"Well well well... where do you think YOU'RE going, little boy?"
Wait, if HE was here, than the one in the shadow was-
"Don't let that brat get away. He's dead meat."

Jake took a step back. If both of them were here, then...
What was back there?

Before he could contemplate this further, one of the boys reached out and grabbed him, and delivered a swift punch to his face.
Jake heard a "crack", and felt something warm on his face.
But despite the pain, he was still thinking of what he saw.
He glanced back, and saw it again. Except this time...

At that moment, he completely forgot about the two boys. All he wanted to do was GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE. Whatever it was in that shadow... he couldn't help but feel was bad news.

Before he had the chance to say anything, he had the wind knocked out of him as a knee connected with his stomach, and he only sputtered and coughed.
The other boy joined in, and the two continued to beat and kick the living daylights out of him, until he was a crumpled mess on the floor, coughing and bleeding.

"And to make sure you don't try something like this again..."
The gang leader reached down to pick up the dagger.
"I'll kill you right here and now. Shame though. You had potential kid. If only you didn't get so cocky."

He raised the dagger, prepared to bring it down.

"R-Run..."
He paused. "What?"
"G-get out of here..." Jake's voice was barely a whisper. "There... there's something here... in the shadows. G-go..."
He had only caught a glimpse, but a glimpse was more than enough. If they didn't get out of here, not only he, but all 3 of them would be killed.

The boy only smirked.
"What's this? I didn't know you were afraid of the dark."
The other boy snickered.
"Well, this should be fun."

Lowering his arm, he reached down with his free hand and pulled Jake up.
"And what if I don't want to leave, hmm? What creepy little shadow creature is going to get me, hmm?" He started walking towards the shadow, carrying Jake along. "Aww, the widdle scary shadows aren't going to hurt me, are they?"

Jake's eyes widened.
"N-no, lemme go! They're... they're going to kill us! We're going to die! Stop!"

The boy was clearly having too much fun.
"Oh, but Jakey, I killed your friend, and how many have shadows killed, hmm? Doesn't that make me SCARIER?"

He didn't hear the boy anymore.
They were going to die, they were going to die, they were going to die.

The boy frowned.
"You know what? This is boring. I'm just gonna kill you and toss your body in there. Wouldn't that be fun?"

The instinct to survive seemed to roar in his ear, and he bit down on the boy's injured hand with all his strength, making the boy drop him.
"OW! YOU ******* PIECE OF s**t, I'M GOING TO-"

He never finished his sentence as the boy was dragged into the darkness.
"Tommy, TOMMY!" The boy screamed. There was a snap. Crunch. And then... silence.

Jake and Tommy only stared in shock, before Tommy snapped out of it and rushed into the darkness himself.
"BOSS!"
The same fate befell them both.

Jake only stared off into the distance. His mind was screaming at him to move, but his body refused to listen.
T-Tommy and the boss, considered the leaders of their gang, were now dead.
What... was going to happen?

Without warning, Jake felt himself being pulled back, and only then did he realize the mess he was in.
"N-no, NO!" he cried out, desperately trying to free himself.
He clawed at the ground, bloody fingers only leaving a trail as he continued to be dragged.

"NO!"

He caught a glimmer, and realized it was the dagger.
Not hesitating, he quickly grabbed it, turned around, and stabbed down.

There was a piercing screech as whatever it was pulled back, only to have more come out at him.
Jake never stopped swinging the dagger, slashing at each and every attempt to pull him back.
He hadn't noticed the claw reach out, slashing down, across his face.
Blood. So much blood.
Jake cried, and stabbed blindly.
He felt the blade connect with something, and there was a shriek again.

He took this opportunity to run, one hand pressed against his left eye.
He had no idea how deep the wound was, or if he would ever regain use of that eye, but right now, he didn't care.
He didn't stop running.

(OH GOSH, THIS WILL BE FIXED UP A LOT WHEN I HAVE TIME. OTL)