Mugging

The rain had been falling as though someone up high in the heavy grey-black clouds had upended a bucket over the streets below. Now, though, night was falling under a sky clear of clouds. It was as though the clouds had heard night was coming and run for cover, out of the way.

Suddenly, down the otherwise deserted side street, Libby wished they could've run for cover too.

As soon as the scrawny scruffily-dressed youth had stepped out of the shadows behind the bins and into their path, Libby has sensed - rather than seen - Heller step forward so that his body was between her and the youth. She was supposed to be the one trained for this, supposed to be the one protecting the older man, but somehow she felt more secure with the bulk of the man between her and the knife the youth held in his now-trembling hand.

'Hand over your money... your mobiles... both of you… everything you've got!' the knife waved uncertainly between Heller and Libby. The youth’s eyes flickered back and forwards between the couple, blinking and nervous.

'Now, why on Earth should I even consider such a thing?' Heller's voice was mocking, but firm.

''Cos I've got this fuckin' knife... that's why!' the uncertainty and nervousness was giving way to anger. The youth took a step forward, and the wavering knife moved closer towards Heller.

'Really?' Heller said, moving so even more of himself came between the knife-man and Libby.

'Come on, old man... I'm not fuckin' scared of using this, y'know....' He held the knife up so that the blade glinted in the distant streetlight.

Libby was grateful for the old man blocking her from the youth’s view as she eased out her radio, ready to call for the back-up that should only be a few streets away.

Before she could pull her radio free, the mugger lunged at the old man. Libby felt the scream die in her throat as the mugger seemed to fly in slow motion into the bins at the side of the street, landing with a heavy metallic clatter amongst them.

‘I think, really, you ought to consider fucking off, don’t you?’ Heller said. ‘I’ll keep this.’ He pocketed the knife. ‘Maybe you ought to consider some sort of change of career of some kind…. Hmmm?’

Heller looked behind him. Libby closed her mouth and gave a weak grin at Heller, standing there in the middle of the side street as though he was on a pleasant afternoon stroll. ‘Are you all right?’ he said to Libby, who could only nod dumbly in reply.

‘Come on, then’ Heller said ‘or we’ll be late.’ Turning back, he walked past the groaning mugger without a glance at him, and carried on up the street with Libby rushing to catch up with him.