A Dangerous Obsession

As she strolled into the light Bailey felt a rush. Here she was, out in the open, and totally exposed to anyone who might happen upon her. "My God, I can't believe this," she thought. She was beginning to regret her choice of discarding her shoes as she could see remnants of broken bottles and glass sparkling in the light on the sidewalk. She had even noticed a used syringe lying on the walkway, near a telephone pole. She now kept her eyes on the concrete, keeping a close eye on where she stepped as she walked at a steady pace.

For another three blocks Bailey walked in the basking yellow light without seeing a soul or hearing so much as a bark. She was beginning to think her challenge had once again been too easy. She now walked with her hands to her side at a casual gate, but still scanning at the sidewalk for any sharp obstacles. It was then that she heard the shout.

"Whoooooo Hoooooo!!" echoed throughout the neighborhood.

In an instant Bailey had stepped into a darkened lawn and crouched down behind a bush. She looked in all directions desperately looking for where the voice had come from. She was trembling and her breathing became arduous. In all her outings, this was the first time that she knew someone had seen her.

"Did you see that?!" the voice yelled again.

Bailey could hear other voices, but the sounds were unintelligible to her. Nevertheless, it was obvious to her there was more than one. Almost in a frenzy, she scanned all around. Just then she saw where the voices were coming from. It was behind her, a couple of houses down. There, she could make out the shape of five boys coming out from the shadows of the front porch of one of the homes. She had obviously walked right in front of them. "Damn it" she thought. She had been paying so much attention looking out where she stepped, she had let her guard down.

"Yo man, she was naked I tell you!" one of the boys yelled. "Dat bitch was buck ass naked, I swear to God!"

"Naw," another said. "You're a crazy motherfucker."

Bailey looked on as they emerged out from the darkness. She could tell they were all Hispanic. They were all young, well-built boys, maybe in their late teens or early twenties. She could see two of the boys were wearing white tank tops with dew rags on top of their heads. The others were wearing tee shirts with unbuttoned plaid shirts over top, one with a bandana around his head with the others wearing ball caps turned backwards. "Shit," she blurted. She knew these were not the kind of boys that needed to find a naked white girl in their neighborhood. She watched as they argued. It was obvious only one of them had actually seen her and he was trying to convince the others of his discovery.

"I'll prove it to you God damn it!" the boy screamed. "Bitch walked right down here." She could see the boy that was yelling was muscular with intricate tattoos displayed from both wrists to his shoulders.

"You're full of shit," the another boy laughed. "Ain't no bitch walking around here naked, less she some crack ho."

Again Bailey's heart was racing. She stood motionless as the young men drew nearer. Another decision had to be made; either she stayed at her hiding spot, hoping they didn't find her, or she could make a run for it. If she did decide to run, it was obvious she wouldn't be able to continue down the street she was on. She would have to run one or two streets over, then continue her way towards 4th Street. She looked to the boulevard and to her right she could see a cross street about three houses down. She tried to peer through the darkness at the yards between her and the road, but the large trees on the lawns kept the light from shining through.

The boys were jumping into the yards behind her, hooting a hollering as they swept around every tree and bush. She was going to have to run for it. She decided she would run through the darkened front lawns in front of her, hoping none had a fence or any other obstacle to block her way. With a little luck they wouldn't see her. It was the only chance she had of getting away. Slowly she counted, "One .... two ... three," and she was off.

"There she is! There she is!" one of the boys screamed. "Holy shit, get her!"

Bailey never looked back. She darted through the first yard like a gazelle with a cheetah behind it. She could hear the gang in pursuit behind her, yelling and screaming along the way. Reaching the second yard she noticed small hedgerows lining both sides of the sidewalk leading to the front door of the house. She kept her pace as she leapt across, hurdling both hedges and sidewalk, in one stride. Bolting through the shadowy third yard she zigzagged around several shrubs and made her way to the far corner of the house.

There she tried to turn and head for the adjacent cross street, to the side of the property, but it was then she felt her feet come out from under her. The humid air had left heavy dew on the grass, and Bailey found her bare feet had little traction. She slid on her butt for several feet before coming to a stop. Quickly she looked back. She could see three of the boys barreling their way through the bushes, coming straight for her. They were laughing and yelling as they neared the frightened blonde daredevil.

In an instant Bailey had jumped to her feet and was once again on her way to the street. The road was not lit and she found the warm pavement more reassuring than the wet grass beneath her bare feet. Not wanting to wear herself out, she tried to pace herself, trying to control her breathing and speed. She could hear the steps of her pursuers closing in behind her. She had always been a good runner and knew if she could keep in front of them, she could probably outlast them. But, they were gaining on her quickly, and she had to move as fast as she could.

Bailey could hear the footsteps draw closer and closer, and she dared to look over her shoulder. One of the boys was now only a car length behind her. He was a muscular youth with a shaved head. She could tell he was one of the boys that had been wearing a dew rag, but he had obviously lost the item somewhere during the chase. She could see the other two that had been close, were now fading and losing distance. They were shouting and urging their friend on as he closed in. He was fast and still gaining ground, and her legs began to ache as she pushed herself. Her bare breasts bounced as she ran and began to hurt, but her desire to escape kept her in focus and pushed her on.

She continued on as fast as she could, and made a quick turn onto a road that paralleled the one that she had been on when she started her trek. The street was darker than the previous route, but she could tell she was once again running through a row of older homes. The boy was now right behind her as he chased her another two blocks. She could hear him breathing heavy and grunting as he pushed forward. No longer was he yelling and screaming, he was trying to take in every ounce of air he could manage. Suddenly Bailey could feel his fingers on her back. He was reaching out, trying to grab her, his fingertips just within reach. Letting out a yelp she pushed as hard as she could. "Oh my God," she thought. "He's going to catch me." She imagined her fate, chained in some basement and taken over and over again for days. Tears began to well up in her eyes. Her feet were raw. She couldn't keep this pace much longer.

Just then she could hear the boy's footsteps fading. She kept her fast stride for several more hundred feet before looking back. She could see him, stopped, hands on his knees, and gasping for air. She could also see him pointing at her, trying to make some kind of sly remark, but his lack of breath kept him from uttering a word. He only stood, bent over, with labored breaths.

She continued to run until she was well away from the boy. Slowing her pace, she continued for several more blocks before she made her way to the side of a house at the corner of a side street. There, she collapsed in the murky shadows of the driveway near the home's garage. She sat up, bringing her hands up to her face, trying to muffle her uncontrollable huffing and puffing. She had never run so hard in all her life. Her muscles ached and her legs were on fire. She could feel the heat of her body and the beads of sweat that had formed across her bare flesh. She didn't know how much more she could take, and hoped the other gang members were not on their way to look for her. If she had to run that hard again she would surely be caught. She reached back and rubbed her butt, caressing the spot she had fell on earlier. She knew there would be a big bruise there in the morning. As her breathing became more controlled, Bailey covered her face and began to sob.

*** THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME ***

Bailey sat alone in the darkness for what seemed like an eternity. She had left all of her jewelry, including her watch, at home and had no sense of time. Her mouth was parched from the running and she believed she could kill for just a glass of water. She kept low and listened intently. Several times she had seen a low ride car pass down the street, driving slowly as if the occupants were looking for something. She could only guess that it was the Latino gang, now mobile and searching for their intended prey. She looked around, knowing she was going to have to move eventually. She couldn't stay where she was all night. Slowly she raised to her feet and cautiously made her way back to the side of the roadway.

She was cursing her mind for deciding not to wear shoes. Her feet were raw from her recent scamper and her legs were sore and throbbing. Her hair was hot and damp, and she could feel the perspiration on her bare body dripping down her back and chest. Keeping to the side of the road she stayed in the shadows of the large oaks and maples that bordered the street. She walked just in the edge of the yards, the cool dew on the grass now feeling good on the bottom of her feet. She was one street over from the route she had previously been on, but was still traveling in the right direction. She had lost track of exactly where she was, but surmised that she was more than half way to her car. But she had to be careful. With another incident like the one before, she would probably just give up and hope for the best.

From yard to yard Bailey crept down the street, passing one block, then another. Looking at the street signs, she gained her bearings. She was on the corner of Robinson Road and 11th Street; there were still seven blocks to go. Suddenly she heard a dog barking from behind a home up ahead of her. The sound instantly aroused the other dogs in the neighborhood, prompting a k-9 chorus to be heard in all directions. She sneaked behind a tree and watched for any movement in front of her. It was then that she noticed a set of headlights coming up behind her. It was the same automobile she had seen several times before. She turned and made her way to the other side of the tree, where she carefully peered out and spied on the vehicle.

It was a four-door car that sat low to the ground. She could see its large chrome wheels, with their thin profiled tires wrapped around them. The car seemed to change color as it passed from one streetlight to another. It was moving slow, and she could hear rap music blaring from within. She knew there were at least four people inside the vehicle as she could see one arm hanging out of each opened window. She tried in vain to see who was inside, with the vehicle's dash lights only faintly highlighting the faces inside.

Bailey shook uncontrollably as she continued to look on. She knew in her heart, it was the boys who had been chasing her. "They're not going to give up," she said to herself. "My God. I have to make it to my car." She looked down the roadway. "I will never do this again," she swore to herself. "Just let me get to my car and go home."

She watched as the car leisurely traveled past her. She could hear the men laughing inside. "This is fun to them," she thought. "They are enjoying this little chase." But she wasn't going to make it easy. If she could just make it maybe one more mile, she would be free. As the car's taillights faded out of sight, Bailey pushed herself onward. The dogs were still barking, but not just one, several could be heard and all around her. She believed that as long as several animals were carrying on, her position wouldn't be revealed.

Again, she sneaked from yard to yard, block by block, taking shelter beneath the shadows of the trees. Occasionally, she found herself making a mad dash beneath the light of the street lamps as she came to a lawn blocked by a fence or wall. At one point she watched as a front porch light was turned on in front of her. She had hunched down behind a parked car, in an adjacent driveway, and watched as the homeowner walked outside and lit a cigarette. She guessed she was delayed for eight or nine minutes as she watched the man puff and blow smoke from between his lips. She sat silently watching the man, biting her bottom lip to make sure she didn't utter a sound. She then noticed the man drop the cigarette on the ground, and stomp it out. He then casually walked inside and turned the light off.

With a heavy sigh she gathered herself and, after traveling a couple more blocks, soon found herself in another predicament. Standing at the corner of Robinson and 7th Street she could see the next leg of her journey took her past a small park. To her left stood several basketball courts, surrounded by very tall chain link fences. On her right was a large security wall that spanned several hundred feet down the road. At first she thought she might be able to travel through the ball courts and reemerge somewhere on the other side. But, after a closer look, she realized the gates to courts were chained and padlocked. Her only advantage was that the park didn't seem to have any lights, and, with the gates being locked, most likely no one was inside.

Bailey sat in the darkness for several minutes and assessed the path in front of her. She wanted to be careful, there were gang members searching for her, and she didn't need any more people on her trail or alerting them to where she was. But, she could see no other route. She decided she would have to make another hard run until she reached the next block. She hadn't scouted this street during the planning of her dare, and she wasn't sure what lay beyond her newest obstacles. She could only hope there were trees or bushes to hide behind. In the shadows, she crouched on all fours as if she were prepared for some sort of race. Taking a deep breath, she came to her feet and sprinted across the road, into the unwelcomed illumination of the streetlights.

Her fists clinched tight, Bailey swung her arms as she raced down the sidewalk. The night air now felt cool on her damp skin, her nipples tight and erect. She concentrated hard on controlling her breathing as she darted past one telephone pole to the next. In the distance, she could hear the sound of a loud car engine, and tires squealing, one or two streets over. The noise had scared her, and her mind wondered if it had anything to do with her. She kept her focus. She had to make it to the next block.

For a moment she had to dart into the middle of the roadway as she dodged a couple of metal garbage cans that blocked the sidewalk. But, in and instant she was back on the concrete path, and could see the next street in the distance, another row of houses just beyond. She also noticed she was now running next to a baseball field. She was at the outfield end of the field and thought that if she had to, she could climb this smaller fence to find an escape route. It was then that she thought she heard voices coming from near the dark baseball diamond. She tried to listen over the sounds of her regulated gasps, but she couldn't be sure if it were voices or just the night playing tricks on her. If there was someone there, perhaps she was too far away to see that she wasn't wearing clothes. She really didn't care at this point; it was too late to worry about. She had to make it to the safety of the trees ahead of her.

It took only a few more seconds before she reached the next cross street, and the homes beyond. She jogged past the first house, it being on a corner lot and having few trees, and took refuge in the lawn of the next home. There she jaunted behind a set of hydrangea bushes. She laid down in the grass, flat on her back, and again attempted to slow her pulse and breathing. As she rested, she gazed up at the stars. She was deep in the city and the surrounding lights illuminated the sky, drowning out the light from the smaller celestial bodies. But she could easily make out the larger stars, and even noticed a shooting star as it streaked across the sky. She closed her eyes and made a wish. She thought to herself, "I'm almost home."

Bailey continued on her stealthy journey, darting here and there, and hiding at points along the way. After a few minutes, she found herself at another side street. The sign read, "5th Street." "I'm almost at the bar," she thought. Across the street she could see a vacant lot. There were no more houses or buildings in front of her and she could see the rear of the bar in the distance. There were also no streetlights, but another problem had arisen. She could see that the lot was bare, with no trees, no bushes, and no places to hide if anyone spotted her. But, there was no other way, and her need to reach her destination outweighed her need for stealth at the moment. She had already planned what she was going to do. She would dart across the lot and make her way to the back of the bar. Once there, she would make a mad dash for her car and not worry if anyone saw her or not. The surprise she would give any onlooker would surely buy her enough time to reach the key and unlock her car. She would then simply speed away as fast as she could until she reached a safe place to put on the clothes that she had left on the back seat.

Hurriedly Bailey jogged across the empty land. It was a gravel lot and the tiny rocks cut into the souls of her already raw feet. But the adrenaline was flowing through her body and it masked her pain with determination. She had made it three quarters of the way across the lot when, once again, she noticed headlights on the road behind her. Quickly she dropped down, spread eagle on her belly. She could feel the gravel and grime as it stuck to her body. She looked behind her and could see the same car, slowly rolling down the road on the other side of the lot. She could hear the muted rumble coming from the vehicle's exhaust. She felt as though her heart would burst from her chest. "I'm so close, they can't catch me now."

Again the car slowly rolled down the roadway. "They didn't see me," she thought. Not waiting for the car to drive out of sight, Bailey swiftly sprung to her feet and sprinted for the building. She ran with all the strength that she had left, pushing her body to the brink of its limits. Suddenly, she could hear a loud thunder coming from the car. As she looked back she could see the car speeding down the street, away from her, in the opposite direction. She wasn't sure if they had seen her, and she didn't care. In just a few moments she could make it to her vehicle.

Reaching the back of the bar, Bailey crouched next to a dumpster. She could smell the foul odors coming from the metal container, and she kept several feet away. Quickly she ran around the corner of the building and made her way to the front edge of the business. She leaned back against the cinderblock wall, taking a moment to catch her breath, then peered around the corner to where her car was parked. It was then that she saw a sickening sight.

The yellow lights twirled around rapidly, causing a strobe like effect on the surrounding buildings. Bailey could see a large man kneeling near the front of her car. The figure then stood up and walked to the back of the wrecker. Terrified, she watched as the man pulled on a lever at the back of the truck, the front of her car slowly raising off of the ground. Now, she could clearly see the "No Parking" signs next to her vehicle. She wondered how she could have been so stupid to have not noticed them when she parked. She figured she had been so nervous, and so preoccupied by the people going into the bar, she simply didn't see them.