13th December 2023
Dear Diary
I write this to you with pruned dry hands. I’ve spent the past half hour rubbing them clean,
hiding away any trace. As the red swirled down the drain, all I could think was, “I’ll have to
much more careful from next time”
It started this afternoon in the bus, I had just sat down in my seat. Trembling from the
exertion the day had taken from me, trying to wrangle my jacket over my stained hands. My
pant-legs caked with dirt and stained incriminatingly rusty red.
I hid my face in my cap and tried to hide into my seat so no one would notice me. I just
wanted to get home fast and wash away all signs of what I had been up to. My tally was up to
almost twenty-four. This time had been harder than the last few, but I earned my sweet
victory at the end.
The bus began to move and I sat back, relaxing a little. It was twilight and the bus was
deserted save for a few lonely passengers minding their own business. Not one of them would
guess, just who they were travelling with.
Just as I let down my guard a little two things happened simultaneously. A cop rushed into the
bus, looking like he had run a marathon and my phone started to vibrate urgently. I panicked,
not knowing what to do. One hand moved to lower my hat on my face, while I turned inward
to hide my crimson fingers from view.
Heart beating almost out of my chest as the police neared by location at the back of the bus.
He seemed to be looking for something and I try to make myself as small as possible. My
breaths were almost as audible as my phone’s vibration by this point.
Quickly I took out my phone to silence it when I saw it was my partner in crime. Anxiety
choking me, I looked at the police officer as he loomed closer and down at my phone that
continued to ring in my hand.
Just as I moved to pick the call, the officer sat down adjacent and two rows down from me. I
breathed a deep sigh of relief as my phone flooded with back-to-back messages.
Without making much movement I opened the chat, where my best friend had typed, “Bro,
send the video fast. I’m gonna make #redtagcrew trend on graffiti twitter”
That adrenaline rush has me exhausted; I need sleep now.
Good Night
James
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