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by azrieljohnson

Heart of Gold by Azriel Johnson

Pool Fight

The first time I remember seeing Paul's face, he was trying to drown me in a swimming pool. I struggled against him, but he was much stronger. He had caught me by surprise out behind a ritzy home I was about to break into. I had cased the joint for months. I knew the family there better than they knew themselves. I knew about the husband's affair with his secretary. I knew about the wife's affair with her brother-in-law. The son had school, football practice then a gangbang of the head cheerleader. The daughter was a 'math-lete' and experimenting with mind-expanding drugs.

There were no pets. There was no alarm system. They were a trusting bunch despite the deceit. It was supposed to be a quick in and out job. What I didn't count on was the man who surprised me outside of the backdoor moments before I tried to break in.

He wore a black mask. A hooded sweat shirt shrouded his form. Black sweat pants and shoes made him a moving shadow. I didn't see him until a split second before he slammed my face into the back door window pane. I had conveniently taped the window so when I broke it myself the glass wouldn't shatter inward or with much noise. However, when my head was forced through the glass it did indeed shatter inward, still not making much of a sound.

I shook my head seeing the pristine kitchen for a second, then was grabbed by my leather jacket and pulled back out onto the cement patio. My arms flailed and the back of my head thumped against the cement.

The masked man started kicking me in the ribs. I doubled over and received a couple kicks in the chest. I tried to push away the pain and pulled my butterfly knife from my jeans pocket. I stabbed a black shoe and the man cried out in pain. I pulled my knife out of his foot and rolled away onto my hands and knees.

The man was crouching and clutching his bloody foot. I looked behind me to the high fence. I didn't know if I could clear it jumping over. The man stood between me and the gate I had come in.

I wasn't an incompetent fighter, but in my line of work if you can choose fight or flight, you fly. I turned onto my feet from my position on all fours and ran five steps toward the high fence. I sprang into the air on the fifth step. My hands clutched the top of the fence. My butterfly knife was clutched in my right hand in the closed position.

I started pulling myself up over the fence when the masked man's strong hand clutched the neck of my leather jacket again. I lost my grip and fell back. I shifted in the fall and smashed the man in the face with the closed knife. The man cried out in pain again, but I hit the ground and the knife flew from my hands.

The man shook his head, but had not fallen. He reached down and grabbed me by my collar and dragged me to the pool. His strong grip kept me from escaping. I was winded and pliant until my face hit the water.

My eyes snapped into focus and my brain sharpened. I was looking up at the black mask. I was holding my breath, trying to remain calm. My hands tried to peel his fingers from my jacket collar, but his gloved fingers were too strong.

Exasperated, I decided if I was going to die I would see the face of my killer. My lungs burned to breathe, but I reached up to the mask. I jammed m y fingers into each eye and pulled the mask down and off. I didn't recognize his face, but as he reached up to clutch his eyes, I slipped away from him. I grabbed the pool railing and pulled myself out of the water.

The man's hood had fallen from his head and I saw brown hair that would make a crayon jealous. I scampered away, stumbling but finally reaching the gate and making my escape.