My eyes cut through the darkness, searching for movement as I crept towards the rusty staircase. I knew it would be impossible to get upstairs without attracting attention if anyone lurked in the shadows below. As I put one foot on the lower step, the metal shuddered and groaned. And shadows moved. Without hesitation, I whirled and ran, adrenaline dumping into my veins. But I wasn’t fast enough. Two of them melted from the darkness and blocked my path.

“You should really know better, Austin,” one sneered. “Did you really think he wouldn’t notice?”

My stomach clenched as they took a step closer, and I retreated. More of them were behind me. I didn’t have to look.

Before I could blink, an arm rushed forward out of the darkness and knocked me backwards into the grip of another. My heartbeat began to roar in my ears as I struggled against the strangle hold. He hadn’t gotten a good grip, and I was able to slip out with a quick wrench. I didn’t have a chance to get anywhere before the three of them backed me into a corner. I heard the shimmer of strings as I bumped into the concrete walls, and winced. I waited for the blows to come. There was no escape.

Optional: Before I had time to even brace myself, his fist caught me square in the jaw. It didn’t have much power behind it; they were no better trained than street-fighters, but it sent me reeling all the same. I twisted away from them, seeing a gap in the offense as one stepped towards me. He shoved me back and my guitar hit the concrete with a terrifying crack. His knee sank into my stomach before I had time to think. Pain bloomed across my abdomen and I doubled over, throwing up at their feet. My brain stopped trying and began to send thousands of panic signals through my body. I felt my muscles coil and my heart pound. As my latest attacker stepped back, I caught a glance of glinting steel in the moonlight. He clutched a knife in his right hand. Would he use it? I hope not. But I couldn’t afford to take the chance. My feet moved almost before I told them to, and then I was ducking past his shoulder faster than I’d ever moved before. It wasn’t fast enough. My shoulder was wrenched by the strap of my guitar case, and as it slipped off and I knew I couldn’t stop. It hit the ground with a crunch and a scream of strings that made my heart break. They laughed. I felt my chest tighten with tears. “Sorry, Jon,” I whispered.