Amanda grabbed Dani and yanked her to her feet and out of the alley.
“Stop.” Said Dani pulling back on her friend.
“Stop? Are you mad?”
“I think we should help him.”
Amanda looked past Dani’s shoulder at the guy lying on the ground. How they hadn’t seen him before god only knows. Maybe he had just been well hidden, on thing was certain, she
didn’t want to go back to him.
“Stop.” Said Dani pulling back on her friend.
“Stop? Are you mad?”
“I think we should help him.”
Amanda looked past Dani’s shoulder at the guy lying on the ground. How they hadn’t seen him before god only knows. Maybe he had just been well hidden, on thing was certain, she
didn’t want to go back to him.
"I think we should call med cops and leave." said Amanda.
"And what are they gonna do? The reason they issued us with the imbisol crap was so they dont have to do that catching, you really think their gonna care about some half dead guy in an alley?"
"Maybe someone sol'd him then?"
"Nah. He wouldn’t be moving if they had." she said.
“I still think we should go.”
“What and leave him? What if he is hurt bad?” Dani shook her head at Amanda. “I’m going to check he’s alright, I cant just leave him there and I am not leaving him for the sweepers to get him.”
“Dani don’t—”
Although Amanda was the most fun loving one, she drove Dani mad when she got her sensible head on. One minute they could be having a laugh and a drink and the next Amanda would suddenly remember she had an early start and would just go to bed. Not one for sitting in the office with a hangover. It made Amanda so unpredictable.
Dani walked back to the man on the ground. He was trying his best to sit up and failing miserably.
“Who are you?” asked Dani as she crouched just out of reaching distance.”
“Huh?”
“I said who are you? What's your name?”
“I er…I’m not sure.” The mans voice was so quiet, Dani could hardly hear what he was saying.
“Do you know how you got here?”
He paused for a moment and opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it again and shook his head.
He was still trying to get up as Dani grilled him further, both making futile attempts. He didn’t seem to notice that his face was bruised or that blood had begun drying down his top lip and chin.
Dani studied him for a minute. The man could barley move, surely, Amanda was wrong. He couldn’t be dangerous. She glanced over at Amanda who gave her a disapproving look.
Amanda was not going to like this.
Dani got closer to the man and reached for his hand, ignoring the protest from behind her. He paused and frowned as if he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Come on, I’ll help you.” She said as she took his cold hand in hers.
It took a couple of attempts to get him to his feet. He was very unsteady and Dani had to drape his arm around her shoulder to give him support.
“I’m gonna take you back to my place ok?”
“What are you doing?” asked Amanda as Dani and the man finally reached her.
“I’m taking him back to our place.”
“Your what?”
“Look stop panicking. Look at his arm. He’s green tagged.” Said Dani as she struggled to reach round and grab the mans arm just so she could show her friend the bracelet.
“Just because he’s green doesn’t mean he’s harmless. I mean he could just be clever and never been caught.”
“Your telling me that you think its possible to not get caught? Come on Amanda, you fart in wrong place and your tag changes colour.”
“Maybe he’s done something a long time ago. I mean you don’t get beaten up like this for no reason.”
“You wanna check his tag for prior pins? I checked it already, but if you don’t believe me take a look for yourself.”
“It’s not that. It’s just…”
“Look stop it with all the paranoia and help me get him out of here before the sweepers come out and we end up colour coded for loitering.”
“How long is that guy going to sleep for?” asked Amanda as she loaded the toaster with bread. “If I’d have known he was going to sleep this long I’d have slept better myself.”
Dani took a sip from her coffee and rolled her eyes. “Your telling me you have spent the whole night awake worrying?”
“Didn’t you?”
“No.”
“What if he had got up in the middle of the night? He could have come searching and killed us while we slept.”
“Oh Amanda, now your really overreacting.”
“Am I?” asked Amanda as she sat down opposite Dani, the toast forgotten.
“Yes you are and you know it.”
“You bring a guy home, a stranger into our house, one that you found in an alley I might add and then you let him sleep off whatever it is in our house and you think I am overreacting?”
“Yes.” Said Dani. “He’s green tagged, it looks like someone beat the crap out of him and he could hardly move, let alone murder us in our beds, and anyway I bugged his room, I’m not totally stupid. The guy hasn’t moved all night, not even to take a pee.”
“Oh crap.” Said Amanda as she jumped up to rescue the her breakfast. The smell of burnt toast filled the room. This was not going to be a good day.
************
It was almost seven when Amanda had to go to work. The unknown man still hadn’t woken up yet and Amanda had made Dani go and check on him at least every half an hour to make sure that he was still alive.
“Do you think we should wake him?” asked Amanda from the doorway.
Dani slid the brush in a swift motion along her fingernail before looking up. “Nah, he’ll be fine. You go to work. He’ll wake up when he is ready.”
Three bleeps sounded from upstairs. Dani ignored them and was already concentrating on her left hand. Amanda listened, her face looking startled as she heard footsteps on the landing.
She moved quickly over to Dani as the footsteps started to descend the stairs.
“Amanda!” Dani yelled as her friend collided with her hands and smudging her nail varnish. “Now I’ll have to start al over again.”
“He’s coming.” Whispered Amanda.
“Yeah?” said Dani unconcerned. “And?”
“Oh for god sake Dani, there’s a strange man coming down the stairs and all your bothered about is your damn nails. You need to get your priorities right and start thinking about our safety.”
Dani opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again as their unknown guest opened the door.
Amanda stared intently at him, ready if he made any sudden move. Dani leant back into the cushion, totally relaxed.
“She’s right you know.” He said breaking the silence.
“Pardon me?” said Amanda.
“Your right. She should be careful. You never know who your going to invite into your house. With a house as remote as this, no one would hear you scream.”
Amanda took a step back and swallowed hard. Her somersaulting stomach sending cold waves through her body and making her flesh tingle.
