MEAN STREETS ECHO

Shadowy empty streets gave me the feeling I was the only person left in the world. Even the panhandlers had more sense than to be out on this freezing winter's night. An exceptional blast of icy wind hit me as I turned into Van Ness off Geary. I stopped to pull my coat collar up above my ears, zipping it. An SFPD car cruised by on patrol, coloured lights eerie in the night. Hard to believe what happened next. A lone figure stepped into the middle of the road. Street lights behind cast such a massive shadow they made him look like a giant. He threw back his head and let out a thunderous roar of laughter, lifted a shotgun and fired at the cop car's windshield. The driver didnt stand a chance, slumping dead over the wheel. The car, clipping along, slewed across the road into the nearest light pole. Its siren began a mournful wail. Worse, flames began licking underneath. I ran to it in panic to help the other cop, who was vainly trying tocrawl from the passenger side. I think both her legs were broken. The door was so crumpled there's no way it would open. Realising the problem, she grabbed her gun and smashed the window with the butt. I was able to drag her through the broken glass to get her out. Despite the pain and blood this caused both of us were desperately conscious of the ever encroaching fire. Above the cacophony of the dying car, the injured cop's moans, I heard the ratchet of the monster re-arming his shotgun. I snatched the cop's gun, fired blindly in hope. He fell backwards onto the road. Out of the light his size diminished to that of a normal human. Behind him shadows faded as he fell. I sensed a wolf pack that retreated without its leader.