Cake and Eat It…

‘I heard that,’ croaked Panix. ‘I know you’re here!’

That was annoying. She’d have to start moving now. She’d hated running ever since being forced to participate in high school marathons, spent rushing around the school ground at the behest of teachers obviously obsessed with things other than physical fitness.

Still, no time like the present. She jumped up, picked the direction that Panix’s voice wasn’t, and ran for it. The wind was behind her and her hair flayed around her face.

Behind her was a sound of running footsteps, presumably of feet strapped into steel-toe-capped boots. Of course, the percussive sounds of the metal could also have indicated her pursuers were a rogue tap-dancing troupe on the hunt for a new venue.

No matter, she accelerated, throwing the last of her energy into the run. This put a little distance between them and her, but as the energy ran out, left her closer than before.

She passed some bushes and a wall was revealed.

Daisy decided it was about time for a strategic withdrawal and seeing that cowardice was the better part of survival, she would take the quick way out. Her percussive pursuers would probably object to her exit, but she liked her limbs just the way they were.

She swung out, then in, aiming at the Elvis poster pasted to the uneven bluestone wall.

* * *

As she lay gasping for air on the roof of the building, she gave thanks to her guardian angel and promised to drop a few dollars into The Church of Elvis collection box the next time she was passing. She was obviously fitter than she thought, having scaled the wall without as much effort as she’d expected.

The tap-dancers of doom rushed past, followed after a few moments by a wheezing fat man.

As her heartbeat slowed, the pain from the run slowly unraveled. The rasping breaths and white-pain in her windpipe relented and her breathing returned to normal.

And finally, all was silent again. She relaxed, feeling safe, alone with only the stars above and a shining silvery moon for company; although some clouds were slowly rolling in, possibly as a result of high winds at a couple of thousand feet. She extended a hand carefully tapping around her. It appeared that the rooftop was horizontal, and as she craned upwards a little to glance around, she realised it was covered in black bitumen and had a doorway at the side closest her.