Payment For Greed

20260822

Prompt from DailyPrompt.com

“Excuse me, did you drop this?”
I nearly jump out of my skin. Spinning to look behind me, where I’m certain there was nobody a moment ago. How did I not hear that guy approaching? Did I walk past him without noticing? He is wearing a dark, stained hoodie and track pants combo which almost blends in with the wall behind him.
Then I register what he’s holding up. A crumpled, dirty tenner.
“Oh.” I force a friendly smile. “No, that’s not mine. Guess this is your lucky night.”
He blinks. Looks… confused? But I definitely didn’t drop that. I rarely carry cash. And it wouldn’t have gotten a chance to collect so much dirt.
Being flagged down by a strange man has my nerves screaming, so I wave, keeping the smile up, then turn and hurry on my way. Ears straining. But I don’t hear any footsteps. And when I carefully glance back at the corner, he’s still standing there. Watching me.
Which isn’t reassuring.
Fuck’s sake… I shouldn’t have let my stupid friends ditch me in this part of town! Should’ve insisted they call me a taxi, or at least gone home with one of them and crashed at their place. If that dull girl’s night out was my last I will be pissed.
My fingers clutch my keys tight. The pain is reassuring. Just need to get to the bus station, then I should be alright, even at this hour there’s always enough people to-
Oh shit I can hear a bunch of masculine voices singing, and they sound roaring drunk. And there’s no other avenues to turn down. I keep my head low and pray they don’t notice me. Or maybe they’re nice.
But their merriment peters out as they draw close, and the stares they’re giving me make my skin prickle. All clearly thinking that I’m the wrong sort to be walking alone at night, in a nice neighbourhood like this. Where my kind don’t belong.
Where I won’t be missed.
My pounding heart is choking me.
Turn and run? No. No, it’s like dealing with angry dogs - run and you’re doomed. But the way they’re spreading out to block the whole street I may not have a choice.
“Hello, luv.” One calls, a huge grin splitting his face. “Looking for work, are you?”
Oh fuck I’m doomed.
My one remaining hope is that they’re too drunk to chase me properly. So I spin on my heel and sprint back the way I came. Grimly resigned to getting lost and praying that I won’t run into a dead end. If I’m alive I can find my way.
Left, left… one more turn and I should be going roughly the same direction I was-
I skid to a halt as I find myself face-to-face with one of them, who laughs and grabs at me. I scream - and so does he?
I’m jerked forward as he staggers sideways, into a gap between buildings I hadn’t noticed. His hand loses grip on my arm.
His scream cuts off with a sickening wet splurch which makes my knotting stomach somersault.
The silence presses against my eardrums. All I can hear is my frantic heartbeat and roaring ears… and a soft slurping.
I need to move. Need to run. Need to do something. But I’m shaking so hard, it’s all I can do to stay upright.
Without a sound, the entirely forgettable figure from earlier appears in the mouth of the alley. He smiles at me in a disturbingly friendly fashion. He belches.
It stinks of copper.
That jolts me out of fear paralysis and I dart past down the street and this time I don’t stop running or screaming until I’m at the bus station trying to explain what happened to a bewildered security guard.
He doesn’t believe me, of course. It’s a crazy story, and I’ve had a few pints myself. But he does call the police and report that someone’s been attacked in an alley, relaying my best estimate of where it happened.
Standing there, my gaze flicking around, nerves still twanging like piano wires, I slip my chilled hands in my pockets - and feel an unexpected rustle.
That tenner.
How the fuck did that damned tenner get in my pocket?
And folded around it in an old receipt, so faded I can only make out one word: “meal”.
I retch. Fling the sick ‘payment’ away. Scrub my hands on my jeans.
I don’t think I’m going to go out at night for a while. Definitely not to drink. And I’m never coming back to this part of town again.

Prompt was “Start a horror story with ‘Excuse me, did you drop this?’.”