The Boy in the Alley

The Boy in the Alley
JD Rhode


It was a nice afternoon, so I decided to walk the puppy. Okay, he hadn’t been a puppy for almost a year, but he is my baby. I opened the garage door, as that’s how I leave the house, and, making sure the Shih Tzu’s purple leash was tight around my arm, we were gone.

I always walk the same trail. I heard it helps your pet be familiar with the area; if he should run away from home, he’ll know how to come back to you. Trust me, it doesn’t work. Anyway, we walked down the peacefully quiet street. It was roughly 4PM.

About twenty three feet from us was the next street, where I usually turn left, but I first noticed the alleyway to my immediate left. To be more precise, I noticed the boy in the alleyway. Dark headed and wearing light clothing, he sat cross-legged with his back to me. He turned, I guess hearing my wheels roll over concrete and pebbles. ‘Hellos’ were exchanged, and my pup and I kept walking.

I wondered who he was, what he was doing, and why he was by himself. The breeze calmed as we made the left onto the next street. The Sun was out of my face, too. That was comforting, however, I knew going home-turning around-would be very bright. Strange things pop in my head at all hours of the day, and I, just for a second or two, entertained the idea that the boy was a ghost. Silly me.

As promised, we headed home, and the Sun would no longer let me ignore it. It wasn’t too bad, though-at least the high temperature was in the seventies. Before straying too far from the scene and getting closer to my driveway, I glanced to my right. The boy of no older than twelve had gone and was nowhere to be seen.