Arizonatown

Jryan and a few uniformed police officers took off after Saigner and VB.

After a brief chase Jryan heard what he most asuredly had dreaded. A green cop yelling "Stop or I'll shoot!!"

"No... WAIT!!" Jryan said in confusion, trying to spot the cop who yelled and follow VB and Saigner at the same time.

In an instant a shot rang out and Jryan caught sight of Saigner just in time to see her fall.

"DAMMIT!!" Jryan exclaimed with a visible waiver in his voice.

At the sound of the gunshot VB tripped over his pants and fell to the street. He looked back at Saigner for a moment in disbelief. He made one desperate futile move toward her and tripped over his pants again... seeing the cops closing in VB then shot Jryan a look of confusion and anger, ditched his pants, and ran.

After what seemed like an eternity of glimpses of Saigner as he once knew her Jryan finally arrived at where she fell. Floods of memories of her contributions to BC Forum swept over him in waves of guilt and dispair. Cops had gathered arround her, he pulled them away. Saigner lay on the groud breathing her last.

"Wh.. Why'd yah do it?!" Jryan said desperately.

"I... I was just... kid...ding...... *siiiiiiigh* I never meant for anyone to send mon............" and her eyes closed for the last time.

"DAMMIT!! She's just a kid! " Jryan lept up and grabed the cop by the lapels. "Why'd ya have to shoot the kid... for what, a few bucks!!? A FEW BUCKS!!!" Jryan threw the money in the green cops face.

After gathering what composure he had he spun back arround in a pleading gesture to the cop, "Look, you bastard... that's all she was after... a few buck... just .... a few bucks...." his voice trailed off into the sound of the background traffic.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!! SAIGNER!!!" came a voice from the crowd that was gathering. FInally, squirming between gawkers and ducking under the security tape ran SkaPixy.

Before the police knew what was happening she was at the body. She lifted Saigner and cradled her in her arms.

"Saigner, Saigner.... what am I going to do?! You can't end like this... we can't... I ... never said goodbye *sob*" Said SkaPixy, finally holding nothing back and openly sobbing, head buried in Saigner's blood soaked hair.

"Oh Loooord... Oooooh Lord!!!" came a voice from the crowd...

The crowd seemed to part as the voice got closer. Until, as Jryan watched, the crowd finally parted and out stepped No-Doz... still in his ringmaster outfit.

"Oh lord oh lord" exclaimed No-Doz, only half hiding his glee as he handed onlookers his hat and cane and nelt down beside SkaPixy "Don'tlookDon'tlookDon'tlook..." repeated No-Doz as he wrapped SkaPixy in his cape and slowly walked her to his waiting rickshaw.

And like that they were off into the night. Gone as fast as two effeminate asain boys could pull them from the scene.

Saigner's body was soon to follow. Jryan stood stunned... disbeleiving how a simple sting could have gone so wrong. Where once he was so close to makig a bit of good in the lives of these three troubled youths, now all was lost.

Lost.. he rolled that word through his head as if he could change it... as if he could tumble the edge off of it make it lose it's meaning and give it a shine. But he couldn't shake it. The word dug into him with every turn. The pool of blood, the electric whispers from the crowd and VB's baggy pants wouldn't let him escape what had transpired.

Finally he spoke after a long thought filled silence. He spoke simply, almost plainly. Maybe it was shock, maybe it was that the last bit of humanity that he clung to had wrenched itself free and now mingled with the crimson pool that by then was meandering it's way down the storm gutter.

"Why? Wh... It didn't have to happen this way...." Jryan spoke, eyes now fixed on the gutter as his thoughts, like the ruby whisps, weaved their path to the drain.

"Why?" said Onion13 as he finally stepped up and clapped Jryan on the shoulder. "Forget it Joe, it's Arizonatown."

Fin.