Grizz sat on the hood of Luke’s beat-up sedan, his breath misting in the cool night air. Around him, shadows shifted as teenagers gathered under the flickering streetlights. A midnight game of Fugitive: Harry’s big idea. Just distractions, that's all this was. A game to keep everyone from thinking too hard about what tomorrow might look like.

“Safety is the church, jail is the gazebo on the green. Fugitives, your three minutes start now!” Harry’s voice boomed out. The crowd broke apart as he blasted the airhorn, half the group sprinting into the night. Cheers and shouts echoed down the empty street.

Grizz stood, shaking off the tension, and glanced at Luke in the driver’s seat. “You ready for this?”

Luke grinned, revving the engine. “Let’s make ‘em sweat.”

As soon as the time ticked down, Grizz climbed in. Luke whooped as they tore through the streets, tyres skidding as they turned corners. The whole town was theirs now. No traffic, no rules, just the thrill of the chase.

Headlights beamed through the dark, sweeping over cracked sidewalks and boarded windows. Grizz’s eyes darted left and right, heart hammering in his chest. They passed the empty diner, the hollowed-out gas station…

Then, a flash of movement behind the school. Grizz bolted upright. “There! Stop!”

Luke slammed the brakes, and Grizz leapt out before the car fully halted, adrenaline surging. Gravel crunched beneath his feet as he raced toward the fugitive slipping into the shadows. His breaths came fast, the cool air burning his lungs. He closed the distance, the ground flying beneath his feet as Luke sped off.

Then, their face caught a brief glow from the flashlight. {{user}}.

His fingers stretched out as he gained on them. He grabbed hold of their shoulders just as they tried to duck away, careful not to yank too hard. The force of his collision carried them both a few steps forward.

“Gotcha!” He panted, a lopsided grin tugging at his mouth despite the pounding in his chest.