Blog 6: The Crime

Hours later, Spring had yet to return to her car. She had spent the majority of the day wandering around Poplar Avenue, save for when she slipped into the small café to waste a few hours.

She was getting tired of the same buildings, faceless windows, and cracks in the sidewalk. She was even beginning to become familiar with a smear of old gum on the curb that she had passed at least a dozen times. Time to make a detour.

Halfway down Poplar, as dusk was settling over the street, Spring made the turn onto H. Street. A rush of adrenaline went through her, as this was the "riskiest" and most interesting decision she'd made all day.

There wasn't much on H. Street, either. A gaggle of petite, blond teenagers crowded outside the now-restored Forever XXI for some sale. The manager of the cheap shoe store next door was attempting to coax some of them into his shop, without much luck.

Across the street stood the old Sawmill Theater. For the first time, Spring really looked at the abandoned building. She had lived in Cityblock her whole life, but she never remembered the theater being open. It was if it had always been closed, yet never purchased, renovated, or torn down.

With a sudden wave of curiosity and spontaneity, Spring curved right and walked closer to the run-down theater. She shook the doorhandles, but they were locked. So were the windows.

Spring ambled around the side of the building, finding a staircase leading to a door that apparently opened onto the second floor.

Thinking it she may have luck opening it, she climbed the stairs to the door. She turned the handle. No suck luck.

At that moment, Spring heard a woman's shouts and frantic footsteps. Leaning over the railing, Spring looked down to see an extremely pregnant woman sprawled out on the sidewalk, the contents of her purse and the grocery bags she was carrying spread around her. Just yards away, a figure was sprinting around the side of the theater and around the large shed behind it.

Spring opened her mouth, finding her voice catching in her throat.

"H-h.... Hey! HEY!" she finally got out. "Stop! Hey!"

Spring sprinted down the steps to the woman still on the sidewalk, clutching at her bulging stomach and sobbing.

"Ma'am! Ma'am, are you alright?" Spring nearly shouted.

The woman's words were hard to make out between sobs. "I-I don't know. M-my-my baby! Pl-please help me."

With trembling hands, Spring dialed 911 into her phone.