Not Too Fast, Not Too Slow

Lucas walked down the sidewalk, staring at his feet. To any passerby, it would have looked like Lucas was sad, but in truth, Lucas wasn't sad at all. He was nervous. He was positively dreading the moment he stepped through the theatre doors. Therefore, he was staring at his feet to make sure they didn't move too fast. The crisp autumn air whipped his cheeks and blew his dark brown hair everywhere. Lucas pulled his jacket hood farther over his face and pulled his hair away from his glasses which he also pushed farther onto his nose. The cold still stung, but not as much. Lucas looked up just for a moment, and saw the Piermount Theatre looming ahead. Lucas stopped and thought about his cornered position. He had no choice. If he went to the theatre, he would be pounded by Jacob, Andy, and Dave. If he didn't go, he'd be pounded harder. A lady passed Lucas on the right, pushing a stroller that was gently cradling a sleeping child. 'I wish I could just snuggle into that carriage and be taken away from here,' Lucas thought to himself. But that's what a coward would do. Lucas wasn't a coward. No. Lucas was a coward, and telling himself otherwise would just make him do something he could never do. Lucas looked up. Without knowing it, he had walked past the theatre. Lucas spun around and walked back to the doors. 'Here goes,' He thought, and stepped into the dim lobby of the Piermount. A bulb flickered above. Two dead ficus trees sat on either side of the entrance to the main room. Lucas pushed through these doors too. The stage stood in front of him. Lucas walked down the long aisle of seats, that were all empty. When Lucas got to the end of the row, he jumped up onto the stage, knocking off his glasses as he did so. He shoved them up onto the bridge of his nose. He stood up and turned around to face the audience.
"Hello, Lucas Pukeas."
Lucas stared into the three malicious faces of Jacob, Andy, and Dave.