“Run!” A voice called out. My mind was completely unaware of my surroundings, as I kept staring straight ahead and my feet were still. I felt as though the cruel and cold wind had blocked my ears. Nothing made sense to me at that moment.
“Run Andy!” A shiver ran down my spine as I looked at my best friend, who had tears in his eyes and a knife pressed harshly against his neck.

“Please. . .” He whispered.
“You better do what he says, boy!” A group of teenagers laughed. But I stood where I was, not knowing what to do next.
“I-” I choked out, snapping back to reality.
“I can’t leave you here. . ." I whispered, well aware of the fact that he didn’t hear me. “I can’t leave you here, Nolan!” And with that sentence, I cried. The teenagers jeered at this.

“I have nothing to live for, Andy!” Nolan yelled when all was quiet. “My parents are dead! I have nothing to do with my life! Just go! Please! Don’t stay!” Nolan yelled back while sobbing his heart out.
“You have me! You can’t leave me!” I responded back quickly.

Nolan stopped struggling and stared straight back at me with eyes that were filled with pain, grief and sorrow. He kept staring at me with a look I had never seen before. As if he was saying, ‘It’s too late.’

The teenager who had the knife in his hand slowly tightened his grip.

“Do it.” The other one said while laughing. “Do it, Dalton!” The same teenager encouraged the one with the knife.

Dalton relaxed his shaking hands and tightened his grip on the knife once more. I looked at Nolan and shook my head while crying. He looked at me with his teary eyes, and smiled.

“Run.” Nolan said. And that was the last thing I remembered before I ran. I ran as fast as I could, scared to death. But it wasn’t me who was facing death right now. It was too late and there was nothing a nine-year old could do back there. I ran so fast until I reached the nearby alleyway. I leaned my back against the cold wall, and covered my mouth and cried. I cried and I cried. I felt like I was the one who was stabbed. I never felt like this. Never. This feeling was so foreign to me.

Soon enough, I heard familiar voices and laughs close by, I hid in the shadows, so afraid to come out. But I caught a glimpse of something in the moonlight. A knife, with blood dripping from it as if it were tear drops. And at that moment, a question hit me like an arrow:

Why did I run away?