Too Early in the Day

When I looked outside my window that morning I saw a man walking down the alleyway. It was strange to see anyone just walking alone. No one spent time along out in the open anymore, it was far too dangerous. It wasn't long until he picked up his step and the snow flung out behind as he began to run. Then I saw what he was running from. Three big young men descended upon him as he slipped while attempting to turn the corner. The first attacker leaped onto him and the impact of his body as it crashed down sent the pair of them sprawling into the brick wall of the alley. The assailant lay still in the snow, his neck contorted such that his head lay twisted under his own body. The victim scrambled to his feet and attempted to make a stand, hemmed into the corner by the two remaining who stood facing him with arms outstretched at their sides.

Having set my morning coffee down I pulled the butt of the rifle tight to my shoulder and lay the sight across the back of the bigger of the two attackers. Should I give away the position of my little hovel in the sky? I wondered. After all, I had a comfortable little bit of shelter here. A pile of old blankets to keep me warm, a hibachi and a few bags of coal to cook with when I was willing to risk the inadvertent smoke signal, and most importantly a fair amount of potable water from the snow drifts from my balcony that I melted in the sun on windowsill in the bedroom. Still, it would be hard to watch a man be beaten to death this early in the morning. For some reason or another I always assumed this sort of thing should only happen in the dark. Would the eat him right there on the spot? I wondered. 

I took a deep breath and my finger tightened on the trigger. I could save him, I thought. All it would take was one well placed shot to kill the big man and then the smaller one might run away. The smaller ones often lost their heart once the big one went down. I peaked around the other side of the balcony and looked around to the streets that were in view to see if any others might be on the prowl that would be able to figure out where I was holed up after I took a shot or two. The streets appeared empty. The man below had his back to the wall across the way and was trying to make threats with something in his hand. A pocket knife maybe. I tucked my cheek to the rifle, let out a big breath and with the crack of the rifle the big man fell sprawling forward and rolled in the snow, staining it red as he clutched at the ground. The smaller hunter's head darted to side from side not knowing where the shot had come from and I suppose wondering if God himself had struck his companion down. He darted off down the alley as I had suspected he might. I took a deep breath. Killing that early in the day felt strange too. The man who had been running had stumbled backward at the sound of my rifle and was leaning against the brick. His eyes met mine and I wondered if I had made a critical mistake.