Hope you don't mind me submitting more than one....I really hated my other other story (have come close to deleting the darn thing since I can't edit on the forum). I don't know that this is an improvement. I started writing it on the bus last night and didn't realize until this morning what it was about. I think it fits the Halloween theme. 9/12/02 The Scavengers 453 words The alleyway was slightly lit by lights from the windows and the one unbroken bulb above a doorway. Kat flicked on her flashlight and startled a rat into jumping off the body and scampering behind a trashcan. Nathan walked over to man and knelt down. He pressed his fingers against the exposed throat. Dead. Kat moved the beam of her flashlight to the mans face and flicked her cigarette over the body. Ashes to ashes. She yawned. Check the pockets. Nathan rifled through the jacket and pockets. No wallet. Figures. Kat dropped the cigarette and smashed it with her booted foot. She bent over and pulled the mans hands free from underneath his body and pushed up the sleeves of his jacket. No watch. No rings. Pretty selfish to take whats due us. She straightened, stretching back You think he knew?" Knew what? That he was going to die. I think his mind was on unzipping his pants. Twenty cents in his pockets. Something is better than nothing. Time to strip him down. We dont have all night. Chloe Rose is going to be making her next stop soon. We dont want to get there late again. Maybe she took the money. When did you ever know Chloe Rose to be interested in money? Its Pauley or one of his kind thats picked up on her game. Wait till I catch up with them. They wont make that mistake again. She sure empties them out. No blood in this guy at all. I guess she gets real thirsty. Come on, lets get going. Nathan removed the clothing which Kat pushed roughly into a plastic bag. Something fell from his shoe. Whats that? Kat examined the bill. Twenty dollars. Mad money. Maybe we should cover him up. I dont think it matters to him. Nathan pulled some newspapers over the mans body. Modest, arent you? He just looks kind of cold. Kat laughed. He is cold. Hes dead. She focused her flashlights beam into Nathans eyes. Quit that. I know hes dead. Nathans face darkened with color. Doesnt hurt to have some respect. Kat shrugged. I dont think it matters to him anymore. Anything else? She moved the light back and forth. Nathan looked around and shook his head. I dont think so. Kat handed him the bag, which he pulled closed and tied. Lets get out of here. I hate the smell of garbage." As they left, the rat came out slowly from its hiding place. It perched back on its hind legs. Whiskers moved back and forth as it sniffed the air and assured itself that it was alone again. Then it dove beneath the newspapers to finish its nights work.