Mango
by Shannon

(200 words)

I never would have noticed them if I hadn't tripped over his body in the hall.  I came face to feet with them as I, too, hit the ground, half on top of him.  And it struck me that, perhaps for no other reason, I had to get him out of there.  I had to save him.  Because I couldn't stand not to know why Krycek's shoelaces were orange.

It consumed me as I flung his bleeding body over my shoulder and lugged him out of the building.  Even the fireball behind me as I stuffed Krycek into the backseat of my car couldn't distract my thoughts.  His feet filled my mind.  Bright, neon orange shoelaces double-knotted in meticulous bows.

I drove home, barely able to keep from running red lights.  I spied him in the rearview mirror, his feet splayed wide.  He stirred.  I caught my breath.  His feet pulled in, tucked away from my view, and I looked back to the road.

It was the color of children playing, of laughing, Halloween, basketball...  I glanced again at Krycek in my backseat...swallowed hard.  The color of ripe mangoes pulled at my tongue, and I stepped harder on the gas.

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