"Oh, what I wouldn't give for this day to just [i]end...[/i]" Rick thought to himself, trying not to breathe through his nose. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he tried to retrace his ste(p)s, figure out how he got here.

It h(a)d been a day like most others- he did his level-headed best to not draw attention to himself, but, eventually, his tormenters must have gotten bored, because they came looking for him.

Must have ha(d) a plan, too! That, or they actually started paying attention to his escape routes (god knows they've seen as much of this city chasing him as he had running through it). He could think fast, but apparently they learned to [i]surround[/i] him rather than just [i]corner[/i] him. At least in a corner, with his back to a wall, he ha(d) somewhere to climb.

He kept turn(i)ng corners, hoping to find an ope(n)ing while their eyes weren't on him, but they had extra help this time, and they were closing in...

Before yet another pursuer could jump from around a corner, his quick thinkin(g) was turning to panic, and he seized on one possibility to stay out of sight, and wait for them to give up-

"-And now, I'm in a dumpster..." He muttered to h(i)mself.

He heard breathles(s), angry voices outside, now. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but it was definitely [i]them[/i]. Sheesh, is there some kind of event, today? Did they chug a few energy drinks (b)eforehand?

As if things couldn't get any worse- his phone loudly pinged with (a) notification.

The voices went quiet as he pulle(d) out his phone, trying to silence it. 

"...Haha, hahahaha, well-well-well, looky here, boys! The trash took itself out!" Maybe if he was quiet, they (w)ould leave it at that?

Or, maybe it was just getting sta(r)ted, as he heard what must have been zip ties- "Oh no, don't tell me..." A loud thump- one of them had cl(i)mbed atop the lid.

"Oh, please, not that-" He was still fumbling, but something awful had spilled on his hands, so the message was opened instead of dismissed, and buttons were pressing that he didn't mean (t)o-

"DUMPSTER DEMOLITION DURBY!!!" R(i)ck felt the container begin to move- they were shoving it around on it's wheels, jumping as it rolled over obstacles, crashing into various barriers and walls, all the while tossi(n)g him around like a marble in a spray can!

He did his best to not lose hold of his phone, and since he never read the messa(g)e, he didn't know what was happening when an unnaturally bright light emitted from it.

He lost the sense of motion(,) and everything became the bright white light. Soon, though, he realized the light had faded, and became a bright white room, carved from stone.

He just looke(d) miserable as he turned his head, and saw s(o)me other people were there with him. Aware he still probably looked like he'd bee(n) rolled in a dumpster, he pre-empted any questions, "... Don't ask."

With a heavy sigh, he shakily got to his feet, "I(')ve read enough manga- those jerks accidentally rolled my in front of a truck, or something, righ(t)? So, I must be dead? Or in a coma?"