From outside the wall, rough voices echoed through the quiet surroundings, mixed with the sound of shoes scraping against gravel and dry leaves crunching under careless steps.
"Where the hell did that rat disappear to?" one boy spat angrily, kicking a loose stone across the ground.
"I swear he ran this way. I literally saw him turn near the back yard," another replied, panting slightly as if he had been searching for quite some time.
A third boy clicked his tongue irritably. "That coward always runs like this. The moment he sees us, he starts shaking and vanishes like a ghost. Acting like he can escape forever."
"Search properly, idiots," a deeper voice spoke, clearly the leader. His tone carried irritation mixed with wounded pride. "That bastard embarrassed me today in front of everyone."
"What are we even going to do if we find him?" one of the boys asked, though the twisted excitement in his voice already revealed his intentions.
