5 Minute Freewrite - Prompt: Artichoke

The officers gave chase through the market, whistles blowing, following the culprit, but he was gaining speed.

Passers by were moving out of the way and ducking under fruit stalls and stands.

But not Mike. He watched the chase with fascination. The culprit wasn't just running away, he was darting in and out of the stalls, grabbing items here and there.

It was puzzling, and Mike loved puzzles. Why would he risk being caught? He could have taken an item and easily outpaced his pursuers, but instead he was zig zagging through the market, grabbing items.

Mike focused on the stalls that the culprit was darting into, there was nothing remarkable. They were all vegetable stalls.

Next, he tried to see what objects the culprit was picking up, and it was indeed an armful of vegetables. Maybe the dolt is making a salad?

The most likely scenario, Mike figured, was that he simply enjoyed the thrill of the chase and he was killing two birds with one stone and picking up lunch while satisfying some twisted desire to be pursued.

Mike discarded the puzzle and moved on to a new one. He reviewed the stalls that had been visited, considered the proximity of the ones he could visit, made his selection and headed towards one.

The culprit continued to zig zag through the market, hopping over carts and snatching items here and there.

Mike picked up a broom, and crouched by a cart of artichokes, and waited.

He counted to seven, and then extended the broom at ankle height.

The culprit, tripped and slammed into a cart of fruit, and stumbled back into the artichokes, sending one tumbling over the edge.

Mike absent-mindedly picked one up while getting back to his feet. He dusted off his slacks and continued on his way out of the market as the police apprehended the culprit.

It wasn't until he was rounding the corner of the market that he remembered the small vegetable in his hand. He had forgotten to pay for it, so he resolved to go back tomorrow and pay, and maybe there would be a new puzzle.