The streets were silent, but still, I wrapped my wool coat tightly around my body and quickened my pace. You never knew what kind of creepers hung around these streets. Not that any of your average gang members would stand a chance against me, but still, the eerie shadows cast on the street by the dim, yellow moonlight were giving me the creeps, which I found amusing in a way. When I was first admitted into the Shadow Guardians, I had walked these streets like I owned them. I guess eighteen months on the job could change your opinion.
I heard footsteps reverberate through the empty streets, sending a chill up my spine. My posture stiffened, I nimbly rotated so my anterior was facing the street, and my back pressed firmly against the elevated building, ensuring no sneak attacks. I hid in the shadows.
But it was just a couple, holding hands while walking down the street, apparently oblivious to the neglected state of this part of New York. I felt a pang in my chest, the two reminding me of how lonely I was. I wasn't looking for a lover, but I would like to have someone to talk to occasionally, I don't have any real friends, just associates, nobody I could spill my guts to, or have a meaningful conversation with.
I don't have time for friends, I reminded myself as I turned my back on the loving duo, heading for my crummy apartment and the promise of a warm shower. I smiled to myself, quickening my pace again for a completely different reason.
Almost as soon as my backside was turned, I was on the ground. My hands were protected through my bulky gloves, but my head however, wasn't so lucky. I tasted blood as it smashed into the pavement. My body smeared across the sidewalk.
I was confused, why am I on the ground? My back burned as if it had been savagely beaten. Ouch.
I swiftly rolled on my back, trying to get a glimpse of my attacker. I flinched in pain as I turned my head.
It was the girl, I realized with a start, the girl who had just been half a block away, walking with her boyfriend. He was now jogging to catch up to her.
The girl, who's foot was residing on my stomach, making escape impossible, was petite, only about five foot two (it's hard to tell when I'm on my back though, she's towering over me at the moment) and extremely thin, but still muscular. She had platinum blonde hair, cut and layered at her chin. It looked windblown. She was very pretty. She dressed in worn jeans, torn at the knees, a green polyester shirt with a brown, cotton dress coat. She couldn't be more than eighteen years old.
The boy was more of a man, I realized as he approached her. He was tall and masculine. His auburn hair waved down just past his chin, which was sharp. His eyes were a piercing blue, glinting in the moonlight, I saw anger. He had on jeans and a simple blue sweatshirt.
"Are you sure she's a Shadow Guardian?" He asked in a hushed murmur as he steps into place beside the girl, staring down at me with a mixture of disgust and curiosity.
"Of course I am Paul," she sounded exasperated. "I've been following her all day." Her voice was high and childish. It was filled with revulsion and hate.
They're special, I realized, one of the powers. That's how she got here so fast, that's why they hate me! They know I'm a Shadow Guardian.
I am so screwed.
I need to get help. Now. If I don't, I will most likely die. Surely they'll find some slow method of torture, slaughtering me like a pig, mutilating one body part at a time, slowly, or maybe they'll burn me alive.
They were discussing what they should do now that they've got me, not having thought of the colorful images that had just played across my mind, paying little attention to me, still under the blonde girl's foot, lying on the ground.
I stealthily moved my hand toward my pocket.
The arguing two-some didn't notice as my fingers fumbled through the belongings in my scratchy, worn out pocket. They glided across gum wrappers, loose change, and a toothpick until I reached what I was searching for, the familiar, cool metal, smooth to the touch. I desperately forced down the tiny latch and held down a circular button, my lifeline.
I knew they would come soon, probably with backup, but until then, I was still in danger.
I clutched the handle of my gun.
Just then, the girl noticed the hand in my pocket. Faster than humanly possible, her foot rocketed off my chest and into my arm, making my gun skid across the sidewalk.
That was all I needed.
I quickly grabbed her ankle and twisted, catching her other foot with mine, making her unbalanced. I gave a heave and she fell into the street.
The man, Paul, looked startled before he lumbered towards me. I crouched into a defensive position, scowling.
Paul charged at me. I sidestepped out of his way, and he stumbled foreword. His arms tried to grab my neck, but I ducked. Once he passed me, I twisted, then raised my knee up to my chest and jammed my foot into his back.
He tumbled to the ground, when I felt a weight on my back. The girl was attacking me, pulling out my hair. I yelped in surprise and pain, but quickly recovered. Disoriented, I slammed my back, with her on it, as hard as I could against the building. She let out many 'oof!' like sounds as I repeatedly bashed her against the wall. Eventually, she collapsed to the ground, clutching her head as I saw her hair turn crimson from her head wound. She looked up at me, extremely pissed; her lips were curled into an ugly snarl, like a feral beast. She jumped to her feet.
But it was to late for them, a black, windowless van (imagine the kind of car a serial killer drives around in) and two shiny, dark Mercedes turned the corner, moonlight glinting from the reflection in the windshields, headlights temporarily blinding me.
I let out a relieved whoosh of air, and clutched my stomach where her foot had been. That was going to leave a mark.
Just then, something to my left caught my eye. I looked down and saw Paul; electric sparks emitting from his hands, crawling towards me.
I was paralyzed where I stood, facing my foe. The sparks entranced me. He grabbed my ankle.
Suddenly, an excruciating pain traveled through my body. I didn't know what it felt like to stick a finger in an electric socket, but this must have been a million times worse. I couldn't think, I couldn't breathe. All the air in my body abandoned me by letting out the most frightening, bloodcurdling scream I've ever heard.
Black dots swarmed across my vision as I gasped for air. I fell to my knees, struggling to support my body.
Then it all went black.