Stephanie skidded to a stop, barely avoiding running into the wall at the end of the alley. She could hear pounding footsteps as the man from the bar followed her. Quickly, she grabbed an old piece of wood leaning against the side of the alley and waited for him.
He rounded the corner, and slowed. "You bitch," he growled. "Tryin' to make me look like a damn fool."
"Sorry, but that wasn't me. You do that yourself." She only just kept the tremors out of her voice, and raised the stick so it rested on her shoulder like a baseball bat. Unfortunately, she wasn't prepared for the moment when he lunged at her, and the wood was easily knocked out of her grasp. She stumbled back, falling against the wall. His punch came quickly, but she grabbed his wrist and twisted.
Throw your weight into it.
Stephanie did so, and the man's arm twisted behind his back, his elbow cracking. He wrenched his hand away from her, hissing in pain, and threw another punch with his good arm. It hit her square in the jaw, and this time when she hit the wall her head cracked against it.
She fell to the ground, and a sharp kick into her side almost had her scream. Another, and she did. She coughed blood as the beating continued.
A crack, a thud, and it stopped.
Stephanie began to push herself up, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on her back.
"You're injured. I suggest you not strain yourself," said a woman's voice in a tone to match her touch.
Despite the warning, Stephanie sat up slowly, her body painfully protesting every move. The woman sighed and helped her. As soon as Stephanie was upright, she looked past the woman to her assailant. He laid on the ground, unmoving.
"Oh my God," she breathed in shock.
The woman followed her gaze and scoffed. "Don't worry, he's merely unconscious." The disdain in her voice was evident. She pulled out a handkerchief and began to dab at the skin around Stephanie's mouth. "Are you all right?"
Stephanie waved her off. "I'm fine. Ah, thanks."
"That's not necessary. I abhor scum such as him." She tilted her head. "What's your name?"
"Stephanie. Stephanie Rogers." She almost considered lying, but hadn't the woman helped her?
Said woman smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Stephanie, though I would have preferred it under different circumstances. My name is Loki."