The ship had thankfully stopped rolling under my feet. The storm must have passed while Omar sewed up this wound on my shoulder. Air blew out through clenched teeth.

Does nothing want to work out in my life? Can't I get a break for once in my sad, pathetic life? No of course not!

I stopped when the hall split. I glanced left and right, but I wasn't sure which way to go.

Groaning, I turned to face Tom. "Which way to the top?"

He gave me a sympathetic smile. "'Ere, I'll lead." He slipped ahead of me and turned right.

I trotted after him until we reached the stairs.

He turned and glanced at me as he began to climb up. "Right up these steps. The storm should be passed by now."

I muttered, "I do hope so. I don't think I could take a wet head with a damaged shoulder. It'd really put a damper on things."

Tom snorted with laughter as he reached the top of the steps. "Well, glad to see ya somewhat back to your old self."

I shook my head as I reached his side. "No, Tom. I'll never be my old self." My eyes darkened and my voice lowered to a growl. "I will never be my old self. I refuse to let that animal show her face ever again."

The smile faded fast from Tom's face. "Animal?" he asked, worry in his tone. He turned to look at me, hand resting on the door handle.

I looked up at him without raising my head. "Tom, there's a reason I stay skittish and avoid confrontation. I'm a savage animal when I fight. I'm known not to use…" I searched for the word. "Conventional fighting techniques." A frown dug deep into the corners of my mouth. "At least, that's what I've been told."

"Ya mean ya don't know?" he asked, bewildered.

I raised my chin as I stared into his eyes. "No. I don't."

Tom blinked, frowning. "But… how do ya not-"

I held up a hand, my right. "I'll tell you. But, outside."

Tom hesitated, looking like he wanted an answer before we did anything else, but he relented and opened the door.

The heavy smell of rain washed over me and I suppressed a shiver at the cold sea breeze that swept into the door.

Tom stepped out first, leaving me to follow.

He led me across the deck to the very tip of the bow. Leaning back against the rail on his elbows, he looked over at me. "What did ya mean ya didn't know what ya used to fight?"

I sighed and leaned against the rail as well, facing forward. "Simple. I have something wrong with me that causes me to… black out, for lack of a better word. My vision goes dark, but I still can move, talk, and fight. I just don't remember anything."

Tom gulped. "That sounds… scary."

I snorted with sarcastic laughter. "Oh, it is. I always worry when my vision goes dark. What's gonna happen? What will I do?" I paused, taking a deep breath. "Will I almost kill someone… again?"

Tom was off the rail in an instant. "Ya… ya almost killed someone?"

I grinned tiredly at him. "I have more in common with Allan than it seems at first glance. We're both killers."

Tom blinked. "Why do ya black out? I've never heard of somethin' like that happenin'…"

That's because most are in prison. But here I am, working for the law. Well, not any more I guess. No more amnesty for me.

I shook my head and sighed. "I don't know what causes it, or how it started, but I do know when it first began."

"Get that brat over here!"

"C'mon, can't we have one go with 'er? She's mighty perdy…"

"Orders are orders. However, a small taste won't hurt…"

"Get away from me! I'm serious! Take one more step and I'll-"

"What happened?"

I jerked out of the memories, eyes wide. "Huh?!"

Tom pushed himself off the rail and faced me, hands held with palms towards me. "Easy, Shadow. Are ya alright?"

I placed a hand over my chest. I could feel my heart pounding away. It wanted out. I took a deep breath to calm myself. "Y-Yeah. It's just. It wasn't a pleasant power-up, as I call it."

Tom blinked. "Er… what exactly-"

"I was gonna be sold, Tom."

The man's jaw hung slack, his eyes widening with horror.

I nodded. "Yep. See, I was easy prey. Orphan girl running the streets. A hungry one too. Hunger is a powerful motivator. They lured me into a trap and things quickly went downhill from there."

I shuddered. "One day, they were transporting me to another location when the employees, if such low life call be called such, decided they wanted to try me out." My words grew sharper with each breath. Now my teeth bared as I spoke and a low growl rumbled in my throat. "Well, couldn't let that happen. Instinct took over after months of being repressed out of fear. It was safer to bury the fight. They were nicer if you behaved. But these two…"

To Tom's surprise, a low hiss escaped my teeth.

"They were the worst of the," I paused, unable to put all my hatred into the word. "Company. I'd had it. When they tried to come near me, the instinct I had kept buried broke free like tiger than snapped its chain. All the anger, all the rage, all the fear, it just exploded."

Burning hot rage seared my body, from the marrow within my bones to the tips of my hair. I could have sworn I heard a crack. There was fear, yes, but I had no urge to cower.

There was only once voice in my head.

A single word.

Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill.

It got louder.

Kill them! Kill them all! No survivors! Destroy them! What are you waiting for? Kill them!

My vision wavered, darkness beginning to creep from the sides. My vision may have been going dark, but the white-hot flames only grew stronger and brighter. In the middle of the creeping blackness, my targets.

Kill. Kill. Kill.

My fists clenched and a snarl curled my lip.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

"This ends here," I growled at the two men in front of me.

When they laughed at me, their mocking laughs only agitated the voice further.

KILL! KILL! KILL!

I bunched my muscles as the last of my vision went dark. "With pleasure."

"Shadow? Shadow!" Tom shook my good shoulder.

I looked up at him, eyes dark.

His voice was hardly above a whisper. "What did ya do to 'em?"

My voice was a savage, emotionless snarl. "I killed them."

All in one go. It's 12:30 AM.

I want sleep. BUT NOOOOO.
THE PLOT IDEAS JUST HAVE TO BOUNCE AROUND LIKE CAFFINATED GRASSHOPPERS.

Either way, have a new bloody chapter. Getting to the end.

No, Shadow is not supernaturally possessed. She just blacks out when angry and may have a disorder where another person is in her head due to trauma. Yes, it can happen in real life.
But hopefully not with this outcome.