XIX.
COME AS YOU ARE
No bullets. That was a huge issue, a very complicated and serious issue for her to unexpectedly have. How was she meant to carry out her bloody tasks with an empty gun? She just had to go completely overkill the previous night didn't she? All she now had at her disposal was this nice looking hunting knife. It shouldn't be that hard to wield a blade, anybody can stab after all, the most ancient way to fight, defend and overall kill until gunpowder was invented. Still...she would have to get up close to her targets to land a killing blow and that was a huge risk on it's own.
Lyra sat on the dinner table, drink in hand, overlooking the two weapons she had laid out on the table. She was wondering what to do and how to proceed.
She'll use the knife whenever it was required of course, but she can't rely too much on it, it's the 21st century, automatic weapons are supreme. Some moron with a gun can shoot her dead quicker than she could possibly stab their neck, just as she had done to her first victim. For now she would carefully pick her targets, the weak and defenseless ones and force them to confess any valuable information that can get her closer to Lemy's killers. If they fight back, slit their throats, but if they overpower her?
"This is more complex than I thought." Lyra spoke to herself, "I should have paid more attention to dad's Ace Savvy comics to get a better gist of this."
Of course Ace Savvy is a happy go lucky crime fighter with superpowers that smiles as he sends criminals to prison all the time. Lyra on the other hand is only an ordinary teenager out for blood, not the best comparison at all. This was the realm of reality, life or death, not a stupid comic book in which the hero always prevailed and lived to see another day, all because some freelance writer getting paid 50k a year wrote it so. She was ready to take the law into her own hands, but one mistake and she'll be the next one in the family to be buried. She needed to be prepared, organized and above all, fully capable with her own abilities.
She was gifted with a healthy, well fit physical body, but her athleticism and raw strength wasn't as impressive as Lacy and Lynn's. Her detective skills were a joke in comparison to Liby. All her life she's only been the girl that prays to God and focused on her music. A plus side however was Lyra's stubbornness, a trait that he and Lemy had always shared and inherited from their mother. Doesn't matter what was thrown at her she wouldn't stop until she fully mastered it. She had the willpower, now, she needed to acquire the tools.
Starring at one of the casings, She pondered, "Are there any gun stores around here? Royal Woods isn't that big of a town to have one right?"
She needed to restock and then perhaps, most importantly, practice on her marksman skills. Yes, she already has two kills to her name, but both where at very close range, an easy shot that anybody else could have also made. Next, time she might have to aim from afar and her next target might either be standing still or moving about. Lyra needed to test herself before traveling any further into the valley of shadows.
"Let's see... nothing here, pawnshops maybe?" Lyra searched for any stores that would sell firearms and ammunition on her phone.
"No, it needs to be a legit gun shop, to find the right ammo." She opened a new tab and tried a different method.
Before she even began, she decided to enter incognito mode on her phone. Now that she was a killer, her paranoia was reasonable enough to warrant such behavior. She typed the caliber of her handgun, .357 ammo, and added, for sale nearby. Her results came into view and she read them all.
"For fucks sake, they're all in Detroit!"
Annoyed Lyra checked them all out, quickly zooming in on the closest one to her. It was located just on the edge of the city and from the description it also included a huge outdoor gun range. Made sense why such a large facility would be located outside the city limits.
"Maverick: Shop and Gun Range." Lyra read it out, "It's only eighteen miles away from Royal Woods. No car, guess I gotta take the bus then."
Just then the front door was opened, Lyra immediately grabbed both items and shoved them inside her satchel. Panther followed by Terry and Sonette came into view as Lyra flashed a quick smile at her friends. She placed one hand on the satchel, trying to shut the button in. She felt uneasy having her murder weapons which she happily intended to use again in the same room as the people she liked and trusted, talk about anxiety.
"Hey girl, what's you up to?" Terry greeted her.
"Oh not much at all, just bored, nothing special running through my mind." Lyra smiled back as her friends approached her.
"Anata ni aitakatta Lyra sensei!" Sonette happily hugged Lyra, who gladly returned the favor, her mind still on her satchel.
"Yeah... whatever she said." Terry said back.
All four girls sat down on the couch together, it was going to be a movie night marathon. Panther wanted Lyra to slowly come back from her trauma and make amends with her family, getting her to relieve the good ol days was a valid and simple start. She had spoken to the other two about it and they all agreed to help out their friend. Lyra has already suffered enough and it hurt Panther to see her good hearted friend bury herself deeper and deeper into a grave of misery. She wasn't going to take professional counseling anytime soon, so it was up to the people around her to pull her out of said depression.
"Before you even ask, no alcohol in this house, understand?" Panther glared at Terry, who sat on the edge of the couch.
"Why you looking at me for?" Terry raised her eyebrow at her.
"I ain't gonna drag your drunk ass back home and you won't temp Lyra any further with a can of beer." Panther clarified her reasons.
"Still can't believe you gave in to the drink." She added.
Lyra held a hand to the side of her face, slightly looking away from her. Yeah, that night was a mistake, but one she was eventually not sorry for. She had felt free during those few hours, ignoring or simply forgetting it all. But now the only thing that could truly ease her pain was the death of her brother's killers, but even then, would it truly go away?
Her friends being here was a huge distraction from her current objective, she needed to prepare and organize herself. She would rather be alone, focusing on her investigation. Every second of each minute of every hour was valuable time being wasted away. Lyra understood what they were attempting, she didn't fault them at all, but at the same time she would rather them all leave her be. Not wanting to be anymore of a massive asshole, she played along and satisfied them to their hollow scenario.
"Hey Lyra, guess who Panther's having a blind date with this weekend?" Terry gave a devilish grin to the girl.
Panther's cheeks blushed as she began to scold her, "Enough with the gossip damn it! It's just a simply meet and greet is all."
"Oh that's what you are calling it?"
"Kyaa! Onee-san is gonna see a boy?"
It was now Panther's turn to feel the embarrassment. Lyra didn't tease her however, with a soft smile she mentally congratulated her on finding someone, even if it was just a first date. Yet somehow she had this feeling that her and Toby were a perfect match, may their first date become just that, the first of many more to come. She hoped that Panther and all her friends found their special someone and that they carried on that relationship, unlike hers, which had been cruelly ripped away.
Her smile remained, yet in her eyes her true emotions were prevalent. She was dead inside.
Lupa felt nothing.
Previous times she would feel the same for the many actions she had personally committed against her family members. She was tough girl, nothing fazed her, everything always worked out for her, nobody could ever get the drop on her.
Then he died.
Then it all changed. Her impenetrable heart, had been pierced right through, and all the emotions she boasted to not posses or easily control, it went straight out of control.
Her life became the embodiment of pain.
Sitting alone in her room, nobody around to intrude or disturb her, Lupa sulked in silence. Many thoughts swirled around her head, all the painful ones kept claiming center stage for her to relieve. How was it possible for her too suddenly feel so much? Every night when she closed her eyes all she saw was his body, all she saw was that man's sinister face, all she would ever see was the hatred that Lyra now had for her.
She hated her, furious for the words her own sister had spewed at her, but what nobody else knew, in reality, Lupa really hated herself much more.
Finishing her cigarette, Lupa threw away the bud and reached for another, twelve one in a row. They would complain about the smell and she would ignore them. The one thing that still remained the same about her life. Everything else, all she was and deeply cared for, had been violently eradicated from her heart.
Silent for many hours now, Lupa's only words came from her own mind. They kept repeating the same sentence after every cruel memory took turns around her brain, "Why?"
Why him? Why her? Why did it he not stay quiet? Why did she run away? Why did she force him to take her out that night?
"He would still be alive if it weren't for you.' The voice in her head so coldly said.
Gritting her teeth, she crushed her cigarette in hand, ignoring the slight burn it gave her in return. Unable to think of anything else, her mind went blank, all access restricted, all possible thoughts locked away from reaching the surface. A mild headache grew as sweat slowly came to be on her face and hands. She felt so alone. Even if the rest of the family wanted to heal her pain with love and care it all remained useless, she would never forgive herself. Despite the fact that she apologized for her words, Lupa knew that deep down Lyra blamed her and would never forgive her.
That's what was hurting her the most.
If only she hadn't grown up such a cynic, maybe she could find some peace, but seeing her sister, the most viewed role model in the entire family completely lose her morality, it only made Lupa believe stronger that there is no God. If he did exist, then He must be disgusted with this particular family and was now gleefully punishing them all, most especially her of them all.
"Why?" Lupa whispered to herself.
Curling up in her bed, the silence was her only companion. The hurt in her eyes never left, it only got stronger as small watery tears were released. All alone in a room, alone with her misery, alone with her guilt. All she had left of him we're the memories. Lupa wanted nothing more than to see her brother again. Only then would her young heart cease to bleed, but such a wish was only a fruitless dream. A dream that she would try to have as her body relaxed and her mind slumbered away. Only in her dreams could the young girl find peace, unless the nightmares took over again.
Once Panther took off for work the next day, Lyra grabbed a black leather jacket and her satchel which she would now start carrying everywhere and headed out for the nearest bus stop.
On the ride to Detroit she kept on wandering about how she would even be able to buy anything. She wasn't that aware to her state's gun laws. She illegal possessed one, that much was fact, she was also a killer, also a fact.
Not that many people on the bus she was riding, just less than ten to be exact. All spread out, herself sitting in the very back. Good vantage point, she has everyone in her view and no way to blind side her. Yeah, her paranoia was getting to her again, but that's how it was going to be from now on, always looking over her shoulder. She was just as much a criminal as the ones she now hunted, but her heart was in the right place. Lyra was not interested in becoming a career criminal, she only wanted to commit one crime; the biggest felony of them all.
Soon enough the Motor City came into view as the highway Lyra rode on brought her closer. The would be her second time ever visiting Detroit, the first one was a junior field trip to the university. This time however she would have free reign to explore as she pleased, searching for tools that would aid her in the hunt.
Arriving at the bus station, Lyra alongside the other passengers disembarked and would now proceeded to head on foot. Checking her phone she still had a way to go. She noticed an ATM nearby and approached it, she would need cash for a taxi fare. Naturally, Lyra was hesitant on using her debit card on the machine, it would go registered on the bank's database that she had been to Detroit. It's not like she was a suspect, the news had reported both her kills, but they were both ongoing investigations. They couldn't know it was her, could they? Regardless she was short on cash and more importantly she did not want to use her card whatsoever at the actual gun shop. They probably wouldn't let her buy anything, but regardless she still wanted to be cash ready for anything.
After a few seconds of thinking, she pulled out her debit card and got her cash out, $100 to be precise. She had more than that, but she would probably need it for another occasion.
Hailing cab driver, she was driven to her destination. The Maverick gun shop as it was called, on the outskirts of town, next to a long road leading out and to Detroit.
The bell on top of the door jingled as a new customer entered. But unlike most of the regulars, this one was by all means, a fish out of its element. Curious eyes, timid approach, clothes fit for a night out on the weekend, yeah, this young girl was stuck out like a sire thumb.
Regardless she was here for a reason and he would assist her, whatever her needs may be. She walked around the counters, ignoring him upfront. She analyzed everything she laid her eyes upon, getting a feel of the place, see if it was worth her time. Most of his regulars present eyed her with mild curiosity, but quickly returned to their own needs. He's had many people from many walks of life come through that door, be it right wing fanatics, doomsday preppers, morons with a mile long rap sheet and his favorite of them all; Bigfoot hunters. But that girl in front of him, was just too unique and odd to ever be found in a place like this.
Lyra eyed each weapon on display, they were each the same, yet differently at the same time. Rifles, shotguns and handguns all on display behind the glass counters that kept them away at a safe distance from grabby hands. She had never seen so many guns in one spot, in fact she'd never seen this many guns in her life. It sounded ridiculous to say out loud, but she felt like a small child in a toy store, she was eager to try them all, give them all a shot. She was already imagining herself holding one of these many bad boys and using it at full capacity against her enemies.
"Hello there ma'am, how may I be of service today?"
Her imagination was snapped away at the sound of the rugged voice next to her. Whipping her head to the left, she saw a man behind the counter, patiently waiting for a response. He had a short grey beard and moustache with short black hair, the sides already greying as well. Just by his face, he was an old man, if she had to guess, he was likely past the age of 60. Other than that he was a tall man probably a few inches taller than her dad, who was six feet on his own. He spoke with a spanish accent, she wasn't going to guess what nationality, that would be stereotypical of her. Other than that he was a big feller, for his age, probably a former soldier. Regardless of his appearance he still waited patiently for her to say something.
"I...I was looking around and, uh, that's a... lot of weapons here." Lyra mentally slapped herself.
"Yes ma'am, this is quite the collection." He chuckled, she was a lost puppy indeed, "The only thing I'm not allowed to sell unfortunately would be Grade A military weaponry. Gosh, how I would love to hold a rocket launcher one more time."
"...that would be something." Lyra said.
"So, anything that interests you?"
Lyra had to be careful how to word her sentences now. She didn't want to sound suspicions as hell to this gun salesman. Maybe some simple questions could do the trick, get the conversation flowing until it felt natural and he would have no doubt in mind.
"I was wondering, uh, do you sell...revolver ammo?" Lyra asked.
"Of course, and umm, what caliber you searching for?" The owner asked back.
"It's uh, .357 ammo."
"That's some firepower there." He whistled.
"It is..." Lyra admitted, remembering the results.
He eyed her carefully, searching for any signs of confusion or agitation. A girl like her asking for this specific type of ammo, was as odd as it could get. His job was to sell, not be interrogating his clients, but he did need to understand her intentions regardless. He played along and got one of the ammo boxes from behind the counter. Placing it on the counter he opened up one and pulled out a single bullet for her to see.
"Is this about right to you?"
"It fits." Lyra approved, recognizing the bullet.
"Well this box right here contains 25 rounds total and to top it off these right here as you can see from the top." He showed her the top of the main bullet, which was flat and sunken in, "These are hollow point, much more deadly than regular bullets. Double the damage and triple the pain if the animal or person survives the initial shot."
"That's...overkill." Lyra said.
The owner smiled back at her astonishment, "Humans are always finding new ways to kill each other. All that intellectual creativity and we use it to invent weapons that can out class those of our rivals and enemies instead."
"If they can protect the ones we love, then why deny it?" Lyra asked him.
He didn't expect her to understand, she's still young and just a civilian after all, "Guess at this point it's pointless to stop."
"So...how much?" He raised his eyebrow.
"For one box it's $59.99." He noticed the subtle change of expression on her face, it had been quick, almost a second, but these old military eyes had yet to fail him.
"Before we proceed any further, I must ask, can you provide me with some identification?"
He saw it again, the hesitation was much more visible this time as she reached into her satchel and gingerly shifted her hand inside it. She could just place it on the counter and use both hands to grab her card much quicker, instead she kept it slinged on her shoulder, close to her. Finally grabbing her driver's license, she presented it to the shop owner who eyed it, carefully. Lyra was starting to feel the tension rise, maybe it was all in her head, but after everything she's done why wouldn't she feel worried.
"Lyra Loud? Royal Woods?" He read out her information, but it also sounded like a question as well.
"Yeah. That's me."
He looked up at her, a blank face as she gave out a forced smile in return. He kept analyze the card, probably double checking everything printed on it. He got quiet, a sudden silence from him, the only sound coming from the soft music playing on the speaker and the other clients chatting by the door. Lyra was now getting worried, had she said something, or was it a face she made? Could it be that he recognized her from somewhere, because she could swear never having met him before. Unless...
"I do apologise Miss Loud, but you have to be of 18 years of age to purchase ammunition. 21 to purchase a handgun too." He spoke up, handing her the driver's license back, "You can still buy this box of .357 ammo, but you would need to have an adult guardian to supervise the purchase."
Lyra didn't mean to be so obvious, but at that moment she couldn't help herself but to slump her shoulders down in defeat. She had traveled all the way here to be told that she was a year short? Why didn't she just search the age requirements for gun owners damn it? She felt so stupid, overlooking such a small and simple task. Now she had too awkwardly walk away from here. How was she, better question; where was she going to find ammo she needed now? Was there even anyone that she trusted to accompany her back here? She had nobody, they would all freak out and start demanding answers from her. Fucking hell, she had no idea what to do now.
What a shit start.
"Oh, uh, well...thank you for your time."
He simply nodded back at her. Just as she turned back around to walk out, her heart froze up. In front of her outside the the window she saw two men exit their vehicle. She recognized them both on sight, the detectives in charge of Lemy's case. They would surely recognize her on sight. Panicking she had no where else to go, she couldn't run to the back, she'll get stopped immediately. If she called a cab, it would take time to arrive, so she also couldn't be standing outside in the open either.
The front door jingled and both men entered. Lyra immediately turned her back to them and pretended to read a catalog on the counter. The owner had witnessed this sudden unnerved behavior from the girl, as the two detectives approached him.
"Hello there. I'm Detective Gibson this is my partner Detective Kellerman. Can we ask you a few questions?"
"Of course sir."
"We're wondering if your business has sold or reported stolen any .357 magnum revolver ammunition as of late? The weapon in question is part of an ongoing criminal investigation in the town of Royal Woods." Gibson told the man.
Lyra tensed up hearing all that. She was starting to freak out and it was getting bad. She slowly glanced over at the three men, hoping she hadn't just been singled out. From the corner of her eye she saw the owner give out a surprise look at their words. As both detectives looked around, he looked back at her. The eye contact sent an electric shock across her body.
It was over. They caught her. She failed.
"I haven't sold any of that ammo today detectives. It's been a while, might need to open up the computer and check the spreadsheets." He calmly replied back as he welcomed them both to his office down ahead, he glanced at her one last time before disappearing behind the wall.
Lyra was absolutely stunned.
Did that really just happen? Either way she needed to get out, he had granted her an open window. She did not understand why and would be upset that she wouldn't be able to thank him, but right now she needed to flee. Exiting the store, she needed a place to lie low. Remembering the gas station she had passed by, she took off for that direction. It was close by, she could wait out her taxi there.
It was 12:25 PM. She made it back to the bus station. Still confused about the whole ordeal, she tried to piece it together, why had he covered for her? To be completed honest, he should have done the right thing and pointed his finger directly at her face. Lyra didn't understand his logic, why would a licensed gun dealer, protect a homicide suspect? It was too much for her, racking her brain any further would allow a headache to come aboard.
Checking the route schedule, the bus back home would arrive in an hour. For now she would just sit down and breath. Or better, she got back up and walked to a vending machine, she was thirsty. Grabbing her money she had forgotten that it was all in $20 bills, sadly the machine wouldn't accept that amount.
Putting the money away, the unexpected happened to her.
As quick as it was, her entire satchel had been snatched away from her. Dumbfounded she quickly zoomed in on the small kid who was currently running away with her stuff and by stuff she meant her gun, knife and money of course.
"What the fu-, You little shit, get back here!"
Lyra gave chase not wanting to lose all her equipment to some juvenile thief. He ran out the station, across the street and down an alleyway with Lyra right behind him. Entering the alley, she spotted him already across the other side, running to a new street. Almost getting hit again, Lyra managed to successfully cross a busy street this time around. She would only break eye contact from the thief to ensure that she wasn't bumping into any obstacles, both man made or people themselves. That immediately flew out the window when the kid ran through one of those side walk restaurants with serving tables in the outside.
Careless as possible he sprinted right through the group of waiters and patrons, causing more than a few accidents. Lyra nearly tripped on a helpless server who had unfortunately been shoved to the floor by the brat. No time to apologise she regained her footing and ran over the mess he had left behind. He was now quite ahead of her. Reaching a street corner he looked back at her surprised that she was still following.
"Stop running and give it back!" Lyra yelled at him.
He looked young in age, approximately somewhere around ten or twelve if she had to guess. Hearing her demands he simply smiled back, "Catch me if you can loser!" he mocked her.
He disappeared around the building into the new street down to the left. Lyra didn't take kindly to that open defiance. Now she wanted to hurt him, but just enough to give him a good scare though. She quickened her pace and ran around as well. He crossed the street ahead of her and entered a new alley. Lyra rolled her eyes in exasperation, she was getting very annoyed already. Still she was not going to give up the chase, she already lost her faith, she was not giving up hope.
A chain link fence served as a barrier to enter the alley any further. The gate was locked, so the kid placed the satchel around his neck and climbed up.
Reaching the top he saw her still following. Most people would had given up a while ago, not her, she was very relentless. Not wanting to keep on running he jumped over the fence and ran down further into the new alleyway. He knew where he was and what sides to take. Taking a right turn he hoped to loose her once he entered the apartment building up front, whatever she had in this bag, it probably had to be worth the hassle.
Not watching his surroundings, he collided with a person who immediately grabbed him from the neck, "Watch your steps, fucking moron!"
A large African American man somewhere in his mid thirties held the boy firmly from the neck while another man, also African American and much thinner and younger stood by smoking his cigarette. It looks like both we're simply enjoying a peaceful smoke when the kid rudely interrupted them. Finally being caught the boy tried to break away, but the grip the man had on him increased, so did the pain. He dropped his stolen item and weakly tried to pry off the hand squeezing the back of his neck.
Lyra had finally caught up, having jumped the chain link fence as well. She could hear voices up ahead. Walking up she almost came into their view, but quickly backed up, only peeking an inch of her face from the corner of the building. The young thief had been caught, but those two didn't appear or acted as upstanding citizens. The way they were treating him, suggested otherwise.
"I almost swallowed my fucking weed, you bumping into me." The larger man scolded the boy.
"Let me go!" The boy grunted through the pain.
"What you got there?" The other man bend over to grab Lyra's satchel.
He held it with one hand while holding his now obvious bud of marijuana with the other. Lyra's heart perched up as her satchel was now in different hands. She needed to get it back, but had no idea how to proceed. Appearing out of nowhere and asking kindly for it was the simple no brainer, unless she was a naive person then she would agree to that option. She won't lie and say she's never judged people around her, but it did help her tell who's good and bad. Right now those two were clearly no saints in her eyes.
"You's one of them city bus boys ain't ya? Always jacking purses and wallets with your little rat crew." The second man asked.
"This is BMF turf right here." The larger one spoke up, still applying unnecessary pressure to his already death grip, "You must be stupid to be robbing around us, less you be working for those bitch-ass M.G. fucks?"
Crap, just what Lyra did not need, a couple of asshole gangsters to deal with. She figured they might be armed, somehow, she needed to get her items back without causing a confrontation. She looked behind her too check no one was around, all cleared she looked back and waited for an opportunity.
"I'm with no one! Let me go already you giant dickhead!"
He got slapped across the face for his verbal defiance. Lyra's stare turned into a glare as he got shoved next to a dumpster, hitting his head with a loud thud. The larger one stood behind as the other approached him, satchel still in hand. To the fear of both Lyra and the kid he pulled out a handgun from under his shirt.
"Fuck." Lyra groaned from her hidden spot.
The black man smugly waved around his pistol, getting the boy more frightened as his friend chuckled, "You got till the count of five to say which one of those Motor City fuckers put you up to this."
Lyra grew more unease at what was about to happen. There was no time at all to call for the police or any help. She could just make her presence known and halt their murderous intention, but that would only make her a witness to be silenced, not to mention they would also love to get their filthy hands on her. She shuddered at the memory.
"Five."
"I-I-I don't k-know anybody!"
He was just a kid, same age around Lemy and Lupa too. To young to die, so much to live for. Here she was, watching it happen, yet to intervene.
"Four."
Innocent blood ready to get spilled. Another murder that would go unpunished. Another life she would fail to protect. Just like Lemy, he would be dead.
"Three. Hurry up with a name you little cracker."
Lyra finally had enough, channeling the rage within her, she pulled out her brother's bandana from her pants back pocket and covered up her face. Just as the heartless thug had reached at two Lyra grabbed an empty liquor bottle and swiftly approached the bigger man. With no more stalling she reached back and swung the bottle on the man's head.
The loud crack of glass shattered on his bald head. The impact of her strike had dropped him on his knees and hands. His friend recoiled in surprise, ignoring the kid and paying full attention to this new intruder. He saw his friend fall to the ground in pain, glass flying in the air and most importantly this attacker who was without doubt a female, the slender body and long brunette hair were dead giveaways. Her face was hidden with a blue and gold bandana, but her blue eyes were a menace of their own.
"Who the fuck!" He shouted, shocked at the scene before him.
He aimed for her, but Lyra was faster and luckily managed to grab the wrist of the hand holding the pistol and push his arm up in the air. With his firing capability neutralized, Lyra still clutching the broken upper half of the bottle, stabbed him directly on the face.
His screams of pain only encouraged the teenager to continue her onslaught. Falling on top of him, she kept on viciously stabbing his entire face, with the broken bottle, no inch of skin left untouched. Her other hand still held a tight grip on his wrist preventing him from aiming the gun at her head.
"Aaargh!" Lyra lost herself to the fury exhaling out of her.
The boy cowered between two dumpsters as he witnessed Lyra's frenzied assault continue on his would be killer. Her animalistic screams and his agonizing ones blended together to form a chorus of madness.
She had no idea how many times she had stabbed, but she felt the adrenaline race through her blood, the limitless strength and rage within her, she wouldn't stop until his face became an unrecognizable pound of shredded flesh
A strong arm hooked itself around her neck and effortlessly lifted her up in the air. Her throat was being crushed by the muscles pressuring themselves to her. Legs dangling in the air, she wildly thrashed her entire body. Her oxygen was bleeding, and her lungs gasped for fresh air. If it weren't for her bandana nobody would have seen her face slowly turn purple. She couldn't get loose and it was becoming agonizing for her.
"You fucking bitch! Imma snap you're fucking head! You hear me bitch!" The bigger man had half his face covered in blood as it leaked out from the gash, Lyra had given him.
Starting to lose her vision and along with it her conscious, Lyra stabbed and scraped his arm that kept her in a headlock. He grunted in pain and applied even more pressure to her now sore throat. His arm was bloody and it leaked down her shirt, staining it with red. Now desperate to get him off, she pulled off one last move. With her free hand, Lyra raised her arm up and stabbed him in the right eye with the broken bottle.
That was more than enough for him to let go and cover his face in pain. Lyra, face still covered coughed and breathed, massaging her aching throat. Now free and weaponless, she crawled for her satchel. The guy she first attacked was still on the ground, slightly up, whimpered in pain. Gun no longer in hand, it was right next to him though. She needed to end this now. Reaching her satchel she opened it, but at that moment she felt a sharp pain on her side. The large thug was bloody, cut and now missing an eye. He kicked her again, just as hard as the first one. She felt something inside her break, a rib probably broke or the very least was now fractured.
"You die now you fucking, aargh!"
Lyra interrupted his rage induced proclamation, by brandished her hunting knife and stabbing him in the thigh of his right leg. Collapsing on one knee, Lyra stood up on hers and decided to finish him off. With rage in her heart, she pierced his gut all the way through until the entire blade went in, all seven inches of it.
The pain in his one good eye widened as a single tear escaped him, but all he saw in return were two blue eyes, cold as the winter snow. With a sickening sound she pulled out the blade, adding even more pain as the open wound squirted out more blood. Without a single sound uttered he fell to the ground, dead. Lyra stood kneeling in place, still breathing hard, her eyes fixated on the newest corpse she had created.
She truly felt nothing.
"Tank? T-Tank! Help-p me you fat nigga!"
Lyra shifted her attention to the other. He was blinded from from both eyes, courtesy of her savage attack on his face. Blood and slashes everywhere, he was now a deformed monstrosity. It didn't bother her, that was his true face, the face of a monster, the face of a heartless killer. Only monsters murder children. She was a killer as well, but she still had a heart, she knew who to hurt and who to spare. The innocent must be protected and the wicked need to be punished.
She grabbed his gun, a simple modern handgun, unlike her revolver of an older era. Hearing a noise she checked her back and noticed the boy still in his spot, petrified with fear, he had witnessed it all. Her raging emotions, calmed down at the sight of his scared eyes while hers softened up in return. Ignoring the man who still pleaded for his life, she picked up her satchel and cautiously approached the boy.
He backed up further, until touching the wall. It was her, the same girl he had robbed and been chased by. Her face was covered, but it was the same person without a doubt. Her bandana was gold and blue with a skull of a ram or bull in the center, sprinkles of blood ran across the fabric. It did a great job, for she looked completely terrifying, despite the fact that she was a beautiful girl.
An angel of death.
She reached out a hand to him, too which he closed this eyes and jolted in fear. Instead of dragging him out, she gently held his hand and pulled him towards her. Placing the bloody knife on the top of the dumpster, Lyra carefully guided him out of the area and down to the main alley, shielding his eyes from the blood and gore she had just created. Once they reached the corner, Lyra looked him in the eyes. Lifting his hand up, she placed $80 of the leftover money she had withdrawn earlier into his palm.
Lyra placed a single finger on the bandana where her mouth would be, "You don't know me."
"Y-yeah..." He replied back.
Lyra nodded her head and aimed her eyes down the alleyway, signaling him to leave. Without hesitation he took off running, forever remembering this dreadful day. Lyra walked back to the two thugs she assaulted. Holding a hand to the right side of her rib cage, she felt the bruise already, but was still unsure how bad her injury was. Hopefully it wasn't nothing too serious. For as long as she could still walk and move around overall, then she could still continue her mission.
"God damn it, I can't fucking see!" The thug freaked out, unable to see his attacker or friend.
Lyra slowly pulled the bandana down to her neck allowing her face to feel the smooth air whole again. She eyed him with distaste and flashed her teeth in anger. Acting all strong and powerful, but now that he was defenseless and injured he became cowardly and pathetic, so much for being a so called gangster.
"Hey, I have money! It's yours, it's all yours!" He pleaded, he couldn't see her, but figured she was still around.
Lyra answered him back by stomping on his throat. He grunted, wheezed and shook as Lyra applied more pressure on her foot. He continued to resist, but eventually he gave in and finally stopped breathing, both hands falling limp. Lyra glared at his body some more before answering back, "...Thanks."
She looted both their bodies. In total she now possessed $720 in cash, an appropriate profit from her lost $80. She would definitely put that money to great use. Taking both their wallets, Lyra would dispose of them far away from the crimw scene, her fingerprints were now marked on them.
Nothing else to do, she walked all the way back to the bus station. The kid's face never leaving her thoughts, an innocent kid forced to rob for a living. A lost soul, striving to survive this cruel world. Boarding the bus back home, Lyra came to the conclusion that she had done the right thing, she had protected him. A helpless kid, just like Lemy, just like Lupa, she saved his life, protected him from the real sinners of the world. A swell of pride build up inside her, her hands may be covered in blood, but in the end she was only doing the right thing. Vengeance and Justice were two sides of the same coin, they both meant the same in the end. She untied Lemy's bandana from her neck and looked at it. The small drops of blood would need to immediately be washed away, it needed to be clean. She wrapped it back around her neck, where it now belonged. Forever carrying it everywhere with her.
The exhaustion took over and she closed her eyes to enjoy the ride home in peace. With a fully loaded gun and money to add, she could now commence her search.
Come as you are, as you were
As I want you to be
As a friend, as a friend
As an old enemy
Take your time, hurry up
Choice is yours, don't be late
Take a rest as a friend
As an old
Memoria