Author's Note: Thanks for the feedback. As you can see, I decided to do
Shal next. Next on my list will be Emma, followed by Brennan. Somewhere
along the line, Ill fit Adam in, but I'm not sure where yet!
***
Christmas 1989 Shalimar
"Shalimar," a pretty young woman called out of her kitchen window. "Shalimar, where are you?" Inside, a man was sitting at her kitchen table.
"She'll come in when she's ready," he moaned at her. "As usual," he finished irritably under his breath.
The young woman at the window turned away irately, her skirt swirling around her shapely legs. "Why does she always do this to me?" she ranted.
Just outside the window, a grimy face surrounded by a mass of matted golden blonde curls snarled angrily. They were always nagging her to become a 'nice young lady'. Well, she didn't want to, and there was nothing anyone could do to force her.
She leapt over a nearby wall and sprinted away down the dark alley, her vision perfectly suited for seeing clearly in dark situations. Christmas, pah, waste of time. The only presents she ever got were cosmetics, hair stuff or frilly blouses and skirts. Her mother was trying to turn her into her clone.
She leapt behind a trashcan and curled up instinctively. She wasn't sure why, but she felt more at home here than anywhere else.
A cautious, inquisitive purr made her turn. She reached out and scratched the curious cat between the ears. The cat padded forwards and came to rest on her lap, walking round and round until it was comfortable, then curled up into a tight ball. She continued stroking it, feeling the emotional tension being released from her body.
A tear rolled down a dirty cheek, leaving a trail of stark while skin in contrast. People recoiled when they saw her eyes flash yellow. She couldn't control it. Whenever she felt her animal side taking over it happened, and she couldn't control her animal side either.
Her sensitive hearing picked up a sound from the mouth of the alley. Instantly, she was alert, placing the cat gently on the floor as she crouched behind the trashcan. There was a gang of teens, not much older than she was, hovering at the alley entrance.
"You sure you saw her come this way?" one boy whispered, not thinking he could be heard by anyone inside.
"Yeah, man," came the reply. "She's definitely in here somewhere. Check behind those trashcans."
Shal looked around cautiously. The alley was a dead end. She couldn't get out without passing the teens. As they came closer, she stood up, feeling her animal side coming out. Her eyes flashed dangerously, but the boys were too far away to see them properly.
A look of glee crossed the ringleader's face. "If you come along quietly, we won't hurt you."
"Too much," another one finished for him evilly.
She smiled at them as she crouched down in a defensive pose.
"Let's show her the real meaning of Christmas," the first one leered.
One of them suddenly lunged at her clumsily, but she dodged nimbly out of his way.
"Little girl is gonna put up a fight?" he mocked. As if by a general consensus, the rest of them attacked her together.
Her blood was roaring in her ears, but she felt alive. She kicked out crudely, catching one boy on the jaw and flooring him. She hit another with her fist, and as it hit his solar plexus he doubled over, gasping for breath.
The two remaining boys held back, wondering at her speed and sixth sense for fighting. She always seemed to know where each of them was and how to bring them down. Finally, they put their doubts behind them and as one of them ran at her, the other kept back, unseen behind her. As she swung her leg around to sweep the first boy's feet from under him, the second one grabbed her hair and pulled her head down.
She shrieked in pain as her hands went up to grab at the boys wrists. With a sudden movement, she lifted him off his feet and swung him to the floor where he landed heavily on his back. He lay there staring up at her in astonishment for a few numb seconds.
"Let's get out of here," he cried, a little belatedly, since the others had come to their senses quicker than him. He scrambled up and away from the wild girl behind him, running after the other retreating members of the gang.
She straightened up and surveyed the scene - her domain, as she thought of it. This strange ability, this strength, if she couldn't control the animal, she would use it in order to make them all leave her alone, she decided, her eyes flashing yellow yet again.
Let them all fear her.
*** Please keep the reviews coming. I've changed my settings to be able to accept anonymous reviews, and it would make my day if you reviewed! :o)
***
Christmas 1989 Shalimar
"Shalimar," a pretty young woman called out of her kitchen window. "Shalimar, where are you?" Inside, a man was sitting at her kitchen table.
"She'll come in when she's ready," he moaned at her. "As usual," he finished irritably under his breath.
The young woman at the window turned away irately, her skirt swirling around her shapely legs. "Why does she always do this to me?" she ranted.
Just outside the window, a grimy face surrounded by a mass of matted golden blonde curls snarled angrily. They were always nagging her to become a 'nice young lady'. Well, she didn't want to, and there was nothing anyone could do to force her.
She leapt over a nearby wall and sprinted away down the dark alley, her vision perfectly suited for seeing clearly in dark situations. Christmas, pah, waste of time. The only presents she ever got were cosmetics, hair stuff or frilly blouses and skirts. Her mother was trying to turn her into her clone.
She leapt behind a trashcan and curled up instinctively. She wasn't sure why, but she felt more at home here than anywhere else.
A cautious, inquisitive purr made her turn. She reached out and scratched the curious cat between the ears. The cat padded forwards and came to rest on her lap, walking round and round until it was comfortable, then curled up into a tight ball. She continued stroking it, feeling the emotional tension being released from her body.
A tear rolled down a dirty cheek, leaving a trail of stark while skin in contrast. People recoiled when they saw her eyes flash yellow. She couldn't control it. Whenever she felt her animal side taking over it happened, and she couldn't control her animal side either.
Her sensitive hearing picked up a sound from the mouth of the alley. Instantly, she was alert, placing the cat gently on the floor as she crouched behind the trashcan. There was a gang of teens, not much older than she was, hovering at the alley entrance.
"You sure you saw her come this way?" one boy whispered, not thinking he could be heard by anyone inside.
"Yeah, man," came the reply. "She's definitely in here somewhere. Check behind those trashcans."
Shal looked around cautiously. The alley was a dead end. She couldn't get out without passing the teens. As they came closer, she stood up, feeling her animal side coming out. Her eyes flashed dangerously, but the boys were too far away to see them properly.
A look of glee crossed the ringleader's face. "If you come along quietly, we won't hurt you."
"Too much," another one finished for him evilly.
She smiled at them as she crouched down in a defensive pose.
"Let's show her the real meaning of Christmas," the first one leered.
One of them suddenly lunged at her clumsily, but she dodged nimbly out of his way.
"Little girl is gonna put up a fight?" he mocked. As if by a general consensus, the rest of them attacked her together.
Her blood was roaring in her ears, but she felt alive. She kicked out crudely, catching one boy on the jaw and flooring him. She hit another with her fist, and as it hit his solar plexus he doubled over, gasping for breath.
The two remaining boys held back, wondering at her speed and sixth sense for fighting. She always seemed to know where each of them was and how to bring them down. Finally, they put their doubts behind them and as one of them ran at her, the other kept back, unseen behind her. As she swung her leg around to sweep the first boy's feet from under him, the second one grabbed her hair and pulled her head down.
She shrieked in pain as her hands went up to grab at the boys wrists. With a sudden movement, she lifted him off his feet and swung him to the floor where he landed heavily on his back. He lay there staring up at her in astonishment for a few numb seconds.
"Let's get out of here," he cried, a little belatedly, since the others had come to their senses quicker than him. He scrambled up and away from the wild girl behind him, running after the other retreating members of the gang.
She straightened up and surveyed the scene - her domain, as she thought of it. This strange ability, this strength, if she couldn't control the animal, she would use it in order to make them all leave her alone, she decided, her eyes flashing yellow yet again.
Let them all fear her.
*** Please keep the reviews coming. I've changed my settings to be able to accept anonymous reviews, and it would make my day if you reviewed! :o)