A/N: ACK!!!! I'M SORRY!!! I know it's been a few weeks since I've posted, but I've been buried under karate, friends, laziness, and the dreaded place called high school. Also, I went and got myself addicted to the DS and Xbox Live…but I didn't forget about this story! Oh, AND BIOSHOCK 2 IS GONNA COME OUT!! I forget when, but IT'S GONNA BE FREAKIN AWESOME!! And uber creepy…O.o

Anyway! A shout out to those who read/reviewed…although more people are reading and not REVIEWING…*Sigh*

Disclaimer: I do NOT own V for Vendetta! Nothing whatsoever! Not even the scene from the movie that I put my own crappy spin on! (You'll know it when you see it xD )

Chapter 4: Memoirs of a Past Life

My eyes snapped open. My alarm clock was blaring next to my bed. I slammed the top button, turning it off instantly. I sat upright and rubbed my eyes, yawning as I did so. I then stretched my arms and looked at the clock. It was six.

I had had another dream about Elijah. It wasn't an event that I'd been dreaming about, it was Elijah himself, more or less. I couldn't believe that I had remembered every single, little feature about him…it was like I saw him only yesterday. I sighed then climbed out of bed to get ready for school.

Elijah…why couldn't we be together?

I stood in front of my closet, seeing Elijah in my mind. His red hair gleaming in the sun. His emerald eyes looking off into the distance, smiling a huge grin…

I turned away from my closet and stared out my open window, watching the sunrise. Elijah always got up early to enjoy it. Every day, he would wake up at five in the morning and sit on his front porch with a cup of coffee and just watch the sunrise. He had always said it the most beautiful thing he had ever had besides me…and he would probably never see it again.

Elijah…

I wiped away a tear that escaped my right eye. I knew that I couldn't cry over him…I had to be strong. For both of us.

********************

Whack!

My head shot up from my desk…again.

"For Christ's sake, Miss Roderick! Pay attention!! You wouldn't want a beatin' now, would yeh!?" Mr. Dawson exclaimed.

"No, sir" I quickly said. Patrick Dunn started snickering. Mr. Dawson chucked a stapler at him. It hit him right between the eyes, knocking him out cold. Patrick slumped over his desk, not due to wake up for at least a few hours.

"For fuck's sake, not again!!" Mr. Dawson shouted at the top of his lungs. He stalked over to the classroom phone, muttering profanities. He picked the phone up off the receiver but slammed it back down again.

"Fuck it," he said. He turned around towards the class.

"Dunn can stay slumped over 'till he wakes up. 'Till that time, no one mentions that I didn't call the infirmary or that I knocked out Dunn again. Are we clear!?" he said angrily.

The class quickly nodded, not wanting to end up like Patrick. Mr. Dawson cleared his throat and smiled.

"That's what I thought."

********************

"And then he chucked the bloody stapler at 'im! I could've sworn on me life that it went at least thirty miles an hour! Anyway…"

It was snack and the group was at the usual spot. Rodney was explaining what had happened in Dawson's class earlier. We were all sitting on the ground in a lopsided circle, listening to his tale. We all laughed when he demonstrated Patrick slumping over a pretend desk.

Just like the old days… I thought sadly. Elijah would always have a story to tell at snack and lunch. Whenever he told stories, we all paid attention to him like he was some sort of prophet who had all the answers to life's questions. He was never interrupted and we always laughed at one point or another when Elijah had the floor. Every day was a new tale when Elijah was here. When he was taken away, it was like when Franklin Roosevelt died. It was like God himself had faded into the void…

But with the brutal lifestyle we faced every day, there was no room for tears. To the public, being emotional was displaying weakness. We always had to remain strong for the Chancellor, not ourselves. We all wanted change. Rebellion shown in us so bright, it was like staring into the sun. We wanted to change our country and no one, not even Sutler and his party of madmen, were going to stop us.

********************

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING.

I packed up my backpack and walked out of my last period. I walked three doors down and waited for Anthony and Rodney to come out of their science class. When they did, they each greeted me with a high five.

"Hey guys. How was Clark?"

"Ah, same old crap. Boring as hell but at least he's not ol' hard ass Holt," Rodney joked.

"Yeah, thank God for that. If he was like Holt, we'd be going to the infirmary every day," Anthony added.

"Well then, nice to know you guys didn't get a beating. So! My house at eleven, right?"

"Right. We'll meet yeh in the alleyway next to your building," Rodney confirmed.

"Alright then. I'll be seeing you guys later?"

"Right," they both agreed.

"Later fellas." I turned around and started to walk down the hallway towards the main office.

"Cheerio Theresa! And try not to piss off your mum!" Anthony yelled after me.

I turned back around and said, "Mom's not gonna be back 'till next week!"

"Well, take care then!" Anthony yelled.

"Cheerio!" Rodney exclaimed. I waved, turned my back, and headed down the hallway to the main office. When I got there, secretaries and clerks were bustling around filing paperwork, taking calls, and just being like any other high school staff. They didn't seem to pay me any mind, so I just walked straight through the office and outside to the front steps. I descended the staircase, walked through the wide open black gate, turned left, and began to walk home. Every day, I made this journey since Mom was either too drunk or too pissed off to come pick me up. Or, as she put it, she was "out." I never had any clue as to where she would go or where she would stay every night. Hell, I didn't even know what she did when she was gone. I did know that it involved bars and…well, let's just say she came home one night with a man that I had never seen before. I had been in my room, listening to my CD player, when I thought I heard something. I had freaked out and quickly shoved my CD player into a desk drawer. I walked out of my bedroom and they were walking towards me. I thought I was finished for sure, but they didn't pay attention to me. They had walked right past me like I wasn't even there and into Mom's room. I remember that I was so angry, I waited until after the man left at one in the morning to confront Mom. It was one of the ugliest confrontations I ever had with her. It was so bad, that I didn't get to school until third period since I had to set up the whole apartment back to the way it was. The living room didn't really get touched, but the kitchen was the worst. It had taken me a solid three hours to clean up the spilt food, silverware, and blood. From that clash, I had about a five inch scar on my left arm, starting at my wrist. None of the other conflicts with Mom were as bad as that one. I was just glad that I was still alive after that.

When I had reached my front door, I pulled my key out of my jeans pocket and opened it. I shut the door, threw my backpack on the couch, and went straight to the refrigerator. I grabbed a cold water, went back to the couch, and began my homework. Homework was never hard. Besides, I had always been a good student. I never failed any of my classes. If I did, my record and thus, my future, would've been doomed.

So for the next few hours after homework, I just sat and watched TV. The shows weren't eye-catching, since everything was censored by Sutler. Nothing good was ever on these days…

I looked at my watch. It was five to eleven.

Better close up and get ready…I'll be getting into at least one brawl tonight.

********************

"There." Anthony pointed to four men sharing drinks. I could smell the stench of alcohol and cigarettes from our hiding place. The four men were standing in the middle of a three way fork in an alleyway next to Jack's Bar, a good hour from my place.

"Theresa. You know the plan?" Anthony asked. I nodded.

"Alright. If they are Fingermen, don't let them even touch you, alright?"

"Right," I said.

Well, here goes nothing…

I stepped out of the shadows and into the three way fork. The four men turned in my direction and smiled demonically.

"Well, well…what have we here?" one of them asked. He was shorter than the rest, about my height. He was a heavier set man, but not as big as Mr. Holt.

"Seems like we got one out past curfew, Arthur." That man who spoke was the tallest of the four, rivaling Anthony's height.

"Where are yeh goin'? What excuse yeh have for being out past curfew?" The man who spoke next was about three inches shorter than me and was the fattest of the four.

"Look. I'm just going to a friend's house, alright?"

The man who was as tall as I was spoke. "Huh…going to a friend's for the night, eh? What do you think 'bout that, John?"

"Load of bullocks," the man named John said. He stepped forward and stood in front of me. The stench of alcohol was overwhelming. He was thin and had a gaunt, hollowed face. His skin was extremely pale, even though it was night. He was about as tall as Rodney. The man named Arthur spoke again.

"See, our friend John isn't feeling so well."

"Yeah, I've been struck with a cold." He grabbed one of my hands. "You know what I mean…?"

I yanked my hand back and gave him a dirty look. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, asshole." John gave a look of mock surprise.

"Well, would yeh look at that! Looks like our girl is a bit of a comedian!" I pulled out a switchblade and pointed it at John.

"When I suggest you don't do something, I mean it," I growled. John took a few steps back.

"Well, would yeh look at this? An obvious threat!" The tallest one nodded.

"That it is…well, if that's her way of enforcing justice on us, then we enforce our own." He pulled a badge out of the front pocket of his long overcoat and flashed it at me. It was the Fingermen's badge, a vertical black rectangle with a long red line splitting it down the middle. Splitting that line near the top, were two horizontal red lines, parallel to each other. I pretended to shift with unease.

"You're Fingermen…" I mockingly gasped. The tallest one nodded again.

"That we are. And for pulling a knife on John, you'll be punished accordingly." He smiled lustily. "You first, John."

"Right. Now I know you'll make this cold go away…" He made to grab my arms but I was already expecting this. I quickly punched his stomach, grabbed his shoulders, and pushed him backwards. I turned my head and whistled. Out of the shadows came Anthony and Rodney, ready to fight. The four men hesitated and I smiled evilly.

"What's the matter, chaps? Too scared to enforce your justice? Or are you afraid of the little comedian's act?"

No answer. I turned my head again and nodded. "Let's teach these assholes how to put on real show!"All three of us began to walk briskly toward the four Fingermen. John stood up, holding his stomach.

"Don't let these bloody kids scare you! After 'em!" The three other Fingermen started to charge us. Arthur came for me with his baton. He made an overhead blow, but I sidestepped him. I raised my switchblade as he turned around. Arthur smiled evily.

"Let's see how good you are with that, funny girl!" His next blow was overhead again. I blocked it easily and he tried to swing and hit my ribs. I blocked him again and kicked him in the gut, sending him sprawling backwards. He threw away his baton and pulled out his own switchblade. He charged me again, trying to stab me in the stomach. I went back a step, and when he missed me by mere centimeters, I went under his knife with my own. I moved my hand up and in a half-circle, sending his knife flying and effectively disarming him. I pointed my knife at him threateningly. He paid it no mind, for he then he threw a punch at my face. I moved my head out of the way of his fist, took his arm and pinned it behind his back. I pushed his wrist away from me until I heard a sickening crack. Arthur howled in pain at his now broken wrist. I kicked his right leg out from under him so he stood on one knee. I let him go and he instantly held his broken wrist, not paying any more attention to me. I took advantage of his mistake, and let loose a powerful roundhouse kick. My foot connected with the back of his head, knocking him out instantly. I looked at Anthony and Rodney, who had both won their own duels. We all nodded to each other. I took one last look at the three unconscious Fingermen.

Wait a minute…something isn't right here.

"Wait a minute, you guys," I said.

"What is it?" Anthony asked.

"I could've sworn there were four…" I looked at the three Fingermen again. The gears clicked into place in my mind. "Where's the one named John?"

"Over here!" Rodney called. He was a little ways away from us. Anthony and I ran over to him. He was kneeling over John, who had clearly lost his battle.

"Bloody hell! He's not dead is he!?" Anthony exclaimed.

"No," I said. "Look. His nose is broken." I pointed to his nose, which was crooked and bashed inward. His entire face and a good portion of his overcoat was covered in blood.

"Rodney, you didn't do this did you?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No, I didn't. Anthony didn't either 'cause he was fightin' beside me the whole time."

"Hmm…who could've done this when we weren't looking? Whoever it was, they were good. Really good," I said.

"How can you tell?" asked Anthony.

"Simple," I said. "One, he's isolated from the fight and two, his injuries could've only been inflicted by a weapon of sorts."

"Weapon?" Rodney asked.

"Look at his nose. See how crooked it is? No human fist could've done that," I explained.

"Wow Theresa. I never would've guessed…who do you think it was?" Anthony asked.

"I don't know but whoever it was, we owe them. They saved us from a possible arrest." Rodney and Anthony nodded.

"Let's go. I don't wanna be around when they wake up." We left the three way fork and stood outside Jack's Bar.

"Listen. I'm gonna head home. If you guys find any more Fingermen, be careful if you fight them," I said.

"Alright. You be careful going home. Don't want the comedian to give a bad joke and get sacked," Anthony joked. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Be careful. See you guys later."

"Cheerio, chap," Rodney said. I nodded and ducked back into the alleyway. I would have to follow them back to my house, for the streets were too dangerous.

********************

For an hour, I followed the cobblestone alleyways back to my apartment building. I shivered when I reached my front door.

It's way too cold at night in England…I should've worn a jacket.

I unlocked the front door and went inside. I went straight to my room and collapsed on my bed, too tired and worn out to change, for it was almost two in the morning.