- Joined
- Jan 26, 2010
- Location
- Why do you care?
The sky was dark as Emilia Radley made her way down the poorly lit street. She knew exactly where she was going though. It was a place she frequented and given the way things had been going as of late, that was nearly every night for the past week.
The past several days had been hell. First Emiliaâs grandmother died, the only relative she had left. Then, a person she thought was a friend found out about her âgiftâ and pretty much cut things off right then and there. And to add salt to an already major wound, she lost her job because of a small fire she accidentally created in the kitchenette area of the lounge. Could she help it that sheâd had had a bad meeting and then that someone had inadvertently left their lighter next to the microwave? It wasnât like she asked to be born with the ability to manipulate fire. Though none of her co-workers knew about her âgiftâ. Or âcurseâ as she liked to call it.
Being able to manipulate fire was something Emilia had been born with, though it didnât start to manifest itself until she hit puberty. Those were some rough years. Her parents were more than freaked out about it and, like most ânormalâ parents who ended up with a âgiftedâ child, they kept it quiet, totally hidden from everyone. This only added pressure on Emilia to learn how to control it. But it was hard to figure such things out when you had no one to guide you, no one to help you or explain anything to you. And then there were the accidents. Like burning down your house, killing small animals, even killing your own parents.
Emilia flicked her long dark hair over her shoulders as she walked briskly along the hard pavement, a scowl on her face. She was pissed, she was sad, she was many things rolled into one. Finally, she came upon a dingy, divey-looking building. It looked as though it should be condemned, but there it stood in all its dilapidated glory.
The red and blue neon sign sputtered and blinked â The Ruck. Emilia walked toward the door and pushed it open. She was greeted by the same bouncer who always stood at the door.
âHey Emmy,â he said gruffly.
Emmy just smiled weakly and took a seat by herself in a dark corner. As she sat down, she glanced about the bar. Most of the usuals were there, though there were some faces she didnât recognize. But that was typical. After a few minutes the bartender walked over to her and set a glass down in front of her.
âBaccardi and coke,â he said with a grin.
âAinât that right,â Emmy replied as she picked it up and took a large gulp.
The bartender just chuckled and left Emmy alone to drink her drink in peace. As she drank, she looked about the bar again. She noticed one guy looking at her. He was decent looking, had a strange way about him and didnât seem to blink once.
âOdd,â Emmy thought to herself.
The strange man continued to watch Emmy the entire night. Not once did he move, not once did he try to talk to her. She began to wonder what his deal was. At first she thought he might be eyeing her, checking her out, deciding if he should take the plunge and âpick her upâ. But now? Now she wasnât sure and he was starting to creep her the hell out.
Emmy finished up her third baccardi and coke when she finally got up and approached the bartender. She slapped down some money, tip included, and gave the burly man a smile.
âThanks man,â Emmy said.
âAny time. See you tomorrow?â he asked.
âYou know it.â
As Emmy walked toward the door, she noticed the strange man suddenly get up. âOk, this is freakinâ weird,â she thought to herself. âWhat the fuck is his deal?â
Feeling a little uneasy, Emmy began to walk rather briskly along the street. It was the first time she wished the lights had been brighter, that more people drove along it. She glanced quickly over her shoulder and saw a shadow not too far behind her.
âShit,â Emmy muttered to herself when she realized she was being followed. She quickened her pace, but she could hear the footsteps behind her quicken as well.
Not sure what to do and feeling a little desperate, Emmy turned down a side street. Her hope was to try and lose him, to turn before he could and then maybe sneak behind one of the buildings so he couldnât find her. She broke out into a flat run as she made the turn onto the side street, glancing behind herself as she did so.
âWhat the hell?â Emmy said aloud when she saw that the man was closer to her than before. âHowâs that possible?â Thatâs when she wondered if he too was like her. âGiftedâ.
Emmy ran, but the man was gaining. She came upon an alley way and immediately turned down it. Unfortunately, she was greeted by a dead end. âFuck me,â she said as she turned around only to be face to face with the same strange guy from the bar.
âWell, well, well,â he said. âLooks like I managed to find you.â He paused a moment. âI wonder if youâre as strong as they claim you are.â
âWho the hell are you? What do you want?â Emmy asked totally confused.
âWho I am is of no concern to you. Yet.â His smile was viciously wicked. âAs for what I want? Well, there are two parts to that now that Iâm seeing you up close and personal.â
âWhat?â Emmy asked, glancing around wildly for a means of getting away. On the ground she saw a lighter. She wondered if there was any fluid left in it.
âIâm afraid youâll have to come with me. But before that, how about we get to know each other a little better.â
âFuck you!â Emmy shouted. She lunged onto the ground and grabbed the lighter. Immediately she flicked it and began to manipulate the flame.
âImpressive!â the guy shouted as he dodged the flame and went for Emmyâs arm. He knocked the lighter out of her hand and pushed her down onto the ground on her stomach. He pinned her hands and leaned down so that he could whisper in her ear. âYouâre so mine, bitch, before they all have at you.â
âNo!â Emmy shouted. âGet off me! Get off!â She could feel her eyes watering as she struggled underneath the weight of the man on her back. She could feel his hands starting to work on her clothing. Several feet away was the lighter. But it was far out of her reach. There was nothing she could do. âSomeone! Help me!â she shouted before she felt a fist come down and strike her across the cheek.
The past several days had been hell. First Emiliaâs grandmother died, the only relative she had left. Then, a person she thought was a friend found out about her âgiftâ and pretty much cut things off right then and there. And to add salt to an already major wound, she lost her job because of a small fire she accidentally created in the kitchenette area of the lounge. Could she help it that sheâd had had a bad meeting and then that someone had inadvertently left their lighter next to the microwave? It wasnât like she asked to be born with the ability to manipulate fire. Though none of her co-workers knew about her âgiftâ. Or âcurseâ as she liked to call it.
Being able to manipulate fire was something Emilia had been born with, though it didnât start to manifest itself until she hit puberty. Those were some rough years. Her parents were more than freaked out about it and, like most ânormalâ parents who ended up with a âgiftedâ child, they kept it quiet, totally hidden from everyone. This only added pressure on Emilia to learn how to control it. But it was hard to figure such things out when you had no one to guide you, no one to help you or explain anything to you. And then there were the accidents. Like burning down your house, killing small animals, even killing your own parents.
Emilia flicked her long dark hair over her shoulders as she walked briskly along the hard pavement, a scowl on her face. She was pissed, she was sad, she was many things rolled into one. Finally, she came upon a dingy, divey-looking building. It looked as though it should be condemned, but there it stood in all its dilapidated glory.
The red and blue neon sign sputtered and blinked â The Ruck. Emilia walked toward the door and pushed it open. She was greeted by the same bouncer who always stood at the door.
âHey Emmy,â he said gruffly.
Emmy just smiled weakly and took a seat by herself in a dark corner. As she sat down, she glanced about the bar. Most of the usuals were there, though there were some faces she didnât recognize. But that was typical. After a few minutes the bartender walked over to her and set a glass down in front of her.
âBaccardi and coke,â he said with a grin.
âAinât that right,â Emmy replied as she picked it up and took a large gulp.
The bartender just chuckled and left Emmy alone to drink her drink in peace. As she drank, she looked about the bar again. She noticed one guy looking at her. He was decent looking, had a strange way about him and didnât seem to blink once.
âOdd,â Emmy thought to herself.
The strange man continued to watch Emmy the entire night. Not once did he move, not once did he try to talk to her. She began to wonder what his deal was. At first she thought he might be eyeing her, checking her out, deciding if he should take the plunge and âpick her upâ. But now? Now she wasnât sure and he was starting to creep her the hell out.
Emmy finished up her third baccardi and coke when she finally got up and approached the bartender. She slapped down some money, tip included, and gave the burly man a smile.
âThanks man,â Emmy said.
âAny time. See you tomorrow?â he asked.
âYou know it.â
As Emmy walked toward the door, she noticed the strange man suddenly get up. âOk, this is freakinâ weird,â she thought to herself. âWhat the fuck is his deal?â
Feeling a little uneasy, Emmy began to walk rather briskly along the street. It was the first time she wished the lights had been brighter, that more people drove along it. She glanced quickly over her shoulder and saw a shadow not too far behind her.
âShit,â Emmy muttered to herself when she realized she was being followed. She quickened her pace, but she could hear the footsteps behind her quicken as well.
Not sure what to do and feeling a little desperate, Emmy turned down a side street. Her hope was to try and lose him, to turn before he could and then maybe sneak behind one of the buildings so he couldnât find her. She broke out into a flat run as she made the turn onto the side street, glancing behind herself as she did so.
âWhat the hell?â Emmy said aloud when she saw that the man was closer to her than before. âHowâs that possible?â Thatâs when she wondered if he too was like her. âGiftedâ.
Emmy ran, but the man was gaining. She came upon an alley way and immediately turned down it. Unfortunately, she was greeted by a dead end. âFuck me,â she said as she turned around only to be face to face with the same strange guy from the bar.
âWell, well, well,â he said. âLooks like I managed to find you.â He paused a moment. âI wonder if youâre as strong as they claim you are.â
âWho the hell are you? What do you want?â Emmy asked totally confused.
âWho I am is of no concern to you. Yet.â His smile was viciously wicked. âAs for what I want? Well, there are two parts to that now that Iâm seeing you up close and personal.â
âWhat?â Emmy asked, glancing around wildly for a means of getting away. On the ground she saw a lighter. She wondered if there was any fluid left in it.
âIâm afraid youâll have to come with me. But before that, how about we get to know each other a little better.â
âFuck you!â Emmy shouted. She lunged onto the ground and grabbed the lighter. Immediately she flicked it and began to manipulate the flame.
âImpressive!â the guy shouted as he dodged the flame and went for Emmyâs arm. He knocked the lighter out of her hand and pushed her down onto the ground on her stomach. He pinned her hands and leaned down so that he could whisper in her ear. âYouâre so mine, bitch, before they all have at you.â
âNo!â Emmy shouted. âGet off me! Get off!â She could feel her eyes watering as she struggled underneath the weight of the man on her back. She could feel his hands starting to work on her clothing. Several feet away was the lighter. But it was far out of her reach. There was nothing she could do. âSomeone! Help me!â she shouted before she felt a fist come down and strike her across the cheek.