"Ha! Is that all you got?" my chest constricted painfully and my knuckles were so red you could see the blood ready to burst through skin. It had started like any other day, boring homeroom and equally unexciting classes. Discreet glances and muttering girls with impractical and ugly clothes and any normal occasional disruption like a few freshmen setting toilet paper on fire. Yep, it was a pretty uneventful teen life charged with unruly tension and tasteless drama. Of course today out of all other days had to be different. Shrugging off the pain I stumbled to my feet raising my fists to my head as I partially leaned against the wall of the alley, my ribs protesting my efforts.

The two girls smirked and falsetto words of Visco valley font size crawled out of their botox glitter slimed mouths, adding 'like' and 'huh' making a simple sentence a paragraph.

The ugly blondie one spoke first with a flip of her hair. "We uh don't like you, like at all so-"

The tall brunette one interjected in an attempt to be meaner, "We gonna have Jimmy beat you until your like, suppperrr dead"

I shook my head, amused. Not much for proper articulation I see.

The blondie one seeing my reaction indignantly stuck out her cherry red fish lips and raised her foundation caked nose with a 'humppf".

In her snobby gesture I got a knocking whiff of her cheap perfume and nearly threw up.

Gross.

"JIMMYYY!!" shrieked the brunette one with enough bangles to form a chain long enough to circle the school twice over.

Jimmy, the short nerdy wreck skulked over, looking like a defeated animal.

I kinda pity him-.

At Fish Lips command he took a fighting stance and adjusted his brass knuckles.

Almost.

Jimmy's defeated gaze wandered over me and I could see in his eyes he didn't want to continue. He whispered a silent sorry before hesitantly stepping forward as the two ogres cheered. Bracing myself for the assault I frantically scrambled around trying to find anything I could use as a weapon. Spotting a bent metal pipe discarded in a recycling bin I picked the rod up and winced against the cold feel of it, testing the weight and balance in my hand.

This'll do

Jimmy looked scared as I turned my sights on him, better you than me. Sorry buddy, I've had enough of this.

"What are you waiting for? Get her!" Bangles yelped and the first hints of fear lighted in her eyes as I smiled, adjusting my grip on the pipe slightly raising it. I no doubt look hideous with my split lip.

Fish lips, growing impatient yelled, "arghh! Why do I have to do everything myself?!"and stalking over to jimmy grabbed the brass knuckles at the same time he wet his pants.

Oof

I glanced down subconsciously at my torn jeans, caked with splatters of my own blood, does it look like I peed myself?

An outraged cry came from Fish lips as she charged me, knuckles raised.

I simply smirked, "let's dance Diablo"

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

With all the grace of a drugged elephant and the viciousness of a Tasmanian devil she swung wildly In her eagerness to hit me and missed me by a mile.

I calmed my excited adrenaline rush and easily weaved around her, dodging her attacks. What a mad woman.

Seeing me in no trouble at all she growled in annoyance before punching again with wild abandon and with all the fervor of an angry toddler.

She stopped mid swing to catch her breath, "aww, all tuckered out already sweetheart" I teased.

She glared daggers at me that quickly turned to a look of fear and horror as I squared my stance and kicked her, sending her crashing on her bum. Guess I didn't need the pipe.

"Fist Of justice!" leaping like an action star and landing over her in a superhero pose I rammed my fist downward on her face ignoring the pain. Screwed up her 35$ dollar makeup no doubt. I whooped at my victory, raising my fist in the air as she lay groaning on the asphalt. I did a comical little jig.

Both Jimmy and Brunette Bangles's eyes widened in shock and horror before running for the hills. I rubbed the back of my hand across my cheek, the blood dripping again. Yeah that's what you get! "Three against one, huh!" I muttered.

I heard a buzzing ringtone and a receiver's answer, "911 what's your emergency?"

Why that lil- "H-Hi yes, a have been attacked in the alley on West Side Av. please come hurry *sob*" Fish Lips put on her best act and wailed into the phone to the Operators ears' damage.

Before the operator could answer I wrestled the phone away from her. "Help, Oh! Hel-" I shoved some grass in her mouth to shut her up and ended the phone call.

Well shit. What am I gonna do now?

Hot fiery anger boiled within me and I hurled her phone against the wall, smashing it to smithereens.

"HA!" crowed Fish lips, cackling like a warty witch. "They're gonna be here any minute now, you're done for!" A thought suddenly gripped me and I grinned deviously. "Wh-why are you smiling?" she shivered scooting back clutching her bruised face. I stomped on her flowy blouse, refusing to let her leave. She shrieked as I reached down and wrenched off the brass knuckles from her fingers. I triumphantly waved them in her face, her eyes wide with fear. "These have my blood and your finger prints on them. Who's the loser now?"

I smiled widely like the grinch and pocketed the evidence.

To her credit she lunged at me frantically trying to get the brass knuckles, her hair widely whipping about her face a look of madness in her eyes.

"Nuh uh uh" I sang out before kicking her back again to the ground. Wow. I was really enjoying this.

A shriek of sirens interrupted my victory revelry, despite my confidence, cold fear numbed me. I know I was not in the wrong but I'm not exactly an upstanding citizen either. They might not believe me.

I glanced at my black cuffs on my wrists and tattered leather jacket. I'm not gonna take my chances, I've never been well liked anyway.

I glanced around myself for a bit before glaring down at my prisoner. "Wait what?"

Puzzled I crouched down and looked at the unconscious dollar store barbie doll.

Huh. Guess it didn't take much to knock her out. I checked for a pulse just in case before sprinting off down the alley lane and away from the approaching sirens.

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

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

"Come on feet go faster" I urged as my sides stung sharply with every step I took.

I dashed over some upturned trash bins scaring the rats. Sweat dripped down my brow and mingled with the dirt and blood. Nervously glancing at the fading light of the sun I quickened my pace despite my fatigue.

Exiting the alley on Cherry Street I ran past the old bookstore wedged in between the liquor store and Sandies Apartments and slowed down. The sidewalk was practically empty, the only jaywalkers a couple of plastic bags and loose newspapers. Everything was dipped in a light blue tint as the day faded into night the flickering lamp posts the only gleaming brightness in the dreary scenery.

The stillness was interrupted with the screech of tires and the crying of sirens. Oh crap. My feet moved on their own as if also afraid and I found myself opening the heavy doors of the old bookstore and dashing inside. A single thought hit me, why did I run back?

I looked at the rundown interior of the dusty yellow books that lined the faded wood shelves. Old memories bubbled at the surface but I pushed them down.

A strong sense of reverie gripped me as I walked down the isles brushing my hands occasionally on the spines of the books.

An old crackly voice by the cash register made me jump, "do you wish to purchase?"

I thought this place was closed a long time ago?

"I, Um no" the old crone nodded knowingly before suggestively eyeing the glass counter which held an assortment of vintage items that would usually be purchased by booklovers. Though I didn't know why.

I looked to where she indicated, a rusty old chain necklace with the most beautiful small emerald dagger nestled in between a fake velvet cushion sat demurely through the glass. Wow, now I know why they purchased such trinkets.

Without a second thought I fished around my pockets, and pulled out the brass knuckles. And placing them on the counter top I reached again and pulled out my wallet.

"How much for it?" she grinned wickedly before answering, "nothing at all"

I had to blink a few times to visibly process, "nothing at all?"

She unlocked the glass case and handed me the necklace, nodding, "nothing at all" she firmly stated again.

Bewildered and at a loss for words I just raised the chain and looked at the craftsmanship of the small dagger no bigger than my finger. What little light shone through the old windows of the store reflected mesmerizingly off the emerald gem.

I shook my head and reluctantly placed it on the counter, " I can't take this. I have to pay something for this nice thing." though, do I really deserve something this nice? Me?

The old crone simply cackled, her scratchy laugh echoing in the empty store, "just put it on, every good person deserves nice things"

What?

Seeing a lack of a reaction she urged again but forcefully, "for goodness sakes, just put it on!"

Not wishing to displease the mentally disturbed wacko I quickly put on the necklace, shivering slightly as the cold metal hung around my neck.

I fiddled with the dagger, feeling the new and strange weight around my neck. "It suits you Myra Adler" the old woman smiled a glint in her eyes that wasn't there before.

Wait. I never told her my name!

A sudden weakness overcame me and I gripped the counter to stay upright, "what did you do!?"

I scrambled to make a beeline for the door but never made it and as my vision faded to black I heard the terrible crone laugh, mumbling cryptically about the perfect candidate.

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

DUN DUN DUN