Back Alley

After the show, the band and road crew were celebrating the success of their latest gig, but Faith couldn't put her heart into it. She only got news of her Aunt Aisha's death just before going on stage, so she hadn't had time to let it sink in until now. She needed some quiet time to herself.

Grabbing her hoodie and roller blades, she caught sight of Rach and Ryan as she headed for the backstage exit of the club. "I'm going to head out to the bus early, guys. Throw back a couple of beers for me, eh?"

Trying her best to smile, she waved as she slipped out the back and into the alley. She shrugged on her hoodie as she walked, looking for somewhere to sit down and put on her roller blades.

The sudden tug at the back of her hoodie was her only warning. A second later, the side of her body screamed at her as she was slammed hard into the side of a dumpster.

She grimaced as she looked up at her attacker, straightening into a defensive stance as best she could through the pain. Just because she never picked a fight didn't mean she wasn't a fighter. She knew how to defend herself; when she was thirteen, a punk kid three years older than her had tried to mug her for her wallet. She had broken his nose.

But this wasn't a teenage kid in front of her. The mugger was a full foot taller, rough-looking and muscular. A seasoned criminal, she guessed. Probably stalking the alley for an easy hit, and like an idiot she had wandered into the alleyway alone.

She didn't have time to chastise herself for her stupidity.

A beefy hand shot out at her. She ducked slower than she would have liked; the pain strangled her reaction time, but she still managed to just barely dodge.

Coming back up, her body twisted fluidly, deftly transferring the motion into a high kick that smashed solidly into the thug's head. Faith smiled in satisfaction as he reeled back, stunned and surprised. Guys never expected a girl to fight back. It was a nice advantage to have.

The glint of steel from the corner of her eye told her the thug had his own advantage; he didn't come alone. She tried to twist out of the way, but couldn't make it.

Her scream echoed through the alley as another assailant’s knife dug into her shoulder.

First-Cousin-Once-Removed

[Continued from "Speechless" found on Ryan Johnson's in-game blog.

For full story, read: "Come Undone" - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and "The Truth".]

Faith watched as the little girl slept soundly in Rachael's lap. "Awww, she's so cuuuute."

Looking over, she glanced at her cousin Aaron who had drifted to sleep on the couch, then back to his daughter Livi. "Wow, that was some pretty heavy stuff. Remind me to stay single for life, 'kay, guys?" She leaned back in her seat in thought, before continuing. "So... that makes me a first-cousin-once-removed, right? I could never figure out that crazy family tree stuff."

Stretching, Faith got up and began rummaging through her bag. "So, Ry, when is it going to be yours and Rach's turn, eh?", she asked casually. Focussed on the contents of her bag, she didn't notice her bandmates' expressions towards her question. Before they could reply, she cut them off with a victorious "Sweet! Here it is!" and pulled her camera out with a triumphant grin.

Returning to where Rachael held Livi, she made sure the flash was off so it wouldn't wake her, then took a few shots with her camera.

"She's just too cute to pass up a few quick photos," she explained with a smile.