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.
Bassline
-
Syl smiled as she entered the beach house. The rumble of the bass guitar
welcomed her home, and the house keeper Rita came to greet her in the front
hall. ...
14 years ago
Ryan: He heard the voices as he and Rachael were walking out the back and the call from their PA. Pushing through the crowd, he saw the paramedics already at work treating the wound.
ReplyDeleteIt took a few moments to get the full story, a bouncer going out back for a smoke and heard her cry and charged over, more staff and crew had followed and the assailants had ran off. Pushing forward, Ryan knelt beside his cousin as she was settled onto the gurney. "She is gonna be fine." the paramedic said, "She twisted out of the way, it is just a small gash, your bouncer there saved her from any real damage."
Ryan glanced over at Faith and then at the bouncer. "You wanna a job?" he asked with a grin, then gave Faith a gentle hug. "We will see you at the hospital and from now on, you are not going out alone, got it?" he grinned as he let the ambulance pull away and he put his arm around Rachael, while he explained to the newest member of their crew what he needed him to do.
"Small gash, my ass," Faith muttered as she sat back on the examination chair. It may have been small, but the stab wound was still deep. Which was why it still qualified as a gash and not just a simple surface cut.
ReplyDeleteShe reminded herself that it could have been way worse.
She flinched as she watched the surgical needle enter her skin again. With the local anesthesia, she actually barely felt anything, but watching the needle and thread enter and exit human flesh so easily was actually kinda unnerving. She looked away and stared at the eye chart on the wall until the doctor was done.
Once the stitches were done and bandages applied, she only half-listened to the doctor's monotone as he detailed proper care for the injury while it healed and scribbled an illegible prescription for antibiotics and painkillers.
Her father was dead. Her aunt just passed away. And she could have died tonight. All of a sudden, life was feeling exceptionally short.
She found her bandmates, Rach and Ry, in the waiting room, and self-consciously rubbed her bandaged shoulder. It was going to hurt like hell in an hour or two once the local anesthesia worn off.
She grinned awkwardly as she hugged them both hello."You guys promise me you won't tell my Ma. She'd freak!"
"So what's the deal with the bouncer dude, Ry? Hiring a baby sitter for me now, cous?" she joked.
Ryan:
ReplyDeleteHe grinned, hugging her. "Now, your Mom depends.." he laughs and winks at Rachael.
He looks back at Faith and shrugs, "I mean it all depends if you are willing to accept Joe here as your new best friend and companion." he slides his arm around Rachael, "I mean, after all, he did save your ass and I figured that deserved a reward, even it if is an ugly ass."