Chapter 3

I was lucky enough to make it onto the tram just before the door closed and crammed myself into the packed car, being careful not to scuff my shoes or wrinky my uniform, I grabbed a handrail hanging above and looked through the window as we began to pick up speed leaving the station. The floor beneath me vibrating as we accelerated. I tried not to notice the stares I was getting but when a whole carful of people are looking at you like you just shit yourself you couldn't help but accidentally meet a few gazes here and there. I wasn't shy by any means but I also wasn't the type of person to sit there and stare back like I was mentally impaired so I gave a small nod to everyone and then turned back to the window to watch the small almost rural place blur into highrise towers and megaplexs' burning with neon adverts. It was stunning and I felt a little smile brush my face as I watched it all. I'd seen the city a few times in the past, been close enough to even see a few of the expensive ACV's, Aerial Consumer Vehicles, jet around the city but I had never been myself. My mom used to live there with her family and as I watched the city I couldn't help but wonder if they were still there. If I could see them or speak to them or something. Ask them why getting rid of me was more important than caring for their teenage daughter. I sighed and those thoughts slipped from my mind quickly, I looked up to the map highlighting my location in the tram and saw my stop was next so I checked I had my effects and gave a quick look at my phone as the tram slowed to a halt at the station, I had more or less fifteen minutes to get the academy so as the doors slid open I jostled my way out and onto the litter lined concrete of the station. It was loud, lots of voices, electronic beeps, and AI calling out times and stations over the intercom. It was different than where I lived, where the loudest thing around was cats fighting or the occasional gunshots but I didn't dislike it, there was its own sort of peace to it; this was the norm the hustle and bustle of it, of BludHaven. And I was finally here.

I spent a few minutes memorizing the map kiosk to find the quickest route to Colleseo from station eleven. As it turned out there really was no such thing in the city. More than once I ended up going through an alley trying to get past the riot of pedestrians only to find a group of Spinheads, drug fueled cyborgs ramped up on hyper hallucinogenic chems that were all too willing to perform cosmetic surgery to someone for their belongings. I was smart and quick enough to avoid getting seen by then, most of the time.

By my calculations I was less than half a mile from the academy with a few minutes to spare. I cut through another alley and this one seemed deserted enough so I relaxed the anxiety that had built up from previous encounters. As I navigated the trash strewn road I couldn't help but notice this was a lot longer than others. I looked up from my feet and tried seeing just how much farther it was from the main road but this particular alley was constructed in such a way that even with all the trash and bins removed I still wouldn't have been able to see it with the buildings and such in the way. I was so distracted by that I didn't even notice when I was surrounded on all ends by Spinheads. It took one particularly large one that looked semi-similar to a gorilla grabbing me by my collar to notice I was fucked.

All the air from my lungs shot out as his fist crumpled my abdomen and I gasped, letting out a strangled cough of pain. I didn't even have a second to think, they ripped my bag off my shoulders and took my duffel with it. "W-wait…" I groaned, feeling bile bubbling up from my stomach.

The only response they gave was a hard kick to my ribs which gave a harsh crack as they gave out. I knew they weren't trying to kill me, their augments easily could have allowed them to crush my sternum from such a kick if they hadn't toned it down. I guess I was lucky enough they didn't want to deal with trying to hide a body that day. But that didn't matter to me, I only felt rage watching them spill out all my belongings onto the oily black asphalt. Everything I owned was inside them and just being toyed with like they had no value. It pissed me off so much that even with my broken ribs I pushed myself up. I had to, my mother never raised me to give up on opportunities. And with the biggest one of my life looming a couple hundred feet away these people were nothing more than obstacles to me.

I wiped the blood pooled up on the corners of my mouth with my sleeve and lifted the bottle I grabbed from the street like a bat. They were too busy digging through my stuff they didn't notice I was there until I bashed the gorilla over the head. The glass exploded on his skull and little shards dug into my hand but I ignored the shock of pain and used all my strength to beat his face in as best I could. I felt his hands grab the back of my blazer and I could tell he was trying to stand but the rain of furious blows made it nearly impossible.

Looking back at it what should have been impossible was me downing an augmented drug addict but I couldn't have known then what I know now.

The other two Spinheads were too stupified by what they saw it took their addled minds awhile to formulate what to do. Long enough for me to wrap my bloodied hands around Gorilla's thick neck and start suffocating him. I ended up in a mounted position, even with the hate blinding me I could see his fear. In those dilated eyes of his I could see someone. It was me, but it was something else. Veins spreading out from around my eyes, teeth bared like fangs, my skin almost looked red, and my eyes, my eyes were the worst. They were inhuman and serpentine. I paused in the stupor of seeing what was me, and the rage slipped away in confusion.

It couldn't have been real. Right? Just a figment of my imagination, a way for my mind to visualize the rage. It didn't make sense but it was the only thing I could do to make sense of it.

I let my hands slip from the Spinhead's neck and I tumbled to a sitting position just staring at the gasping, blubbering giant of a man clutching his bruised and battered neck. The prints of my fingers and hands still marked his neck. His two 'friends' ran over and were saying something to him but I didn't hear, I couldn't. There was a thumping sound in my head making everything else silent. I could feel it in my temples, in my bones and my veins. It was loud and hot. I saw the Gorilla man look at me, his eyes feral with fear and pain but I could tell he was angry. He pointed at me with a fat shaking finger and screamed something but I still couldn't hear. I didn't need to though, the two came at me and started beating me. They had brass knuckles I realized, not from the pain itself which was dull and fed upon by the thumping but I saw the flash of metal as it flew towards my face. I closed my eyes and turned my left cheek to try and glance the blow but I felt it slam into my cheek and rip it open just below my eye. It was hot, and wet and it hurt.

As soon as it hurt everything snapped back into place and the booming in my body was gone. I jerked away and screamed, a growling guttural scream. I put my hand to my face and scrambled to my feet. I could only see through my right eye but it would have to be enough. I tried to wipe the blood from my cheek but it only made it burn more. Balling my fists I moved into a southpaw stance, something I learned from the cook at the diner, and readied myself for a fight. Nobody moved for what seemed like forever, but then there was a gunshot from behind me and everything spurred into action. The Spinhead to the left of me flew backwards as what used to be his head exploded all over me. I was so lost in the moment fighting for my life I couldn't wait to comprehend I just watched a man die. Whatever just happened gave me an opportunity and I wouldn't let it slip away. The other one was too busy watching the body twitch and shudder he didn't notice me slamming my fist full force into his jaw. I could feel it crunch and break under the force but I didn't wait for him to drop. I sprinted over to the final one, the Gorilla, and kicked his head to the curb. Stomping on him over and over even when I could feel his face get all squishy and wet.

It felt good in a disgusting way. Watching this huge junkie robber laying there in a puddle of blood and teeth. I felt strong. Like this was my place in the world. But the feeling didn't last long, someone grabbed my from behind and pulled me away effortlessly like I was a puppy. I tried to get out, I swung and stomped and clawed at whoever was holding me but I couldn't touch them. They just held me around the waist until I tuckered myself out and slumped to me knees surrounded by the injured, dead, or dying. I was suddenly exhausted and I was sapped of my strength. Everything hurt more than it had before.

"Let me go…" I panted, my head bowed and shoulders slumping. "Let me go now. I have to get to Colleseo." I whispered my hands curling against my thighs in frustration. I knew I had missed the opening ceremony and that meant I lost my chance at giving mom a better life, giving myself one. All because these three meatheads wanted some money to fuel their addiction. But those arms never let go, those slender delicate arms wrapped in all black with roses on the cuffs. I lifted my head slightly and turned to look at my captor.

I'll never forget those eyes. One ruby red, and the other sapphire blue. Like two priceless beautiful gems. I felt myself slip into those eyes, submit to them. I was their's now. I was lost to them and if I stared into them longer I truly believe I would've been a shell of a man until the person who's eyes they were spoke.

"No."