M:L: Chapter Two

After two long days of walking around in the sewer, Linda finally found a way out; she found herself outside a small town, the sun was high though covered by clouds and the air around her fresh, though she herself was far from clean. She had to climb a brick wall, it most likely built to keep people like her out, but it was doing a pretty bad job as the brick was old, and several pieces were broken, making it rather easy to find hand and foot holes. It took all the strength she had managed to climb up the wall to the town above. Her clothing was torn and dripping wet, although rather warm, the light breeze made her skin crawl and she desperately needed to find help.

She knew it was wrong to leave, she thought many times to turn around and go back, but she knew the consequences of her actions would out weigh the simple good deed of returning. She had to find a place to get something to eat and some nice warm clothing. After all she wanted to know who she was and the only way to know that was here, in the outside world. The town she was in was so pleasant and small, she couldn't remember it, but something within the buildings seemed refreshing, comforting.

As she began to walk through the town, her hand going down to her right leg. The skin was covered in mud, but she could see the large gash now covered in black blood. After blowing open the bars in the sew she had went to run through, but hadn't noticed one of the pips in the thick black water. It sliced against her leg, but she had to keep running. At this time the cops had heard the explosion and were on her tail. She could hear them yelling after her, and in fear of her life she ran, ignoring the pain. Now though her leg and throbbing the wound infected and her pain far greater than before.

She limped around the town, her clothing dripped and her feet hurt. Her eyes scanned her surroundings. Not many people walked the streets on the half sunny day, but she was still rather worried what she must of looked like right now. She could see her clothing, dark and dirty, her hands and feet no better. Her hair was stuck to the back of her neck. In a town that seemed so peaceful, quiet, she knew she stuck out. She stopped walking for a moment to look up at the sun, but was only meant by small raise breaking through the clouds that covered it. Lowering her head she tried to pretend not to notice the slight glances from the few people she was unlucky to pass as she wandered around the back roads through large buildings, trying hard to avoid the main roads and people.

Her eyes lowered as she found herself in an ally alone and had to turn back due to the dead end. She made her way back onto one of the streets, seeing the very sample people who she had past moments ago still watching her closely. She turned to begin walking again, trying to get as far into the town without as much trouble as possible, but the pain of the turn caused her to stop in her tracks. She started to feel the sting of fresh blood come out of her cut, the air burning against the unclean wound. She wondered why, with as obvious as she was that no one was willing to help her. She knew she was a criminal, but her clothing was plan, not noticeable that she was a fleeing killer. She couldn't blame them for their hesitation, but her thin frame and appearance could easily be taken as homeless. Her eyes tired and saggy, even her arms cut from small shards that cut her when she set off that bomb. Only a person who needs help would walk around in damp cloths and bleeding, but it appeared her appearance wasn't enough to give sympathy.

She leaned against a building the cool hard brick made her skin crawl, but it took the pressure off of her leg. She just leaned there looking at the ground, only able to make out the shadows of the few people who walked past her chatting quietly among-est themselves. It was easier for people to avoid something out of place, then to take it upon themselves to correct the issues. After all they were just going about their lives, they didn't need any interruptions and Linda understood that. 

Almost everyone past her, but one, one person. Linda had spotted them not long after she had climbed over the brick wall and into the town. They had been trying to stay out of sight, hiding behind buildings as they followed closely behind her. She had noted their location from the beginning believing they would tire, but now they still just stood there watching her, like the rest, but with more carious. 

She sensed something very unnerving about the man. Not wanting him to follow her anymore she made the choice to try to lose him. In an instant she sprung off the wall and began running, avoiding the pain in her right leg as she went. Even with this pain she she was fast, quicker than even she thought she had done before in the sewers. She made her way down thin roads and between building the whole time hearing his feet hit the ground behind hers. She made on more turn, then quickly came to a stop as she found herself facing a wall. 

She turned, looking around the sound of the man's foot steps had stopped and he was no where in sight. The ally way was dark and unlit by the sun due to the buildings that surrounded it. Then she heard him again. Realizing she had a bit of time she ran back out of the trap she put herself in, she looked right and saw nothing then left and there she spotted the man coming right at her. She hesitated when she turned right and kept running, her head watching as he seemed to catch up with her speed.

Linda closed her eyes her hands going tight as she tried to run faster the cut on her leg pumping out blood. Then due to carelessness of not looking she ran straight into a trashcan that had been placed on the small back road. Tripping over the metal trashcan Linda's small frail body went over it. Her hands barely having enough time to cover her face as she landed in a pile of trash bags not far from the trashcan. She quickly sat up and grabbed at her head rubbing it slightly.

The man who was following her slowed his pace, walking slowly towards her a laugh escaping his lips as he looked down upon her. He kept the smile on his face as he held his hand out to her, waiting for her to take his hand. Linda just looked up at him, unsure what to make out of his smile nor his bright yet clouded eyes. “Linda you did not have to run I’m not going to hurt you. Have you really forgotten me?" He shrugged still holding out his hand. "I guess it can't be help, your memory after all? Then again I like you better this way, you never been so clumsy! Then again you running into a trashcan, how foolish have you become, Linda? In the past you were always quite unpleasant to be around," the man rambled off, a slight sound of delight in his eyes. 

Linda looked at his leather gloved hands and just stared unable to make any judgment on how to feel about him. ”hmm thanks but,” She paused unsure as to what he was talking about.” …Was I truly, that mean…I mean you...you were chasing me, how do I know you were not the mean one? If you were not going to hurt me why did not you just walk up to me?” Linda asked. She looked up at him his smile starting to fade as Linda spoke. Linda's eyes had gained a bit of pride, their hesitant graze now full of questions and jabbed for answers. 

"You are still rather unpleasant," the man spat, but kept his hand out as he looked slightly away from Linda's gaze. “Linda, you might not have memories but, I knew you would think I’m some kind of cop and I didn't want you to be afraid of me," he turned back giving a half smile. Then Linda's eyes went from his smile to his hand as he moved it slight trying to get her to allow him to help her up. Linda looked back up at him, her face become hard and cold, unbelieving of what he had to say.

Linda eyes went from his gray eyes to his stubby, unshaven chin and then back down to his gloved hand. "If I was going to take your hand I would already have taken it,” Linda stubbornly muttered out. She put her hands on each side of her as if she help herself up, but she instead she just sat there her hands holding the plastic on the black colored bag.

“I was wrong you’re far more unpleasant,” He stated pulling his hand away and letting it fall to his side. Still he stood over her looking down on her. Linda refused to give in, as there was something about him that seemed familiar, and by familiar it meant evil. However he himself appeared as a total stranger someone Linda could never of truly known. 

Linda slowly stood up, using the wall to do so, she watched him take a step backwards as she found herself leaning against the brick building. She was still standing on the bags of trash, her feet not level and she had to put all her weight on her left leg. After a while of getting used to standing again, she tried to take a step forward on her right leg, all the while watching him so she could make sure he did not try anything. She was more focused on him than worrying about herself. As she placed more weight on her leg about to lift her left leg off the ground, her right one gave out and she found herself falling. The man in front of her jumped at her, able to catch her before she could hit the ground. As soon as he stabled her balance she pushed him away. She went to take a step back trying to find the wall she had been supporting herself on, but before she could the man grabbed her in his arms and lifted her up. 

"That looks bad..." The man muttered as he tried to look at her leg, while she kicked and hit at his chest.

“I’m fine,” Linda hissed. As she still pulled away, it was no use. She could not get out of his grip his right hand held her shoulder tight and his left grabbed her legs so she could not kick. Not that it would have mattered for it hurt just as much to kick as it did to walk and thus just a waste of energy. She bit her lip as she pushed on his chest as if it was going to; somehow make him let her go.

”You really should not try to walk,” he told her still acting as if he cared. 

His hand went down hard on her left shoulder and felt something hard hard and metal. She looked over to see a ring with the letter "X” on his right hand ring finger. Her eyes widened knowing that he was definitely from clan X. She lifted her hands, remembering them saying she was from the same clan and she had the same ring on her right hand, she looked at her hands often and yet the ring never seemed to interest her. It was a golden color the “X” made with some kind of green rock that seemed to glow. Linda’s ring had a cut right through the middle of the “X” yet somehow the ring would not leave her finger no matter what.

She then looked up at the man, as be began carrying her from the alley way. His eyes scanning slightly ahead, but still in view of watching her expressions and movement. She began to see a bit more light from the side of the building as they walked. ”No really it’s fine just please let me go” Linda tried to say calmly figuring if she yelled or struggled she would make it worse on herself. He kept looking slight ahead of her. His face hard and hard to read, from her direction. His jar tight and his grip rather unfriendly. 

“Listen, you’re not well enough to go this alone. You need help. The cops are just going to find you if you stay out here” He said, a bit of contemplation in his voice. He finally looked down at her and gave a sighed smile. His lips curling upward and his eyes shut. When he opened them, he stopped walking as he lifted his left hand slowly somehow still holding her up. Linda was not sure what he was going to do as she watched his hand go toward her face she closed her eyes. She felt his hand moved a piece of wet hair that had somewhat covered her left eye. She opened her eyes to watch him remove his hand and put it back under her legs. A slight sigh escaped her lips as she tried to read him once more, unsure of his motives or how to truly view the man in front of her. 

“Cannot do what alone?” She asked her voice still calm. At first she looked away from his gaze towards her. However he stopped walking once more and Linda found herself gazing up at him anyway. His eyes were dark portals that showed truth, the truth was not there and his smiled seemed off. He was losing his touch more and more, that or she was getting better at telling his lies,, or possibly just paranoid. For he smiled with his teeth something he had not been doing and did not close his eyes like normal. He was at least looking right at her, but it just made it clearer that he knew she was somewhat giving in to his lies. Jerking her head back away from his stare, she started fussing again trying to get out of his arms as a baby would. “I do not know where I am going, but I do know where I am not going,” She yelled.

“Where are you not going” The men asked? Still giving his not even halfhearted smile trying to hide the frustration in his voice as he tried to keep her steady. "Will you stop moving!" He hissed, almost dropping her as she went to claw at his face with her rather dull nails. She paused for a moment, noticing a knife attached to his side. She began to reach for her, but as she was able to grab the handle her hand became unsteady and she pulled away.

“Clan X, I refuse to go back... Now let me go,” Linda warned hitting him on his chest with her small fists. She managed jumped out of his arms, at first she managed to land on her feet, but her leg gave out and her knees hit the pavement. She grinned-ed her teeth as she put her hands out in front of her against the cold ground. She stared hard at the grey brick fighting back tears and the boiling blood that raced inside her.

She heard a slight laugh escape his lips and his footsteps as he walked towards her. "I was asked to either bring you back or kill you. We used to have a decent relationship so I didn't want to kill you, but I'd gladly do so to take over your position in the clan," the man muttered. "Who knows maybe at this right I will be the next lord instead-"

"Lord?" Linda question as she found herself forcing herself to stand.Starting at him now there was firing blazing in his eyes. 

"Never mind that, now come on, or get ready to die," The man held out his hand once more. Linda backed up slowly, for ever step he took she took several small steps to widen the gap until she felt the hard brick against her back. Her hands grabbed at the brick for support as she hopped slightly to keep herself from falling to the ground once more.

He grabbed Linda's wrist and squeezed, feeling the small frail bones and veins tighten. "You can't possibly beat me like this... You've gotten quite thin," he growled as he pushed her hand against the brick. sliding her hand down it, causing the bricks surface to cut into her flesh. 

"I'll go with you, on one condition. You tell me who I really am," Linda muttered trying to avoid the pain in her wrist.

That's a rather tough question, you see I know nothing about who you were before the clan. Everyone calls you Linda, you celebrate no birthday and you kill like it's all you've been trained to do since birth. Face it girl you wont be able to survive as a weak civil human. Even know you want to fight me back, even with only enough strength to stand." The man whispered into her ear, his grip loosening on her wrists.

With the loosen grip Linda managed to pull her hand away from him, and start making her way down the street, using the wall as a support. His footsteps echoed behined hers as she slowly made her way towards a main road.. "They called me... hu?" her lip quivered as her hand went into a dirty tight fist. She turned pounding her fists into the wall, not feeling the pain of the harsh man-made rock against her tender skin. As tears streamed down her fists became palms smacking against the brick until she stopped placing her foreheard against the building. "So no one really knows.... My real name... age... I'm no one...?" She sunk down crouching against the building.

Author's Note

I seriously feel this is the worst chapter in the book. As many times as I revise it I am just not happy with this chapter. I actually just broke this up into two chapters so chapter three used to be apart of chapter two... Tell me what you think I could do to make this better