Pick a Number - Chapter 1

A young girl fights for her life, for who she is, and for what she is.

   Delicate, the painted lady swam through the deafening crowd. Weaving in and out of sweaty, obnoxious New Yorkers. They were sardines waiting to be put into the tin. She twirled her newly blackened hair, feeling a deep growing anxiety inside of her. An electric energy rippled up from her feet to her fingers where it began to crackle. Her eyes went from a silken hazel to a radiant golden yellow as she stayed brave and kept walking. Her tattoos told tales, mythologies. Totems, protection sigils, and unknown creatures from unknown eras. Even though it had only been four years, it felt like eons that she had been alive and running. Every direction she turned there were eyes on her, tearing down any sense of safety. She kept her head down and tossed her hood over top of it. She knew once her anxiety subsided that her power would pull itself back and allow her to resemble normal. The suited man walked pass her and glanced back. He had made her despite the hood coverage and turned on his heels to approach her. He didn't rush her fast enough and instead of catching her he caught a forearm to his wind pipe. As he tried to regain his breath, two more men in cliche, black suits rounded the corner with, what looked like, pistols drawn. 

   "Oh come on, you guys are a******s."

   She turned to run and slammed into, what seemed like, a brick wall. No, it was another suit. This time it was a woman, a big woman. The energy had reached a point in her neck where it made her face twitch. The bigger woman brought her arm back just to bring it forward for a right hook, but was halted in mid air.

   "I know why you people are trying to delete me from society, but do you even know my name? Am I just a number in a file that not even you can see? Well, I'm sorry. I will not be your victim like the others. And my name is Malaia, so get familiar with it. I am going to be a problem for you."

   The suits fist, still having momentum, swung back towards her face and before landing at her own jaw broke at the elbow. Malaia heard the crunch and cringed, but a girl has to do what a girl has to do. She took the stairs to the subway, skipping some along the way. She jumped a turn style and got to the train just in time...to see the doors close. She cursed not so silently as the train sped away. The unmistakable sound of cheap shoes hitting concrete came up from behind her. Her first dancing partner must have opted out of another encounter because she only saw the shorter man and the towering diva in a suit. 

   "Why suits? Doesn't your junk get chaffed? Besides, it can't be comfy at all."

   "Your banter is of no use. You are just deflecting the inevitable, you can't do that forever."

   "So the female Sasquatch can speak. If you're going to be the one chasing me from now on, you should learn quick that I am a huge smart a*s."

   The small suit started walking towards Malaia like he had swagger, but was starting to question it. The closer he got the more apprehensive he was. Finally, nose to nose, he raised an eyebrow.

   "What's it gonna be kid? Easy way or the..."

   Malaia felt if you didn't earn what you had in life you wouldn't appreciate so she took the hard way. She swung her head forward and head butted the lackey, forcing him back a few steps. Not immune to pain, she held her own head. She walked towards him after a couple seconds of coddling herself and sent a left fist into his throat and a right knee into his abdomen. As she stood over him, laughing at him writhing in pain she noticed that the lady Sasquatch was not in her line of sight. Where could such a big person go?

   "Trouble for me? You are but a pawn to be sacrificed."

   Malaia fought a sharp sting in the back of her neck and instinctively turned around, connecting her elbow to the big womans face. Then the world started spinning. Her eyes got heavy and her legs got week. Drugged, of course. The last thought she had was that being drugged was the most predictable thing to do, then realized that she never saw it coming. Then the air around her smelled faintly of rust and the world went black as her eye lids lost the fight to stay open. 

Author's Note

Be honest but constructive please.

Reviews

[BBP]

Great start... Would love to read on and see where it takes you. I'm not one to offer advice but maybe break the paragraphs down a little so it flows better. But that might be my own ADD style of reading lol Other than that I really dig it.

[Jason Lawton]

Thank you Chris. I seem to get stuck on that word a bit. So now I know it is past. Thank you. I think it might be a first chapter after I rewrite.

[Chris]

"The suited man walked pass her" - past?

A fair beginning or a short and sad end for a character that had to have known better.

[Jason Lawton]

Thank you Chris. I seem to get stuck on that word a bit. So now I know it is past. Thank you. I think it might be a first chapter after I rewrite. Still learning this site if you can't tell.

[Chris]

A lot to learn and good people to learn with.