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Chapter 2: Memories

LUCIA POV

The dust settles on my nose, voices echoes, my body shock as I heard footsteps approaching me.

Languorously, I spur my eyes opened. I was weak, hearing the siren blast and people around asking if there was a survival.

When I had stood up, I found myself in ruins.

The building has suddenly collapsed in ruins, but how? I cough out, barely seeing clearly.

When my eyes finally got a lucid picture of the two images in front of me, I noted they were the police. They pointing a flashlight on my face and I squint my eyes.

Their lights were blinding. Some rescuers were around.

They had ropes, harnesses, carabiners, pulleys, GPS devices, thermal imaging cameras, and drones.

Their job were to extricate, and evacuate the people who were lost, injured and trapped in this building.

Surprisingly, I wasn't hurt but only looked unkept and covered in dust, debris, torn cloth and trampled hair.

The only person that came in mind was my husband, was he dead or alive?

"Ms Lucia" one of the cops said to me jerking me back to reality. I saw a handcuff around his waist and it got me jinxed.

I was speechless, quivering and glued to a spot.

"Can you hear me?" The second questioned drawing closer to me. I interpreted they wanted me arrested for the chaos that was caused but I wasn't at fault.

Terrified, I began to walk backwards, waving my head at them.

I didn't want them to take me, I wasn't willing to explain, besides I had no idea on what happened.

Immediately, I started a race, away from them. Oddly enough, I never knew where my feet took me to but I just wanted to leave.

I came to halt, exhausted when I got to the woods.

Dark tree trunks, shadows, overhanging limbs across the path seen at the last second, clumps of bushes, barely visible black trails snaking through the undergrowth.

The moon shining through a lattice of leaves, patchy skyanf stars seen in glimpses through tree breaks.

Cobwebs were in my face, cold, dewy leaves sliding across skin, slipping on wet leaves and mushrooms, tripping on bumpy roots, stones, dead fall.

The thorns scratch my skin, scrapes and cuts on hands from falling in the dark, pine needles embedded in skin during fall.

The moon slipping through leaves, cracking undergrowth with each step, creaking tree trunks, the flutter of wings unseen, snapping twigs, grass and weed sliding against pant legs, breathing sounds, coyote calls, fox yipping, wolves howling and snarls.

I was scared and broke down in tears as I struggled through the twigs to get out.

Fortunately, I heard music playing from afar. There was hope, I wasn't alone. I managed to get out and found myself staring at a bar a few distance away.

I look miserable, I needn't look at the mirror because it was obvious. My heart burns as I wipe my tears and stomped closer to the bar.

I found two bouncers, checking IDs and I knew I didn't stand a chance.

The first took a long glance at me. I knew what he was thinking. Probably a lost soul wanting to find solace in this bar.

"Jeez girl, you look broken!" He comments and I returned a glare at him.

"Did your voodoo blast you off?" The second jokes as he lean closer to me attempting to touch my face but I snapped his hand away.

These men disgust me, I saw the lustful eyes they put on me.

They'd take advantage of anything that has a vagina.

My eyes fell on someone who was counting his steps out of the bar.

They wouldn't let me in and so I decided to move away. However, this drunk's voice made me halt.

"Look who we have here" the drunk stutters chuckling mischievously and staggering towards me.

I fumed, raged enough to burn him down. The stench from his mouth freaks me out.

He drew his face to mine, inhaled my neck softly and then gulp a mead in his hand.

"Hey I could clean you up in the bathroom" he seductively whispers in my ear.

Ignoring him, I made an attempt to walk away but he took my hand and i was irritated as he tightened his grip on my wrist and I bite me.

"Back off!!" I glowered, freaked out as it is. His appearance only reminds me of the thought of ravyen and Sonia.

Could they be dead? I didn't really get to know. Even though I despise their act, I wasn't cruel to wish them dead or maybe I wanted them to taste pain.

He winced and then burst into laughter. The bouncers watch in anticipation. Their duty was to the threshold.

Turning around to leave, I realized more men were suddenly behind me.

"Oh love, I got my eyes on you, come to papa, I'd polish you like never before"

Fear engulfed me as I intended to snap his hand away again but his hand came falling off at my feet.

"Arghh!" He cried whimpering like a child and I almost retched as blood splatters on my face.

Someone had just chopped his hand!

I was jittery and disgusted. Even the bouncers were startled as their eyes rolled around to see for themselves who it was.

"That's no better way to talk to a lady" an husky voice broke the awe.

My gaze shifted to the man who spoke, he had a hat on and his face was conceal in the dark.

He seems like a bounty hunter, resting his back on the wall and scraping a chop knife. This stranger took a calculative step forward.

The men made an attempt to attack him. Suddenly, the knife in his hands shredded the sleeve of their jackets. Blood bursting forth and running down some of their arms. He was quick and I couldn't decipher how he does that.

His movements, the swelling of his hands like a rhythmic act. The funky music suits the moment perfectly.

I shouldn't be staring but leave, however, this was so interesting.

He turned to regard his opponent with clenched fists and a smile like razors.

To be sincere, I was amazed as he fought like an alien trapped in the confines of a human skin.

It surprised me at first and hurt like hell, but it didn’t take long for me to grow furious after realizing what transpired in the early hours.

It wasn't up to a minute, they came crashing at his feet. Sharply, he stuck the blade into his pant pocket, pace closer to me and when my eyes finally got a glimpse of him, I went breathless.

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