Opening Story - 004

The three of them, the ones pressuring that girl, approach me. They fan out, as if to encircle me. I already understand at this point that there's no way that I'm going to win. There's three of them, and just me. It isn't like I know how to fight either. No miracle is going to happen, where I somehow find some unknown innate power. No, there is no such things as miracles.

Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've ever been in a fight. And it's for a girl I don't know, and had never met before now. I don't even know her name. It almost makes me laugh. Even though I know I can't win, I don't intend to just take a beating from them. I'm going to try. After all, I may have put myself in this situation, but it isn't like I want to be beaten up.

I rush forward with speed, and throw all my weight into a punch, aiming at the one in the middle – the one who did all the talking. I hit him, and I even throw him off balance a little, knocking him a step back, but immediately after that I'm tackled from the side. I'm thrown down on the concrete, like a ragdoll. It puts me in a daze, and I can't get back up. Beneath my head, it feels slightly warm. Blood, warm blood, is oozing out of my head. That's the last thing I can feel for certain, before a hail of knees and feet rains down on me.

It hurts. It hurts all over. Every inch of my body is in pain. I can't breathe, I'm winded. I feel like a complete idiot. What kind of person gets into a fight for someone they barely know? I'm sure lots of people would like to think they would, but I don't imagine most would. I, for one, wouldn't have done this a month ago. I would've walked straight past without a word, and tried to forget what I saw.

But I've decided not to do that anymore. That I'm not going to lie to myself, or anyone else. That I'm going to be kind and caring to everyone. Otherwise, I'll just be the same person I was when I ran away. I need to change, or else I'm just trash.

I hear shouting, male voices. Presumably the guys who just beat me, and then the heavy footsteps of someone running. Multiple people running.

A car's engine, I can hear one close by, but I don't know who it belongs to, or why it's stopped right next to me.

There's someone holding my head. I can't see who it is, but then again, I can't tell if my eyelids are open or not.

My head's spinning. It hurts. It hurts all over. I'm in so much pain. At the very least, I'm bruised all over. At worst, I've probably broken multiple bones.

I can feel myself finally coming to my senses. It still hurts all over, both inside and outside, but at least I have some sense of what's going on. I can feel that my head's resting on someone's knees. I open my eyes, with some difficulty. Perhaps their swollen. From down here, the light from the streetlamp doesn't do much, so I can't see who it is.

Whoever it is notices that I'm awake.

"Thank our Mother, your awake. How do you feel?"

I recognise the voice. It's the girl. Of course, it's the girl. I'm surprised that I remember her voice from just the two words I've heard her say. I'm fine. That's all she said to me. All she said, in that unconvincing tone, when she was probably about to get raped.

"What happened?"

"The policeman went off; he's looking for those three. I don't know if he'll be able to find them though."

"Policeman?"

I see. That's what the car I heard pull up was. And that's why the three of them ran.

"He called an ambulance before he left. He said it would show up in about ten minutes."

That's good. The police and the ambulance are involved already. The two of us are fine. I guess we're saved. Everything worked out in the end. Though I wish if a policeman was going to show up, that he could've made it before I was this badly beaten. It'll all be over once the ambulance arrives. Me and this girl can go to the hospital. My injuries will be tended to, and…

Wait.

I can't go to the hospital.

I don't have any identification. Not any that I can use. And if they have some way of identifying me there, it'll tell them who I am. I can't let that happen. I don't want to be found. I can't let myself be found, but if I go to the hospital, I will be. I roll of the girl's lap, and try to push myself up off the ground.

"What are you doing?"

I ignore her, and keep struggling until I'm able to stand upright. I stagger forward but I'm only able to take two steps before the pavement starts to loom in front of my eyes. The girl catches me, but I can tell that it's taking all her strength to keep me upright.

"What are you doing?" she repeats herself, "we need to wait here for the ambulance."

"I can't…"

"What?"

"I can't go to the hospital… it isn't possible…"

"What do you mean?"

A drop of congealed blood drops off my lip as I open my mouth to speak again, "I can't be found… I can't let… be found…"

Looking at the girl's face, I don't think she completely understands what I'm trying to say, but she nods, nonetheless.