24

I could hear someone talking not far away, but with my eyes squeezed shut I couldn't see who it was. The ringing in my ears stopped me from hearing what they were saying. Not that I cared. I was pinpoint focused on killing this fucking cat for trying to kill me. I felt it when the cat's heart stopped. 

I held on for even longer to confirm that I no longer felt a heartbeat. An intense feeling of relief flowed through my body. My arms went slack, and fell to the pavement. Everything hurt, and I was incredibly tired. That whole experience was incredibly intense.

Reminding me of those moments when I had close calls while driving. I didn't even feel this much pressure when the zombies had me surrounded on all sides. I shoved the cat off of me, and struggled to my feet still struggling to breath. I started checking the cuts I could find. My arms had gotten the worst of it that I could see. 

There were a few deep cuts on my legs as well, but none of them were bleeding bad enough to be a real problem. I stumbled over to my stuff, and gathered it up. My arms felt the burn, and someone was telling me to stop moving. I just wanted to go home, and sleep. I didn't want to deal with these fucking people. 

I wasn't angry at them. I was upset that I'd been attacked by a cat of all things. Even if it was massive for a cat. A part of me felt terrible for killing the cat, but another part scoffed that the cat shouldn't have fucked around, and found out. I looked up, and noticed a notification in my line of sight. 

I couldn't read it. My vision was too blurry. I grabbed my stuff, and walked the rest of the way to my car which was luckily not far away. I tried to toss everything into the passenger seat, but I didn't have the strength I needed to do it. I had to lift the bags over the center console to get them into the passenger seat.

I checked for my wallet before dropping into the driver seat, and leaning back into the soft seatback. Pain was searing into my entire being. I just sat there wincing as I breathed until I heard the sound of sirens. Then I remembered my phone. I tried to pry the stupid thing out of my pocket, and it refused to come. 

I had to stretch my leg out a little more, and force my body to line up with my legs a little more to get the damn thing out of my pocket. I clicked the power button, and the screen came on. My phone did not survive this encounter. 

"Fuck!" I threw the device into the passenger door, and sagged in my seat. 

I wasn't loosing strength so I was pretty sure that despite how nasty my cuts were I wasn't going to die. I wondered if they would scar, and then shrugged it off. Wincing at the motion. Maybe a few scars would make people take me more seriously. Who gave a shit? 

Certainly not me. I chuckled humorlessly. I was alive, and that cat who tried to kill me was dead. It was all so very fucking stupid. My vision cleared enough so I could see what the notification was. 

You have killed an awakened level 2

You are the first to kill an awakened 

Reward 

2000 XP

+5 strength 

+ 5 Speed 

+ 5 Stamina 

+ 5 Mental resilience 

+ 5 Mana capacity 

+ 5 Mana regeneration

Secondary first kill reward

1 skill auto level up

System upgrade

System upgrade? What the hell is that? The paramedics rushed over to me, and helped me out of my car. Walking my over to the ambulance, and trying to get me on the bed. 

"No," I snapped firmly, "You can treat my cuts, but I'm not going to any fucking hospital."

I think they were surprised I had so much fire in me. They started treating my cuts, and kept trying to get me to go to a hospital. They cut my pants, and shredded my shirt. Not that I had much of a shirt left to begin with. They even cut my bra off from behind. 

I was more then a little embarrassed that I was now braless with only the tatters of my shirt covering me as they worked away at cleaning my cuts. It burned, but I hardly flinched. They kept advising me that I needed stitches, and should go to a hospital. I kept telling them no, and once they were done I stood up, and walked back to my car. Getting in, and starting my car. 

I'd refused pain med because they said I wouldn't be allowed to drive if I took them. I let the burn in my back to set in, and keep my alert as I drove. All I had to do was take it easy until tomorrow morning so I would get the auto heal. I didn't need a fucking hospital. Sure I was incredibly stiff as I walked, and I looked like I was homeless in the blanket, and shredded clothing I had now. 

My nose was broken. I didn't care. It had stopped bleeding, and was set so it would be fine, but it felt as if it might start bleeding again. I grabbed my bags, and broken phone. Glad that I'd had a random grocery bag in my car because I'd forgotten it in there, and headed back to my hotel room. 

Someone in the hotel lobby tried to stop me. The fact that I looked like hell stopped them. I was glad about my harsh expression. I scanned the hotel key to get the elevator going, and debated on flipping the guy off for assuming I didn't belong here with all that was going on. I gave up on it since my hands were more focused on keeping the blanket over my upper half.