Ride Or Die

Two - Evelyn

My heart is hammering as I run through the alleyway. My feet pound the dirty ground. I close my eyes to block it out, and run faster. I remember feeling so pretty today. It was going to be a good day for tips. Until I ran into that guy. Until my boss took my money. Until my ex showed up. Thoughts spin through my mind as I run as fast as I can. I hear footsteps behind me, and I duck down another alley, and another. I know this place like the back of my hand, and it's not the first time I've been running.

Stopping to catch my breath, I take a good look around. It's a dead end, walls on all sides of me accept the way that I came. Where am I? Apparently I know this place better when my life doesn't depend on it. Typical. I turn and start walking back towards where I came from when I hear footsteps. My heart starts beating faster as panic begins to set in again. I feel the lingering pain of his hands at my throat as I back into the shadows. I'm defenseless. As the sound of his heavy footfalls gets louder, I step back farther into the shadows. I bump into something soft and freeze. Air whooshes by my face and it sounds suspiciously like a sigh.

I whip around, and nearly have a heart attack at what I see. There is a man leaning against the brick wall, hidden in the dark corner where I was trying to hide. He seems to be a part of the shadows. He smiles, and it looks like a grin. If you combine that with the slightly murderous intent in his eyes, I'm getting the sense that I would be better off with my ex. I inhale, planning on screaming for help, when he clamps a hand over my mouth and pulls me back into the shadows. I struggle, yet he holds me in place effortlessly. It's getting hard to breathe, so I bite his hand.

He doesnt even flinch. We stay that way for a bit longer, and then he releases his hand, inspecting the damage. I taste blood in my mouth, and I spit it out just as William barrels through the small entrance to the dead end. My heart stops. It looks like he wants to do a little more to me than a bruise. He grins when he sees me, and starts advancing towards me. I instinctively back up until my back hits the wall. I look around, trying to see the man who was holding me captive a few seconds ago. He is nowhere to be seen.

“Looking for someone, Eve?” He chuckles, his eyes glinting madly. I breathe slowly, trying to keep the panic at bay. Talking is always what I've done best.

“Why did you follow me, William?” Answer every question with a question.

“William? So formal. I thought we knew each other better than that, baby.” He's so close now.

“Not anymore.” I am stalling, and he knows it. He takes the final steps, his thick arms caging me against the wall as he strokes my face.

“God, I've missed you.” He leans in closer, and I can smell his breath. It smells like stale mint. Blood streams from his now crooked nose.

“Missed me, or my body? I think we both know which one it is.” I know for a fact that he never loved me. Maybe I did once, but I was living in a sick and twisted fairytale. One where the poor girl marries the rich guy and lives happily ever after. I convinced myself that every time he beat me it was out of love, or that he couldn't control himself. He leans in and presses his lips to my face, right where I have a scar from when he hit me with the hand that wore our engagement ring. Blood from his nose drips onto my face.

His hands move down my arms and I start trembling. Though I've tried to forget, I can still remember every time he hit me. But that's all in the past. And I won't let him hurt me again. I push those memories to the back of my mind.
He moves to kiss me and my knee flies up before he can react. He groans in pain as he falls to the ground. I scramble away from him. He looks up at me, and I see the hatred and lust in his eyes. This is one lost man, alright. I've just got to survive long enough to get help. Maybe that guy from earlier is still around here somewhere. I turn to look for him, putting my back to William. Stupid move. My feet are pulled out from under me and my face slams into the ground. Pain radiates through my skull, spots dancing in front of my eyes. I can feel where the side of my face is split open, wet blood mixing with dirt. I grit my teeth and try to get up, but he yanks me back down. Again and again. He laughs when I fall, and that's when I start to realize just how bad my current situation is.