The Redemption Project

Prologue:

Ember Stafford walked in the middle of the dark road, heart pounding and blood racing. The power had gone out in the city once again. There were no street lights to guide her way home, only the stars scattered across the sky which held no comfort for her. It was dangerous to be out during the night, everyone knew it. Though The Salvation Army made their rounds throughout the small city, none would be able to help her in time should trouble arise. No, Ember was all alone and with the lights out, she would be the perfect target. Especially when walking within the Midnight Stalls area.

Stalls were set up on either side of the road with people shuffling and bustling about. Collapsible tables were used to easily hide away from The Salvation Army's sights should they pass. The Midnight Stalls' location was always changing, but everyone could always find them if they were desperate enough. It was potential suicide for most to walk past the midnight stalls. The people that ran them weren't all bad. No, it was the customers that were the trouble. The customers that came to the stalls to buy illegal things, like knives, guns, drugs, they usually had a violent way of thinking and expressing themselves. What was a stab to their rival bidders stomach to them? Just the usual business. It was just Ember's luck that on the night she was outside at the late hour, that it was the Midnight Stalls that was in her path to get home.

Cold night air nipped at Ember's exposed skin, but the goosebumps that covered her arms and face were ignored as she tried to draw as little attention to herself as possible. Vulgar words were shouted back and forth between people and Ember almost wanted to cover her ears at the sound of them. She may have been used to hearing them, even used to saying them herself, but when tangled up with threats that would make any normal persons blood run cold, she didn't want to listen to them. She could feel a coil in her chest getting tighter and tighter as she passed more people, getting closer to the centre of the Midnight Stall. It would be so easy, she thought. So easy to simply take something of somebodies. Her hand was itching to reach out and swipe something. Anything. She gritted her teeth when somebody bumped into her side, using all her self control to not try to steal anything from their pockets.

A man ever so slowly walked passed her with a chain hanging from their trousers. So slowly that all she would have to do is lean forward, unclasp it and stash it away in her pocket and everything would be fine. The coil in her chest would loosen and she would feel relaxed. Only Ember was so focused on following the man in front and watching the silver chain glint off of the stalls lamps, that she didn't notice the person angrily stomping his way through the crowd. She didn't notice him, until she was shoved forcefully into his pathway and into the man himself.

He made a noise that closely resembled a growl. With her attention taken away from the chain, she looked up to see the man she bashed into sneering down at her. Before she could scurry away like a mouse, she felt his tight grip on her right bicep, holding her firmly in place. Now, she was afraid for her life. He had malicious, dark eyes, a crooked nose and a ragged beard to match; the stereotypical look of those that wandered the Midnight Stalls. She didn't dare scream out for help, even when his grip tightened enough to leave a bruise. Her voice was caught in her throat and all Ember could do was stare into his murderous eyes pleading within her mind that he let her go. He leaned his face closer to hers, making her smell the stench of his breath and nearly vomit at the proximity. "You little bitch," the man growled. She saw him raise his right arm.

Ember went to turn her head and close her eyes when suddenly a string bracelet on his left wrist caught her attention. She didn't need a bracelet, that was true, but she couldn't help but want it. The coil in her stomach tightened to a point where she felt she could no longer breathe, she had to have the bracelet. 

The hit she was expecting never came.

The imposing man let out a low groan, and released his grip on Ember. What she was surprised to see was a boy at least four or five years her senior, twisting the arm of the man behind his back, until a sickening crack was heard. She saw her opportunity, and ran past them both through the crowd, trying to avoid colliding with anyone else. When she began to reach the edge of the Midnight Stalls, she slowed down her pace. The coil in her chest was gone. She felt like a weight had been taken off of her shoulders and revelled in the feeling. The sound of heavy breathing and footsteps coming behind her almost sent her running again.

"I save your life, and you just run and leave me there?"

Ember span around to face the boy who spoke, "You didn't have to do that."

"Well I couldn't leave a damsel in distress now could I?" He gave her a half smile. She scowled at him and turned back to walk home, feeling safer now that she was out of the danger zone. "And I couldn't exactly let you leave with something that wasn't yours."

Ember froze. The bracelet in her jacket pocket felt like hardened cement. How he knew that she had it, she didn't know, but she didn't want to give it to him. She felt him come closer and span back to face him. The boy was at least a metre away from her now and looked a lot younger than she had previously thought. His bleach blonde hair was bright in the moonlight, barely an inch long and he had a straight nose with piercing pale green eyes.

"I have to admit, if I wasn't observant, I definitely wouldn't have noticed you take it. Sneaky hands you have there. Although I don't know why you would steal, from the looks of your clothes you don't seem to be desperate."

She looked down at her clothes, a dark grey jacket and black skinny jeans with brown hiking boots, and saw nothing odd. There weren't any rips or tears in her clothing and they weren't exactly covered in stains. She may not have looked like she was physically desperate to have the bracelet, but on the inside she was. "What do you want?" She said narrowing her eyes at him and taking a slow step backwards.

He took his own step forward, closing the distance between them. "Just your talent and time."

Ember furrowed her brows at him, "Who are you exactly?"

"I'm Nick," he pulled up the sleeve on one of his arms showing a familiar tattoo on his wrist. It was an image Ember had seen around the city, graffitied onto walls, on clothes and like on Nick, as tattoos. It was just an 'R' with two black feathers circling on either side, she recognised it as the sign for an exclusive gang, but didn't know what it stood for. "And I'm here to acquire your services."

"Not interested," Ember said and suddenly a street light in the distance flickered on. The power was back, which meant she should really be home. Mrs. Holland would kill her iif she found out she was out this late.

"We can teach you how to protect yourself," Nick offered. "You would never have to feel vulnerable again."

The offer was too tempting to resist. "You can call me Ember."

"Fantastic." Nick grinned. "I'll contact you soon. And-"

"You're not having the bracelet!" Ember quickly interupted.

Nick laughed out loud, "Nah, you can keep it. For now. You just run home now."

"Whatever," she scoffed at him and did exactly what he said. She ran home. 

Never looking back.

~*~

This is just a new story I am attempting to begin for NaNoWriMo. Just gonna continue to post as I write. Vote or comment if you like :)