Game of Sinners

Chapter Four - Darkness

"Now, as we stand three feet apart and stare at each other, I feel the full distance that comes with spending so much time apart, a moment filled with the electricity of a first meeting and the uncertainty of strangers." 

― Marie Lu, Champion

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Without thinking, I rolled to the ground as a shadow passed over my head, directly in line with where I was just sitting.

The shadow skidded and turned back to face me, revealing a man in his late 30's. His stocky frame led up to a face that I couldn't make out in the dark night. A tattoo curled around his neck in what looked like an eye with fire wrapping around it.

But nothing mattered to me apart from his glowing yellow eyes.

A scream tore form my lips as I tried to turn and run but the man moved faster than I could see. In one quick motion, I was slammed back into the bench; hearing it splintering beneath me as I landed painfully on the now pile of wood.

My head smacked the ground, creating stars that bounced in my vision in time with my throbbing head. I blinked rapidly to clear my sight but it was too late.

In an instant, hands were at my throat. My groggy mind snapped awake and I desperately tried to gasp for air.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't breathe.

I was pinned down under the attacks body and he was slowly suffocating me, slowly killing me.

Fear gripped my heart as I struggled desperately against his hold, clawing his face and the bright yellow eyes that were filled with so much burning anger.

I scratched anywhere I could see, touch, feel, reach, not reach and all of the in between just to get away and see the light of dawn again.

His hands tighten further against my throat, crushing it to allow no air past.

Pain. Air.

I needed air.

Hot, fast blood pounded my ears as my vision started to turn black.

I felt wet liquid coat my nails but my hands were slowly becoming weaker and weaker. My efforts were futile. I had to get away.

I summoned all my strength felt around me for anything I could use against him. Anything. In the hazy darkness I saw a flash of yellow canines bending towards me so that a silent scream ripped from my mouth.

I stretched my hand further against the damp soil; hoping, praying that I found something. Dirt jammed under my finger nails and bits of rotting leaves but I couldn't find anything.

Pain spiked up against my hand as I slammed my fist into a splintered panel of wood. I attempted one last gulp of air before my fist closed around it.

As hard and fast as I could, I drove the panel into his stomach. He screamed and crumpled to the floor beside me, blood pooling out of his wound where the panel stuck in a good two inches.

Air rushed into my lungs with a gasp. It hurt to breath but I couldn't get enough of the sweet tasting air. My head pounded horribly as I rolled to the side and pressed my fact into the floor.

Adrenalin slammed around my body, mixing with my fear that made me shake uncontrollably.

I blinked rapidly to clear the blackness from my eyes. I didn't have long. Already I could hear the moans of the man as he struggled to pull the panel out of him.

My hazy mind somehow convinced my body to get up and to stagger away as fast as I could. Hot tears started to prick my eyes as I headed for the door, my head pounding from when it was slammed on the ground but I continued like my life depended on it...and it did.