Maiya Shaw- and the Fortune Cookie

2.

The next morning I rose, bright and late. I looked at the clock and as was customary, swore loudly and jumped out of bed. Within fifteen minutes, I had brushed, showered and gotten dressed. Slinging my backpack over my shoulder, I was about to leave, when something made me pause. The fortune cookie incident from last night was nearly forgotten. Nearly.

I walked across the room, opened a drawer and pulled out a flashlight, a pepper spray and a Swiss knife. It all went into the bag. Maybe I was being a little paranoid, but as that saying went- it was better to be safe than sorry.

******

A little past afternoon, I was free of classes. Francis and Gabriel had amazingly headed to the library, and I had amazingly decided to not accompany them. Instead, I wanted to take a quick trip to the mall. The straps on my purse had broken, and I had been putting off buying a new one since two weeks now. Seeing as I was finally a little on top of my assignments, I could afford to take time out and go now.

Checking the time, I rushed to where I knew I would find Sarah- in the gym. Thankfully, she was just leaving it.

'Hey, wanna come with me to the mall?' I asked.

'I'm sorry May, I've got this much work to do', she said, holding her arms out wide. 'I'm just gonna go take a shower now and I'll be heading to the library.'

'Okay', I said, slightly crestfallen. 'I guess I'll just ask Anne.'

But Anne wasn't as on top of her assignments as I was either, and ten minutes later, I found myself on the bus, heading to the mall alone.

I took out the novel and began reading it, my mind quite free of any thoughts save those regarding Mr. Heathcliff and the other characters.

Very quickly, my stop arrived and getting down, I began walking towards the mall. I could see it, just a couple of buildings down. Almost there.

I did not notice, as I passed by an empty alleyway- two men emerge from it. I did notice, when one of them clamped a hand over my mouth and pulled me into it.

Terror clouded all my senses. I thrashed around, trying to wriggle out of the hold, but the man was as strong as I was weak. Which was very.

The men dragged me inside the alley and towards a gate. My heart was thumping. I was frantic and terrified. A little too late, I remembered my bag, which the man had jerked off and thrown down at the entrance of the alley. I was thinking of the now useless pepper spray and swiss knife, when suddenly, there was something being sprayed in the faces of my assailants, and I was let go off.

I barely had time to process this new turn of events. Both the men had their hands on their faces, and the newest member of our little party- a guy wearing a hoodie whose face I couldn't yet see- threw the pepper spray down, thrust a small knife into their thighs, grabbed my arm and ran, pulling me after him.

He also managed to quickly pick up the fallen pepper spray, retrieve my bag from the ground, and give me a good look of his face before we were out on the streets.

My saviour was Gabriel.