A Diamond in the Rough

Chapter 3 (Part 1)

Zach

I rode into the city and stopped at my favorite Chinese restaurant. I took the to go bag and stuffed it in my backpack, making sure it was closed so nothing would get on the book. Speaking of the book, it kept vibrating in my backpack.

Every time I made a turn, every time I stopped, and it went crazy when I drove past an alley earlier. I was on my way back home and the book wouldn't stop, it just kept going and going. When I was about to pass that same alley, the book went crazy. My backpack was basically jumping off my back and that was when I heard voices.

"You're just bluffing, you wouldn't kill me." It was obviously a girl and whoever she was she was having a hard time talking.

"Wanna bet?" A deeper voice said.

My eyes widened and I turned off my bike and set the backpack down on it, which was starting to calm down. I eased up against the wall and peered my head over the corner. There were two guys, dressed in suspicious looking colors, one standing behind another one who was holding something against the wall.

It was the girl I heard talking, who was dressed in suspicious colors herself. But what really caught my attention was what was going on. Even in the dark I could something red running down the girl's neck and the knife in the guys hand.

I didn't have a plan and I knew running out without one was stupid, but there was no time for that, she needed my help and I felt like I was supposed to do this.

Grabbing a metal trash can lid as a weapon I ran out and hit the guy who was just standing there as hard as I could over his head. It caught the knife guy's attention and he let the girl go. She slid down the wall and gripped her neck, her face twisted with pain and confusion.

"Who are you?" the knife guy barked at me.

I didn't reply. I just swung the lid at him and hit him right in the stomach. He stumbled back against the wall and his knife fell off to the side. I bent down and grabbed the knife and pointed it at him as he tried to get up again. Ignoring my threat he stood up and lunged for me. I didn't plan on accidently killing someone tonight, so I dodged underneath his arm and swung the knife, cutting his leg. He screamed, fell to the ground, and I knew he wouldn't be getting up any time soon.

I dropped the lid and stabbed the knife against the concrete, knowing it wouldn't be usable now, then threw it down the alley. My attention flew back to the girl who was sitting on the ground looking at me with an unreadable expression. Her long brown hair was a wavy mess around her head and her dark green eyes were filled with a wild look. She was breathing just as heavy as I was and her hands were covered in her own blood.

I walked closer to her and her eyes just followed me.

"C'mon, let's get out of here." I said quietly reaching my hand out to her.

She didn't say anything but she placed her small hand in mine, and ignoring my now blood covered hand, I pulled her up and she let go of my hand.

"My neck. It hurts." Her voice came out weak, and painful.

"C'mon, I can take you to the hospital." I said.

"No, I can't go there. I just need to go home." She looked even more scared now.

"But your neck-."

"Please." She whimpered.

"Hey." Someone grunted behind us.

We both whipped our heads around and the witness guy was starting to get up.

"Go get on my bike," I instructed pointing her to it, "put the backpack on and turn the key."