Learning to Live Again (A Josh Ramsay Fan fiction)

Chapter Two:

Struggling to breathe and control the thoughts that were causing me to panic, ‘you are so stupid, what is wrong with you, you should know better, you need to be more aware of your surroundings, never let your guard down’, I slowly turned around to face the person who grabbed my arm.  At the same time, my free arm went to my purse to pull out my pepper spray; I was mentally preparing myself to scream bloody murder and fight.  After all my years working with offenders in the community, I was not going to become a helpless victim myself. 

I slowly turned around, and faced the person; it was the ‘out of place man’.  However, still not knowing who he was, my eyes narrowed in on his, and moved down to glare at his hand holding my arm, I made contact with his eyes once again.  It took all the strength, and mostly fear, I had to say in a very aggressive and shaky tone, “Please, take your hands off me!”

Either realizing that he scared the shit out of me, or worrying about what I was now holding in my other hand, he immediately let go of my arm and apologized putting his hands up in self-defence.  “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean anything.  I was trying to get your attention to ask if I could borrow your phone, but I guess you didn’t hear me.  I didn’t mean to scare you, I am sorry, but you seem to be a little on edge?”

“Excuse me?” I said not fully believing what I just heard.  “You think that if you grab someone’s arm, and they react, that they are ‘on edge’?  Who the hell do you think you are!  Do you really think that it is ok to grab a strangers arm?”  The fear that was once in my voice was fading away to anger. 

“Look, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have grabbed you, but shit, you don’t need to be so paranoid, and what do you think I was going to do anyway?” he laughed.

I didn’t even respond, I was so angry, I just glared at him, not believing that someone could be so absent minded. ‘Am I the only one who thinks it inappropriate, not to mention dangerous to grab a stranger by the arm?’ I thought to myself, ‘If so, maybe I have been working in this field to long!’ 

Just then, Mr. Smith, the offender I met earlier this evening, headed towards us.  ‘Shit’ I thought to myself.  Dangerous thoughts started coming back to my mind, the anger was being replaced by fear once again as I thought the two of them were working together.  Mr. Smith is a big man, towering at about 6’2 and weighing over 200lbs.  He looks like he is all muscle.  His head is shaved with a tattoo of a skull on the back of his head, and a tear under his left eye.  He has tattoos up and down both his arms, including snakes, spiders, skulls, some letters and numbers.  He looks like a criminal.  The ‘out of place man’ is also quite tall, about the same height as Mr. Smith, a little thinner, but broad in the chest, he also has some tattoos on his arms, but not to the same extent as Mr. Smith.  If they are working together, I had to give them credit, what a great way to find their victims.  They look the complete opposite.  Mr. Smith looks dangerous and threatening, someone you would cross the street to avoid, while ‘the out of place man’ looks harmless in comparison.  I was no match for either of them.  Although I am an avid runner, my 5’2, athletic frame would be no match for the two of them.  Not to mention, I was still around the other side of the building, and no one else was around.  All I could think to myself was, ‘why did I not ask Kevin to wait with me! Now I’m dead.’ However, I also reminded myself that I was still holding on to my little canister of pepper spray.