The Lonely Dragon

Chapter 1 - Darkness

When one as a human being, feels nothing or has a 'hole' in their chest you try to fill it. Either by finding something to replace what you had lost or trying to fill that hole with something more important than the latter. As of now, I have yet to find out what that 'Something' is...

Breathing in the cold crisp air, you could see the small cloud that formed once I let out a sigh. As day turned to night, the streets were flooded with people and cars heading to a destination unknown. The city lights which began to turn on glimmered in the winter night sky like diamonds. Stopping at a pedestrian crossway, I waited for the light to turn green signaling for me to walk across the road. Peaceful thoughts turned to a distorted feeling as I heard a loud crashing sound.

I looked to my right and noticed an elderly man who looked like a street vendor getting harassed by some thugs. Perhaps they were loan sharks of some sort? I couldn't tell.

No one helped, they all just turned a blind eye to what was happening....well to be painfully honest so was I.

I was no different from all the rest of this scum. I don't have the right to help anyone, the only purpose I live is to complete one thing. And that one thing will bring me completion of some sort. The light turned green and everyone started to cross the road.

Continuing to walk down the street, you could smell the food coming from the restaurants, and the loud noises coming from the sides of the road where desperate women prowled the streets in the hope of a one-night stand with an unknown person. Pity? I don't believe that's the correct way of describing what my feelings are, especially for these types of people. Feelings...Perhaps I don't possess these fragile possessions. Looking down at my wristwatch it just struck midnight, I then walked by dark alleyways catching everyone's prowling eyes. It felt disgusting.

*Whistle* "Hey hottie!" A man said as he was distracted from conversing with a couple of other young men. Looking at them with disgust I pretended not to hear them.

"Oy! What's the attitude sweetie?" He continued, as he blocked my path all the while his friends surrounded me. Looking around I noticed the people walking past us avoided all contact with me, instead of coming to my aid. I suppose this is for not helping that old man a minute ago....what goes around comes around.

"Wanna play with us? We know of a great bar just down the road" another man suggested while putting his arm around my shoulder. Being so close to them I could smell, the remnants of smoke from their cigarettes.

Seeing as how I didn't put up much of a fight, they took it as me being agreeable to their proposal. And smiled very perversely. "I think she wants to come, boys, let's go" They started to walk away in an unknown direction with me in arm. I then shrugged them off. "Huh...what's wrong?" They asked. Ignoring their remarks I shook them off and walked down the dark alleyway that was located next to us to my right.

They followed...mad "Oy!" One of them grabbed my arm yanking me back.

"Don't touch me" I calmly stated.

"Huh? Oh, I get it, she's scared boys!" He laughed. Forcing me against the cold brick wall, he picked up a strand of my hair "Hey boys let's have some fun!"

I then could feel something inside me, something began to cloud my mind with voices. Pure darkness. It swallowed me whole as I succumbed to this feeling. Then I woke up.

They all started to laugh, as the man in front of me started to lean forward. Taunting me with excuses to save myself, as if expecting me to beg them to stop. Just as he was about to place his lips on mine, he sharply breathed in as his eyes opened wide with terror. Stumbling backward away from me, the dim light from the lamppost above us began to flicker on as it revealed a black dagger protruding from his abdomen, "What the hell?!" The pain started to become reality as he grimaced from the feeling of the cold blade.

For a moment they were all stunned, as if to process what was going on. Then once they saw their friend fall to his knees, they snapped out of their trance.

They then began to approach me getting closer and closer, with every step brought hesitation. Uncertainty, about what they should do.

As one friend stayed next to the one who was injured, the nearest man to me took a swing at me, I blocked with my left arm and punched him in the face with my right, once he doubled over I grasped the back of his shirt and hoisted my knee into his abdomen. Gasping for air he fell to the ground. From the left side, another one tried to take advantage of my pause and rushed at me with both fists up ready to throw a punch. I guessed he was a boxer of some sort by his stance. Making a swift motion with my body, I tilted my body to the right; lifting my leg I thrust it with force resulting in it making its mark on his chest; Sending him flying. Not wasting another minute they ran for their lives, leaving their injured friend behind.

Looking towards the man on the floor, he scooted himself against the wall to stabilize himself...tears streamed down his eyes as he struggled to remove the dagger but to no avail, his pain intensified as well as his groans. I approached him slowly, and seeing him shake in fear I sat beside him. I looked up at the night sky above. "Your friends left you behind to die" I whispered just loud enough for him to hear me, I looked over at him struggling to take ahold of the handle again, attempting to remove it again. I let out a sigh. "It's no use trying to take out that blade" He stopped and looked at me with bloodshot eyes, I began to explain "That blade is specifically designed to stay lodged in its victim unless the one who put it there takes it out which results in, inflicting more pain with each passing minute..." I let out a small giggle.

"Please...save...me!" He begged. His sentence was getting more and more inaudible as he began to mumble and the tears streamed like a river down his smooth face. Looking at him from a closer angle, he didn't seem to be more than eighteen or so....how unfortunate.

I let out a groan, then clapping my hands together I made my decision, "Sure, I'll save you---" In one quick motion I turned my body towards him and plunged another dagger into his heart, "I'll save you from your suffering...be grateful" I whispered in his ear. His eyes grew bigger as he struggled to breathe.

"Who...a-are...y-you?" His body shook. I patted his head.

"Shhh, sleep now... it'll be over soon" Pulling out both daggers, I stood over him and watched him as he breathed his last.

"Burn" I flicked my fingers, and then his body was engulfed in flames, which quickly disappeared as the wind blew violently and carried his ashes to the sky. Looking up at the moon which shone brightly, a single tear fell from my eye "Pretty...isn't it? Pretty enough for me to let out a single tear I guess" I laugh to myself.

Hearing loud sirens approach my location, I guessed those cowards had actually called for help...but too late far too late. "Well, looks like it's time for me to go".

I then walked into the darkness once more and disappeared.