Songs of the Soul

Chapter 1

Three-hundred metres… close… a little more… a bit further… 

A swift kick to the throat incapacitated the bastard. He stumbled, clutching his throat as He looked around in a daze, gasping for breath, breath his bruised larynx was denying. 

“Wha…?”

“Hello.” 

His beady eyes widened as recognition dawned on him, as she made her way from behind the dumpster. The smell of fear assailed her senses.

Charley smiled, her eyes flashing bright blue. 

“P-please! I-I-I—.” she cut him off with a twirl of her dagger, a gorgeous silver plated number with a handle containing intricately carved symbols and words. Words that promised death. 

The putrid smell of urine assailed her senses. 

“I can smell you’ve herd of me.”

The man swallowed. 

She smiled, her eyes burning a brighter blue. An unnatural blue. 

“P-p-please!” he begged, his double chin jiggling.

She raised her eyebrows. 

“Why?”

“I-I can pay it back! Please! I just- I need a bit more time—.”

“You were given two extra weeks.”

“I know! I know, but please! I swear, I can have it in another week! I swear! Please—no! No, no, no, no—please!”

Charley stopped her hand from wrapping around his pudgy neck. He was backed up against the brick wall of the alley, sweating, his soft chest falling and rising with laboured breaths. He had no where to go anyway. 

Her phone vibrated in her back pocket with a small ding. Her ire flared; they knew not to text or call her when she was on a job. She took it out and saw a text: You need to come back. He’s summoned you.

Summoned. What a fancy word. She grit her teeth, contemplating whether to respond to the summon. She looked back at the man, scared beyond reason, then back at her phone, then back to the man again. Much as she enjoyed his snivelling, he wasn’t worth her father’s wrath. 

She rubbed her tired eyes. “You don’t have more time. But, I’m feeling— well, let’s just say, I’m not feeling particularly homicidal today. So, I’ll give you two hours to come up with the money and pay up. After that, I can’t promise anything. Now scram.” 

“T-t-thank you! Thank you so much!” He stuttered, using the wall to climb to his feet.

“Don’t thank me,” she sneered. “The only reason I don’t have you pinned up by your balls is ‘cuz I don’t feel like it.” A lie. 

He flinched, his hand instinctually going to his crotch. 

“Now leave, before I change my mind.”

He nodded, and scrambled off, tripping over his own feet. 

“Oh, and if you try to run, not only will I pin you up by your balls, I’ll also cut your legs off and pin them right next to you. Ta-ta now.” She said with a small wave.

If it was possible, he seemed to pale further. 

When the man finally left, Charley turned and made her way out the other end towards her car. 

Time to face the father.