The Species of Power [Draft 1]

Chapter 4

Two months later.

"Tell it to me again."

"My name is Ruth Mayhem, and I'll be playing the part of Ruth Johnson."

"Are you going to introduce yourself like that?"

"No."

"So, can you actually be Ruth Johnson?"

"Fine," Ruth said, she sat up straight and folded her hands in her lap. "My name is Ruth Johnson. I live with my older brother Joseph Johnson, who barely looks like me, but his hair is dark like mine. So even though we have different features, apparently we can get away with-"

"Ruth," Joseph said. His eyes were closed, his body was shaking. "Please, just say it correctly." He didn't look so good; he hadn't raged in three weeks, and with it building up on him for so long, Ruth knew that it was going to be a bad one.

Ruth looked around the condo; she only had to survive for ten seconds. She was sitting across from him on the couch; he was directly in front of her, right in the heart of the condo; the living room.

She moved herself over slightly to her right, just in case he tried to pounce at her. The glass coffee table would probably be an issue, but moving off the couch all together would definitely set him off.

She looked to her left at the kitchen, if she was lucky, maybe she could slide over the island and grab a knife, but that would be a long shot. The door leading into the building hallway was behind her, about south west of her location, but she wasn't leading a raging Joseph out there.

Behind Joseph was the window, Ruth thought about jumping out the window, but they were on the top floor, and the building was really high, not even a Child of Rage could survive the fall.

To Ruth's right, was the hallway leading to her bedroom, and Ruth wasn't about to allow him to go anywhere near her stuff. Ruth was going to have to fight him off... in her pajamas.

"Fine, my name is Ruth John-"

Joseph lunged for Ruth's throat. Ruth ducked down on the couch; Joseph's body flew over her and hit the wall behind her. She struggled to get up; her body was tangled in the cushions. When she was off her sofa, she tried for the kitchen, but she wasn't fast enough to outrun Joseph.

She jumped over the coffee table but slipped when trying to climb over the second couch. Joseph wrapped his arms around her waist and slammed her body backwards.

Her body collided with the table, tiny pieces of glass cut Ruth's skin. Joseph pinned Ruth down and squeezed her throat with incredible pressure. Ruth thought about what she did to the boy by the dumpster, Adam.

Finally, his hands relaxed, the second Ruth felt them loosen; she began coughing and gaging. Her lungs burned as she breathed. Joseph stood up, Ruth rolled onto her side. The glass surrounded her body like snow.

"Whoa." Joseph said. "What the hell... I... I blacked out... Ruth I'm so sorry." Her breathing was already better, deep raspy breaths, but it was still an improvement.

She tried to push herself up, but Joseph scooped her up and put her on the couch. Ruth kept breathing deeply, until she was able to speak again.

"Joseph... do you ever take that coat off?"

Joseph laughed, his body relaxed a little relief washed over him. "Nope." He said.

"Not even when you go to sleep?"

"Pajamas are for the weak."

"I am not weak."

"Hate to break it to you," said Joseph. "But I just kicked your ass, and what a fine ass it is."