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offthebeatenpathWhile Em was getting her things ready and choosing a deck for the day, the Seven of Wands had come loose from from the rest and fallen to the floor. She'd only gotten a glimpse then, boots on pavement and the shadow of what seemed like a very large man. Throughout the day, when she didn't have someone wanting a reading, she'd check in the with the cards, slowing putting together a better picture of what was coming.
Danger. Aimed at her. More than she could see in the cards, or would see at first whenever the danger arrived. Help would come, from where she couldn't tell, but she needed to be ready to defend herself.
The sense of urgency in the cards grew until, earlier than she'd normally pack up for the day, the tarot showed her it was time to move. Now. She tossed her things back in her bag, except for her cards, that she slid into the pocket of her skirt, and the cord attached to the end of her flashlight, that she looped around her wrist so she could pull the makeshift club from the bag quickly if she needed to. Then she headed for where the cards had earlier shown her Jag. If he wasn't there, she would still be closer to the squat, and there were likely to be plenty of people along the way. Maybe enough witnesses would keep whomever was coming from doing... whatever it was the planned to do to her.
~*~*~
She saw the shadow first, then heard heavy footsteps, and before she could get the flashlight out, a guy had grabbed her tightly around the other arm, jerking hard to pull her off balance and into the narrow space between two buildings.
Nina's voice in her head scolded her for getting out of practice, but it was followed by lessons that had been drilled into her by the same person - who never would have gotten ambushed like this in the first place. Em stomped on the guy's shin, trying to buy the few seconds she needed to arm herself, regain her balance, and if she was really lucky, get him to let go.
Balance, yes. Not that it helped much, since instead of letting her go, he slammed her into the nearest wall as he yelled out in pain. Breath knocked out her with the impact, Em felt her head hit the wall before noticing she heard it too. But she couldn't let that stop her. The Maglite came up in an arc to connect solidly with the guy's head, more from muscle memory than being able to aim carefully. She followed up with a kick to the inside of his knee, and when he dropped, letting her go, she started as quickly as she could for the main street.
Where another even larger guy was blocking her exit. And was that? Yeah, that was a gun.
Blinking to try to clear her head, Em couldn't help but think how the tarot was, as ever, correct. This was going to be more difficult than she thought. And, damn, now she was trapped between one further in and one on the way out.
~*~*~
Em wasn't moving all that steadily, but she was moving, and that was the important thing. The sooner she got away from the scene, the fewer questions anyone would ask, the better. Her ribs ached, and worse if she tried to breathe too deeply, and when she prodded the giant knot on the back of her head, her fingers came away sticky-red. But she was walking, and the guys weren't following her. As long as she got home, she was going to call this a win.
And then find a gym or something where she could get the practice she'd skipped out on since arriving in London.
[See a distracted Em for a reading or a chat earlier in the day, help out during the fight, or find her beat up and on her way home. See this post for behind-the-scenes information.]
Danger. Aimed at her. More than she could see in the cards, or would see at first whenever the danger arrived. Help would come, from where she couldn't tell, but she needed to be ready to defend herself.
The sense of urgency in the cards grew until, earlier than she'd normally pack up for the day, the tarot showed her it was time to move. Now. She tossed her things back in her bag, except for her cards, that she slid into the pocket of her skirt, and the cord attached to the end of her flashlight, that she looped around her wrist so she could pull the makeshift club from the bag quickly if she needed to. Then she headed for where the cards had earlier shown her Jag. If he wasn't there, she would still be closer to the squat, and there were likely to be plenty of people along the way. Maybe enough witnesses would keep whomever was coming from doing... whatever it was the planned to do to her.
~*~*~
She saw the shadow first, then heard heavy footsteps, and before she could get the flashlight out, a guy had grabbed her tightly around the other arm, jerking hard to pull her off balance and into the narrow space between two buildings.
Nina's voice in her head scolded her for getting out of practice, but it was followed by lessons that had been drilled into her by the same person - who never would have gotten ambushed like this in the first place. Em stomped on the guy's shin, trying to buy the few seconds she needed to arm herself, regain her balance, and if she was really lucky, get him to let go.
Balance, yes. Not that it helped much, since instead of letting her go, he slammed her into the nearest wall as he yelled out in pain. Breath knocked out her with the impact, Em felt her head hit the wall before noticing she heard it too. But she couldn't let that stop her. The Maglite came up in an arc to connect solidly with the guy's head, more from muscle memory than being able to aim carefully. She followed up with a kick to the inside of his knee, and when he dropped, letting her go, she started as quickly as she could for the main street.
Where another even larger guy was blocking her exit. And was that? Yeah, that was a gun.
Blinking to try to clear her head, Em couldn't help but think how the tarot was, as ever, correct. This was going to be more difficult than she thought. And, damn, now she was trapped between one further in and one on the way out.
~*~*~
Em wasn't moving all that steadily, but she was moving, and that was the important thing. The sooner she got away from the scene, the fewer questions anyone would ask, the better. Her ribs ached, and worse if she tried to breathe too deeply, and when she prodded the giant knot on the back of her head, her fingers came away sticky-red. But she was walking, and the guys weren't following her. As long as she got home, she was going to call this a win.
And then find a gym or something where she could get the practice she'd skipped out on since arriving in London.
[See a distracted Em for a reading or a chat earlier in the day, help out during the fight, or find her beat up and on her way home. See this post for behind-the-scenes information.]
