Young Writers Society

So I don’t go blind, I put on some expensive sunglasses I found in the car. It really darkened the sun to a new level, but I could still see perfectly. Demetria drove fast. We whizzed around cars and we looked totally calm and cool as people rolled down their windows and cussed us out. We didn’t care. Once we had our assignment, we had no choice but to carry it out. It was against our will, but it also was our motivation.

I didn’t speak to Demetria, not that I was mad at her or anything, but rather, I looked out the window and watched the world go by. People were out jogging, walking their dogs, some were sitting at cafes with friends or just simply reading a book. A good book sounded real nice right now, but I had a mission I had to fulfill. It was a beautiful March morning. It was actually warmer than the past few days, temperatures now up in the high sixties. Wow, I just sounded like a weatherman.

Demetria wasn’t the type to blare the music, but for character, she had it blaring and the windows down for everyone to hear. I didn’t mind. I love music. But I haven’t touched an instrument in years. Mom said I did everything when I was little. I loved to play all the instruments and listen to the violin. But I can’t remember the last time I went to a violin concert or even heard a violin solo. Haley has always played the piano. We would play together, but again, I haven’t touched it in years. Mom always wants our house filled with music. She would play the piano or the guitar or drums. Ash plays the drums.

We had his address burned into our brains. Demetria parked by the curb and we casually walked up. I knocked on the door and there was no response. I turned on my sunglasses and I peered through the door inside the house.

“Deserted.” I told Demetria as I began to pick the lock. In a matter of seconds, we were inside, scoping the place out. As I entered the kitchen, I noticed a note on the fridge. I read it. “Someone’s here. He might be married.” I warned Demetria as I listened to her feet going up the creaky staircase. I continued to read and I took the note. I stuffed it into my pocket and waited for Demetria to come down. She eventually did five minutes later.

“Heavy sleeper.” Demetria told me. I thought she was referring to Lenny’s wife or girlfriend or whore.

“He went out to the grocery store to get “groceries”. But’s in quotation marks so maybe he went out to go kill someone.” I explained. “The ink’s still wet. We better hurry.”

“No shit, Sherlock.” Demetria sped walked out to the car. I followed with ease.

“It’s elementary, Watson.” I replied with an English accent. She rolled her eyes.

“Which grocery store do you think he’s at?” She asked.

“The cheaper one. I think it was called…Sullivan’s. A lot of immigrants and other foreign-looking people go.” I thought that’d be the place.

“Great. A rich girl in a dump…that won’t give anything away.” She said sarcastically.

“It’ll be fine. Just make a scene.” I said. She scowled and drove downtown towards the…poorer…part of town. Sullivan’s was run-down and was cheap and sure, the bakery didn’t have the freshest bread, but it had character. The parking lot was small, but we got a spot in the far back.

“Remember, look for the scar.” She reminded as we climbed out of the car and headed towards the entrance.

“Yeah, yeah.” I shrugged it off.

“You didn’t point it out to the boss.”

“I saw it. But I was busy covering you up.” She said nothing more. Instead, she put on a pissed off look as we entered the grocery store.

“You better hurry up. I don’t care about your weird Scottish traditions about buying crappy food and I’m not your chauffeur! You’re just lucky I need hours for my driver’s test.” She snapped loudly so the people around us can hear.

“Aye lassie, I’ll be back in a jiff.” I spoke with a Scottish accent and I had on my face a hint of fear. I ran off and acted as though I was looking at the expired merchandise, but really I was looking for Lenny. Mom said that when I wasn’t in a sport because it wasn’t its season, I’d do theater to take up my time. That must explain my good acting. Not to toot my own horn or anything like that.

“You better hurry!” She snapped and crossed her arms, looking like the bitch she acted. She scowled and paced and tapped her foot impatiently and occasionally snapped at me to go faster. But after searching the store up and down, Lenny wasn’t here. I looked at everyone’s face and they looked at me puzzled and I reassured them, saying some Scottish excuse. Some were flattered by my excuses, but others were annoyed. Demetria even helped me:

“Quit bugging people and get what you wanted!” She’d snap or something similar that. But no one had the small scar under his or her left eyebrow. He just wasn’t at this grocery store.

I settled on actually getting bread that I’ll give to a hobo later. But as I approached the counter to check out, he was my cashier. I couldn’t believe it. He was tall with the scar that looked like it was etched into him but not all red and ugly looking. But it was Lenny, with a fake name of Harry Smith, a man that was on the dead list by him. Great.

“Ma’am?” He said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Aye?” I replied.

“Paper or plastic?” He asked.

“Any.” I responded. He bagged the bread then turned to me. I gave him the “Scottish Notes” or the typical money used in Scotland. He looked at me.

“Would you mind taking a survey?” He asked.

“Not at all.” I replied. I mentally check to see if my Scottish accent was still there. Yep. It wasn't thick enough to be believable, nor was it fluent. I mentally kicked myself.

“Great. Come with me. It has to be done on a computer. It’ll just take a second.” It was happening. He’s going to kill me. But I wouldn’t let him. He led me to the back room and then through a series of doors and then finally into a dark room. He didn’t turn on the lights, but I didn’t need them with these sunglasses. I heard the door lock behind me. Then, a gun being loaded was the next sound. The cold end of the gun was pressed against my head but before he could shoot, I ducked and jabbed him in the armpit. He yelped. I kept jabbing him in the armpits until the gun was dropped and I pinned him against the wall.

“As agent Black Rose of the Protectors, you are under arrest for the murders of immigrants.” I said firmly. He kneed me in the crotch and that wouldn’t have hurt as much as it would if I was a guy and had a dick, but it still hurt. It was enough for me to flinch and that was what he needed. He was able to pull a hand away and punch me across the face. The sunglasses flew off my face and now I was blind.

“Yeah, I don’t give a shit.” He freed himself and I just began to feel pain in my head, stomach, chest, legs, arms, everywhere. He was attacking me, but I still gripped onto the gun. I know magic was forbidden and I could easily lose control, but I had to. I sent a ball of white gold light at where I thought he was. It hit him, and he fell back in agony against the wall. I summoned the magic handcuffs the organization uses so they do get away, but Lenny had somehow mustered enough energy to slip behind me and hit the one pressure point on my back that sends me down. He grabbed the gun, but I willed myself up and I just rammed my body into him. With the weight of us both, we broke through the door and Lenny ran. I had fallen flat on my face, but I pushed myself back up and quickly followed him. He ran out the back door into the broad daylight, which stung my eyes. My vision finally came back to me and I saw him get in a truck and speed away.

At the speed he was going, I could catch up with my wings, but I was unsure. I didn’t have time to think, but I tried magic once more. I’ve only been able to do this once with Ash, so I attempted with Demetria.

Get in the car. He’s in a silver pick-up going to cut through the neighborhoods nearby to avoid stoplights and the cops. It was a mind message I attempted to send to her. Hopefully, she’ll get it, but I snapped out my wings and started running. People nearby screamed and gasped, but I was already in the air, expanding my feathers so they can take wind and carry me at incredible speeds towards the criminal. Thank you, Uncle Gabe for being an angel.

The part that took the longest was finding him. I soared above the houses and searched the streets with trees everywhere, which increased the difficulty. But then the sparkle of silver that shone in my eyes that left as soon as it came, I knew it was the silver pick-up. I folded my wings back to stop the wind and nose-dived it. He didn’t expect to have me land on the hood of his car. I punched through the glass and right into his face, breaking his nose. The glass had cut my wrist and his face, and he jerked his car around.

I wasn’t really expecting that. I thought he’d slam on the breaks and I was prepared for that, but he jerked his steering wheel all around, shaking me off into some trashcans. Demetria didn’t get my little mind message because she would’ve been tailing the guy now. But Lenny turned and sped out of the neighborhood. I pushed myself out of the pile of trash and stood up. When I looked up, there was Demetria in the car with the windows rolled down and the sunroof open.

“Get in loser, let’s get him.” She called. I jumped over the door and sat in the passenger seat as she stepped on the gas pedal. She took a sharp turn out of the neighborhood and luckily people were at work so she can catch up to him.

“Go! Go! Go! He’s getting away!” I shouted.

“I’m going as fast as I can!” She snapped as we passed some cars and gained on the silver pickup.

“You can go faster!” I jammed my foot onto hers and the gas pedal. The gas pedal almost went through the floor and we were soon speeding even faster towards him. He was trying to escape uptown and cross the bridge. If he got across the bridge, we’ll have to pass my parents house. Oh god…

I finally took my foot off hers so she can slam on the breaks at the red stoplight.

“You want to go faster? You drive.” And so, without getting out of the car, but with great difficulty, we switched seats. Demetria wasn’t quite in the correct seated position and I didn’t have my seatbelt on yet when the car behind me honked its horn long and hard. I turned and looked back and honked at them.

“We have a horn too, lady!” Demetria yelled. I paled and she paled. Behind us was Lynda Meyer, my mother, honking her horn because the light is green with dad sitting in the passenger seat. She squinted her eyes at me. Dad studied me. I quickly turned my head and stepped on the gas. I didn’t want to see her. I had a mission to catch the guy. And I really sped up when I heard gunshots in the distance. At first, I thought it was my dad shooting me for this, but I realized he wouldn’t do it in public. Demetria and I knew it was Lenny killing a foreigner.

“He’s crossing the bridge!” I said after driving up the steep hill towards the bridge. When I looked back, I realized my mom was following us. She made it secret though to most, but I knew she was following us. Was the dye in my hair already losing its color? It couldn’t have. It washes out. It loses its color after you wash it. “Demetria, my parents are on us. What do you got?” I asked, praying that she had a cloaking device or something to get rid of my parents. She rummaged through her bag.

“Nothing. I have my gun and all the different bullets.”

“Any memory loss bullets?” I asked, gripping the steering wheel as we crossed the bridge.

“I can’t shoot your mom or dad! Your dad will kill me!” She cried.

“Damn you, Demetria. You’re such a wimp.” Now, I would’ve taken her gun and shot my parents with bullets that won’t harm them, but only erase their memory. But because every gun or weapon is designed for that person, only that person can use it. And every bullet is designed specifically for that gun. We didn’t want anyone stealing our guns or bullets and still be able to use it.

The silver pickup slowly came back into view, but eventually did our old-time but still looking as fancy and new as ever mailbox at the end of the mile-long driveway of my house. I swallowed hard, gripping the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white and pushed the car to go faster and I can ignore my house.
I pretty much scared Demetria more than myself when I screamed. I didn’t mean to scream. It was one of those screams that just comes out when you need to gasp but you have more fear in you than you thought. But I really screamed. Again, it was an accident because I saw Ash’s cherry Hyundai Sonata on the side of the road by my mailbox. He wasn’t quite “off the road” but I just couldn’t believe my eyes. Since he was on the same side as I was, I couldn’t get a closer look. I needed to be for sure though that it was my Ash.

I probably scared Demetria even more when I took off my seatbelt and got my feet on the seat and I was half out the sunroof. She cursed at me and slammed on the gas and reached for the steering wheel. I just stared at Ash. It was him, out of his car and putting a letter in my mailbox. He stared at me too and we held gazes the entire time Demetria jerked our car around him. The wind ripped through my hair and at times it was difficult to see him even though it was very brief. But he mouthed something. Or possibly even said it and I couldn’t hear it over the roar of the wind and car. All I know is: He knew it was me.

Ash was putting a letter in the mailbox. It’s what we did. He’d drive all the way to my house to put a letter in a mailbox, but I'd regularly mail his. He loved writing letters to me. And I loved to write letters to him. We wrote to each other as much as we could (almost everyday). But the reason Ash doesn’t mail the letter is because he never puts his name or return address on his. He just writes my name on it. Sometimes if Ash found a nice stamp, he’d put it on just to “give it that receiving a letter through the mail feel.” I didn’t know what he meant and I thought the stamp was a complete waste, but I just let it go. We’d write to each other everything about us. We would write as if we are talking with each other. It gave us both the feeling that we were with each other together. And his letters were absolutely true. He never lied in them and he always wrote in a different style or a different kind of pen when he lied in his letters. I was weird like that. I could always tell the very little details of the letters. Mom said it was because I wrote so much when I was younger, especially in my teenager years. And we kept every single one of them.

I was touched when Ash gave me the letter, but the feeling only lasted a few seconds when Demetria tugged on my leg. I managed to get back into the driver’s seat, but it had to be very quick because Demetria had reached over her arm and foot from the passenger’s seat to the driver’s so we don’t crash. It worked better than both of us thought, but I took the wheel and followed the silver pickup. When the road was clear, or at least, when we thought it was clear besides Lenny, Demetrai and I switched sides again. She gained on him quickly and then pulled out her gun, shooting some bullets at the pickup. It startled him definitely. Even enough for him to swerve off the road, into a ditch, but he kept going into the forest. I climbed on my seat and out of the sunroof, balancing my body on the roof of the Beatle Bug. Then I spread my wings and flew at incredible speed towards Lenny.

Lenny was already struggling out of his car after he had hit a tree, but I tackled him deeper into the forest. We rolled in mud and twigs and leaves, trying to pin one another. He decided to give up and just try to kill me. He wasn’t very fast on his feet (he wasn’t the skinniest of men), but when he punched my head, I fell over, feeling like a truck was thrown at my head. Normally, I could stand punches and even some kicks, but that one just knocked me off my feet. He was about to stab me when I rolled away, getting to my feet. When I was scrambling to my feet, I took advantage of my arched back and dipped and weaved towards Lenny. I gave him a good hook, but he barely staggered back.

I had just barely sidestepped to the right when the blade of his longer knife passed below my jaw and through my dyed hair. It wasn’t a standard knife. It was made with a long enough blade to almost call it a short sword. But before he could follow-up, swiftly, I punched his abdomen, this time knocking the wind out of him. He staggered back, but he doubled over with just the basics. A simple sidekick and I had planned for an uppercut combo, but I didn’t expect him to grab my foot when my big toe touched his body. It was so quick and I had learned later that he just doubled over as a trick when I reflected on this. But now, he gripped my foot and turned it the other way until it snapped. I’m pretty small and light, and he had managed to actually lift me off my feet and throw me against a tree.

The hit blurred my vision with chipping tree bark getting into my eyes and left me a little dizzy, but it didn’t stop there. He stabbed a nerve in my back and my arm went numb. He swung at my side and I winced from the blow. He kicked my other side and my head and my vision darkened. I felt lighter and wondered where the hell was Demetria. Lenny seemed to have endless combinations and darkness grew within my eyes. When I tried to get up, he’d tackle me down. This guy was definitely a football player in high school…on steroids…

It had ended, but the darkness pretty much consumed me and I thought I was either knocked out, knocked into a coma, or dead. It surprised me when my vision actually came back to me and everything suddenly became clear. The sun was shining, it was breezy and the trees were green. It was cool, almost considered warm, but not hot or cold. Demetria was standing over me and I sat up as the dizziness faded.

“Mission accomplished, bitch,” She said and we smiled. That, was her catchphrase. I often referred to myself as the “crazy bitch” of the group and I was. I was crazy and acted like a bitch. Of course, though, Demetria always said at the end of every mission if we have anyone else with us, she’d say the same thing.
When I looked around, Demetria was casually toying with the long blade she must’ve stolen from Lenny. Lenny’s body lay behind her, obviously dead. I knew exactly how it she had done it. She went all werewolf on Lenny, clawed his knife out of him, and then her time in daylight was up and she returned to normal and stabbed him. She was more predictable more than you’d think, but then again, we’ve been friends forever.

We lugged his heavy body back to the car she parked off the side of the road. The trunk was charmed, so you could fit just about anything in there. But when I looked up from the trunk, my parents started towards me. They were about a hundred meters away when my eyes went wide and froze.

“Stop acting like a deer and jump!” Demetria pushed me towards the front of the car. I could not speak. Instead, driven by my own fear, I got in the driver’s seat and Demetria went into the passenger’s. The car started and I slammed my foot on the gas towards them. I was acting like a crazy woman. But I veered out of their way and just drove away. After all, I can’t be late for work.