Rain patters on her face while the rest of her body lays flat on the puddle. Each time she tries to move the pain only worsens. The weapon still pierced her abdomen and the blood continuously dripped from the wound. Staining her grey shirt as if it was poison. The night sky is raging with prevalent lightning strikes and the roaring thunder doesn't fall behind. A crime happened but nobody gave a d*mn.. Some would only stop out of curiosity but in the end just give her a cold look. Others stared at her with pity but none dared to help her. All of them were gripped with fear with no interest in sparing her life.

‘I almost forgot I lost hope in them a long time ago. Humanity is long dead,’ she thought. ‘Savannah Willows will die an ordinary death. The only consolation I get for living a mundane life.’ Then she scoffs bitterly.

***

Fifteen minutes earlier…

Ava just finished her graveyard shift as a bartender at a local bar called Soliloquy. After picking her things from the locker room, she headed to the back door as usual. The moment she pushed the door forward, she saw someone leaning against the wall. Confused because no one usually uses that spot in a heavy rain.

He was wearing a black hoodie. Occasionally puffing smoke from his cigarette with his right hand. While the other remained tucked inside his hoodie's pocket. There was a long moment of silence. Then he stares at the sky.

"It's raining cats and dogs tonight. You can have my umbrella if you want." This guy tosses his cigarette on the ground and steps on it. While his other hand still remained in his pocket.

"Thanks but no thanks my pad is just a walking distance from here. Have a good night."

Her guts tell her something is off about this guy. So she walked past him casually. After a few steps the guy grabbed her by the wrist. Reversing their position. Then slams her against the metal trash bin. When she was about to stand up, she saw his hoodie fall and everything made sense.

The guy was menacing as he took out a kn*fe from his hoodie's pocket. "I hope you still remember me, b*tch."

Ava spit a little blood from her cut lip. Then stands, cracking her neck sideways as she pulls up her knuckles in a defensive stance. "Of course you were the only sc*mbag back then."

He wasted no time and charged in like a mad bull. Swinging his kn*fe in various directions, set on cutting Ava. Anything that could satiate his hunger for revenge. But she knew better, living a life of constant threats Ava made sure to learn self-defense. All this time it helped her get by.

He smirks, "that's a bummer but nothing changes. I'll make sure you regret messing with me." Then he raises his left hand aiming to stab her left shoulder but Ava grabs his wrist and twists it hard enough for him to let go.

Both are already soaking wet but none of them is backing down. It's as if only the two of them existed in that time and space. While the rest are on the lively streets and inside the bar minding their own business. Aside from the single flickering light from that alley. The background noise just drowns whatever commotion is going on between them now.

The blade drops to the ground and that's where she kicks his groin. Then finishes him off with a roundhouse kick. This time the guy kisses the ground. Then she turns her back from him to pick up her scattered things. Shoving each of it in her bag. While she was busy mumbling about her unlucky night.

She was down to her lipstick when that same guy grabbed him from behind. This time slamming her against the wall. Spilling whatever item she has collected so far. Before she could even look up he already took the chance and plunged the kn*fe straight to her left abdomen. Pushing it deeper as he twisted it.

"You sc*mbag!" With all her might even injured she pushes him away. Then she drifted to the ground. Her eyes were restless.

"Are you looking for this?" The guy kneels as he dangles her cellphone in front of her. The hope that she had at the sight of it faded instantly as he smacked it to the ground. "No one's coming for you!" He tilted her chin up and spits at her then walks away.

"Thanks for doing me a favor."

The guy stops on his tracks and looks over his shoulder. "Aren't you supposed to say, you'll make me pay? You're one hell of a nut job."

She just smiles while watching his back disappear into the blinding lights of an even livelier street at night. Seems like people there don’t sleep at all. In full contrast to the dark alleyway she was in while waiting for her time to die. She could care less about her life anyway. She always saw herself as an empty shell. A mere body with a tormented soul.

***

"I made nothing but bad choices. Get into a mess I could have avoided if I just didn't stick my nose in other's business. That girl's poor taste in men should be her undoing not mine," she chuckles in between her coughs. "I even had them to love me yet I ignored everything they've done and chose to rebel."

The adrenaline of fighting must have worn off because she could feel her bruises and her wounds hurt ten times worse.

"That moron, I was not planning to call an ambulance to save my life. I just wanted to apologize to them for having to raise someone like me. Yet that's a relief in itself. What they don't know won't hurt them."

After she said all that her eyelids started to feel heavier. She had already lost so much blood given how deep the wound was. Some parts of her body began to numb. Her lips already turned pale as a sheet. The torrential rain is not helping either, she’s cold out and wounded. Ava draw a deep breath before wrapping her hands around the kn*fe’s handle. Now she was inhaling and exhaling frantically as she eyed the kn*fe thinking of ways to gently pull it out.

“D*mn it hurts like hell. Why make me suffer if you only want me dead?” she complains as she looks up. The rain is still pouring heavily and it begins to hurt her eyes the more she keeps staring. She decided to stop struggling and kept them close. "It's futile anyway, let me have one sweet dream just this once." It sounded more like a fervent prayer than a request.

***

"Welcome home sweet pea." Her mom kisses her left cheek and ushers her to the dining table. Then gets back to the kitchen counter. "I cooked your favorite for dinner."

Ava looks at her with teary eyes. "Thanks mom, I missed this."

Her mom pouts as she carries a bowl of crab and corn soup placing it next to the sliced baguettes and fried chicken.

"What are you talking about? We always have dinner together, silly." Then touches the tip of her nose. "Tonight is even more special because it's your eighteenth birthday. Are you really sure you don't need a last minute party arrangement?"

Ava just flashes a content smile and nods.

"Honey, you know how Ava is. She prefers spending time with us."

They were so engrossed talking they didn't even notice the door opened. Right after coming in, her father gives her mom a quick peck on the lips then places a box of cake on the table.

"Happy birthday sweet heart," then he kisses her head.

"Thank you mom, thank you dad." She then stands up to spread her arms and hug both of them.

***

Ava smiles in her sleep but tears stream down her cheeks. She didn't know if she's still dreaming or just hallucinating because she was also feverish, due to her wound and had been soaking in the rain long enough. She felt a pair of hands grab her but she didn't have it in her to open her eyes. She's afraid that if she does, she'll return to the reality she curses.

She finds it weird how she feels so warm and secure even though some stranger is holding her. Always preparing for the worse.

"Are you back to finish me off and bury me somewhere else?" She probed, still keeping her eyes shut.

She heard a chuckle instead of an answer. Next thing she heard was the murmurs of people buzzing around and the wailing ambulance siren in the background.

So he's the good guy?

Before she could even voice out her words, she was already put into a stretcher. Finally, she was somehow able to open her eyes but she only saw a blurry silhouette. Mixed with the night lights around plus the rain drops. She tried to squeeze her eyes but the familiar silhouette was no longer there.

She was spent. The fatigue from her shift and the brawl earlier already took a toll on her. All she felt at that moment was a badly needed rest.

Whether it's permanent or temporary I'll take it.

"Miss, are you saying something?" One of the medics asked because her lips were moving but words were inaudible. She just smiled back after she was put inside the ambulance and all went black from there.