Judgement: Chapter 1
#22 of Discontinued
The first full chapter of Judgement, enjoy it. For all those waiting it's still a pain to try and get the want to right but I'm doing better since I started and finished this story within two hours. Maybe I'll be doing this more and more often.
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I stood in the dark alley, the sounds of the nightlife continuing on only several yards behind me, ignorant of what had just happened so close to them. Huffing in deep heavy breaths, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins, clutching a machete in each hand so tightly my knuckles had turned white and were even shaking slightly, blood dripping from each of the edged blades and lightly dripping into the small pools of blood underneath them. Blinking once as I stared at the bodies of five people scattered across the alley, the whimpers and crying of a girl, much too young to be out this late off to my left. Looking from the bodies to my machete I closed my eyes, reflecting on what had just happened within a matter of moments...
*
He pushed his way through the large crowds, prostitutes quickly making offers to give him the best he could hope. The dark shadow that was the human Leon remained silent as he walked the streets just watching everything pass him by. His eyes shifted from the left to the right as the large groups of furs and humans mingled, laughed and gave cheer to their lives. Leon's eyes didn't linger on the happy groups of people however, his eyes were watching the alleys and those that inhabited the darker parts of the city, gang members, pimps and drug sellers, these people where the ones he was walking these streets for.
He could feel the tightness in his stomach, he had made the decision to fight these people but he knew that it would ultimately come down to violence. He was never a fighter and had never been in a fight until that dark day from his past that he would never forget. Lifting his head slightly, the hood of his black hoodie having hid his face from view of everyone served to hide where his eyes were as well. At that moment they were locked on a young girl standing across the street talking on a cell phone, apparently to a friend to come pick her up. She didn't see the group of furs that had their eyes on her as she spoke, the young feline wearing a skirt too short for her and a tank top that showed far too much cleavage for the group of furs to ignore.
She was a young domestic cat girl, around sixteen or seventeen and trying to be more adult, the group where all sporting typical thug like clothing, baggy pants, heavy jackets and shirts, bandanna's that marked what they were, a total of five, all appearing to be dogs. The more dangerous kind of dogs, a Doberman, two Rottweilers, a Bulldog, and a German Shepard, all male, all heavily built and all waiting for the right moment that came all too soon. The young cat girl turned to start her walk home, only to be grabbed and pulled into the alley. She made a pathetic attempt to get away and fight the larger males off, her panicked attempts only seeming to amuse them and drive them into a more 'energetic' attempt and ripping her clothing off.
*
Seeing the girl being grabbed caused my chest to tighten and my heart to speed up. No one else had seen what had happened and my first instinct told me to turn and walk away, ignore it, my second telling me to call for help but as I stood there with wide eyes a flash of what happened to Beth came into my mind. Closing my eyes and opening them with a new mind set, I quickly crossed the street and moved to the alley casually but at a slightly quick pace, hearing the cries for help from the girl and the laughs of the dogs and the tearing of clothing. As I moved into the alley I could see the girl's shirt being ripped from her body and her young breasts bouncing free, she was pressed against the right wall with the group of dogs surrounding her to keep her from running.
Panting softly in nervousness and slight panic I stared at what was happening in front of me, my mind telling me to run away and hide or get help but my body was not moving. It was these instincts that ended up in Beth having to protect me and things happen the way they did. Never again would I let someone protect me, it was my turn to protect them.
*
Closing his eyes Leon steadied himself before he took a step forward, making sure his left boot covered foot splashed into one of the many puddles that were scattered throughout the alley. The noise of the splash gained the attention of two of the males and the rest were quickly told to look in Leon's direction. Now all eyes were on this dark figure standing only a few yards from them. The city lights being cast in from behind the figure revealing him as only a shadow but the gang did not seem intimidated. One of the Rottweilers simply told him to get lost and all attention was turned back to the girl who quickly began struggling once more and calling for help.
Leon narrowed his eyes and stepped toward the group once again, his right foot splashing into another puddle, being close enough to gain everyone's attention once again. He was now only about two yards from the group who quickly began moving from the girl to focus all their attention on this dark figure.
This was it, the point of no return had been crossed and Leon was still standing here, they were now ready for a beat down but they would get a fight and Leon would give them more than they could handle. He had trained for this for an entire year, physically and mentally. The bulldog was the first to move toward Leon, the largest of all the dogs and the meanest looking as well, the normal bulldog colors but Leon stood firmly in place, slipping his left hand behind his back and up under his black hoodie, unnoticed by the group of dogs.
Feeling the girl's panicked and fearful eyes Leon swore silently to not let her down. If he lost here, she would be raped and killed or worse, not to mention he would be killed as well if this group of dogs had the guts to do such a thing but the chance was still there. The bulldog quickly grabbed Leon by the front of his hoodie and pulled him up, trying to meet face to face to intimidate him, growling for added effect which sent Leon's mind into a frenzy of fear, his body shivering slightly and his eyes showing fear to the bulldog.
The dog quickly picking up on the scent of fear gave a deep chuckle from his throat and upon hearing such a chuckle something flashed into Leon's mind, the laugh was similar to another, he had heard the laugh before from a member of the group from so long ago. Flashes of what had happened, his fear, Beth's bravery and what happened because of his cowardice. Quickly his eyes shifted from fear to a dull lifelessness, the scent of fear now gone, the bulldog seemed confused but with prods and shouts of encouragement from his friends he quickly shrugged it off.
Opening his mouth to speak, all he managed was to let forth a gurgle and hack. The dog blinked once before his gaze fell down to see a machete buried into his right side, sunk four inches deep just above his pelvis, his blood flowing out over the black tinted blade. Leon looked the bulldog in the eye, a deep hatred burning deep within, the lifelessness now flowing into the bulldog before Leon's left hand twisted the machete causing the dog to yell out in pain before Leon ripped the blade back. He quickly slipped his ring and pinkie around the handle of the blade, flipping it and holding it in a reversed pose.
Lowering himself slightly as the bulldog stumbled back he jumped at the chance. There would be no waiting, no hesitation and no mercy. He extended his left arm straight out before swinging it forward while bending his elbow out, the deadly sharp edge of the blade at the tip slicing through the bulldogs throat like it was paper. Leon didn't feel the cut at all, having slashed the bulldog's throat without a second thought but in doing so the rest of the group did think, shocked and unsure as of what happened and what to do they hesitated.
*
Everything happened so fast, after the bulldog fell to the ground I quickly jumped over his body and turned the machete back around as I moved my left hand over my head and quickly brought it down, the blade made contact with the German Shepard's head and it dropped. I hit him too hard however as I couldn't draw my blade from his skull and I didn't have time as I was quickly tackled by one of the Rottweilers and slammed against the wall with the other two directly after him. They proceeded to punch and kick me. Having read hundreds of fighting and training books didn't prepared me for the actual punches and the pain they had but it did teach me how to make it less painful.
Curling up and tightening my stomach and sides while throwing both of my arms up and looking directly at the ground, making two fists and holding my arms directly in front of my head, bending my knees slightly and keeping my legs tensed as the three dogs pounded on me. I stood there taking the punches, finding that they weren't able to knock me down and after only a few seconds their punches were already heavy and slow and just like before I jumped on the opportunity, pulling both fists down and shoving myself forward into one of the Rottweilers.
I grabbed him by his ear with my right hand and my left was wrapped around his throat, he quickly found himself against the opposite wall with my left hand strangling the life from him, my right hand having quickly disappeared under the front of my hoodie.
*
With the first Rottweiler against the wall and his left hand firmly around its throat Leon proceeded in choking the life from him, the two other dogs however wouldn't just stand there, and Leon knowing it was waiting, listening for them to get closer. Leon turned and looked at the other two that were charging him, his right hand tucked under his hoodie and gripping his other machete. His index finger pushed the snap strap that held the machete in place and he drew the blade with amazing speed from hours upon hours of practice. The blade slashed the other Rottweiler's stomach open, exposing everything that was inside his stomach into the air, falling to the ground in a gory mass of organs and blood, this sight causing the girl that Leon was trying to save to scream in terror.
The last dog, the Doberman, quickly jumped back in terror, seeing his third friend fall to the ground and slowly die. His eyes locked onto Leon as the sound of the other Rottweiler's throat being crushed could be heard before Leon's hand relaxed, letting the Rottweiler fall to the ground to join his friends. Leon turned fully to the Doberman who tried to back away, only to press his back against the wall. Leon stepped with the Doberman but stopped at the German Shepard's corpse to rip his machete from its head, pressing his foot on the dog's muzzle to rip the blade free before focussing all his attention on the fear filled Doberman.
Leon stepped towards him and tilted his head to the right side, covered in blood and filled with anger. This gang member, this Doberman who was trying to rape the girl that was crying against the opposite wall was now pressed against the wall with his face full of fear. It disgusted Leon.
*
I couldn't believe that he had the guts to show fear to me. I felt the anger rise within me and my right hand quickly turned the blade toward the dog before I swung the blade straight up slashing open his stomach, from his lower stomach up to his muzzle, knocking his head straight up. Turning and stepping away as he fell to the ground with everything that was meant to be inside the body spilling out onto the ground, I turned right after I stepped over the German Shepard's body and looked over everything that I had done. Feeling the pain in my arms from swinging the machete as well as the bruises that I would have from being pounded on by the two Rottweilers and the Doberman, I felt neither remorse nor sadness for what I hate done. I actually felt a sense of peace and that scared me.
Turning I looked at the girl who was crying in the corner, seeing her terror filled eyes aimed at me now, she looked upon me as if I was the one who was to be feared now but I didn't expect gratitude for what I had done. I saved her life but at the cost of five other lives that were threatening hers. A confusing cycle but I didn't have time to explain it to her, I had to disappear before someone noticed the bodies and the blood covering my body and staining my clothing.
*
Leon moved toward the girl, his eyes linked with hers and his voice echoed out to her.
"Stay home at night," four words given to her before he turned and moved off into the deeper part of the alleys. He slipped his machetes into their sheaths under his hoodie and strapped them in place before he started to run home, he had to come down from this adrenaline rush.
The night was young and people still needed help but with this rush and high that his mind was in he couldn't risk another fight. He wasn't thinking straight right now, if he tried to save the city in one night he would be killed, street punks were one thing to kill but he knew darker things dwelled in the darkness and gutters of the city.
He moved to the abandoned building that he lived in, the apartment building being in the ghetto and was surrounded by dozens of other equally abandoned buildings. He moved to the third floor and stepped into a trashed room, moving to a door on the right wall, opening it to see it being blocked. Pushing against what blocked the door, shoving the large piece of wood out of his way before he stepped into the room and placed the board back in place, sighing heavily then he turned and pressed his back against the board and sank to the ground.
Panting heavily, his bloodied hands shivering steadily as he held them in front of his face, his eyes wide as flashes of what he had done ate at his mind. He put his hands against his face as he curled up while the images flashed and played over and over again in his mind.
He remained against the wall for a while before he finally stood up and stripped his bloodied clothing from his body, throwing them through a hole in the wall before moving to his bed to sit himself down. His body was stained with blood yet he didn't seem to mind it much as he picked up the picture of him, Beth and Dana, looking the picture over carefully before setting it down and standing.
Giving a sigh as he looked at the clock that he had on his dresser, he stepped out of the room and the sound of water flowing could be heard. Leon washed the blood from his body and hair, using heavy amounts of a special body soap to wash off the scent cover that he had put on before he went out last night. Furs and humans were a dangerous force when they were after you, so many things to consider, hair, scent, finger prints, thinking over everything that happened before his eyes snapped open and he tore himself from the shower.
*
I forgot one of the most important things, blood, it was the easiest thing to track by scent and my clothing was covered in the blood of those furs. If the cops were there right now then they would be on my ass in only an hour at best and if I got caught now then it was over. I grabbed everything I could, having packed light I quickly ran from the building, leaving the bloodied clothing within the building. I had planned for everything yet in the heat of what had happened I forgot some of the steps that I had to take if I ever wanted to save this city.
Running from the building after covering the entire room with concealing scent, leaving no trace of me being there save for the bloodied clothing that I left for the police to find, I quickly moved to another hiding place I had started making in case the first was ever found. I knew it was a possibility when the police started searching for who killed those furs. Moving into my second hiding place, another apartment building, I quickly covered the room in the no scent spray before sitting down on the other bed I had. Looking in the large military bag that I had, pulling the clock out I saw the time and sighed once again before standing. Getting dressed, I put on a white collared button up shirt and some black pants, tucking the shirt and putting on some white sneakers before I pulled out a back pack and strapped it on before leaving the building.
One thing that I had longed to do over the year that I had trained and prepared for was go to school but I cut all ties for that entire year. I didn't tell my family what I was doing or any of the people that knew me but now with my first mark made I wanted to be seen, I wanted to get back to work. I registered in my old school, they were surprised to see me but I think they were surprised to see my face, the large scar over my eye and my near white right eye would put many off but I stopped caring what others thought by now.
*
Leon arrived at the school long before it even opened. Having nothing better to do he would meditate to suppress what happened a few hours ago. The teachers and everyone that worked at the school began to arrive. No one said anything to him, no one paid him any mind, his right side turned from them of course, hidden from view, facing the wall next to him as he sat on a bench near the front doors to the school. He would go in after everyone since he was the new student and it was the middle of the school year.
He sat there even after dozens of other kids surrounded the area around him, he just stared at the wall in front of him, several jokes and words being passed around about him by those around him but he wouldn't respond to them until his name was called out. He lifted his head but didn't turn, Leon was a common name, maybe someone else was talking to another friend of theirs.
"Leon, is that you?" the same voice came again, only closer.
Leon turned his head to look at Dana, many eyes were now on him. His near white right eye and the scar over were getting a lot of attention and Dana, the tall bronze dragon, was staring at him in utter shock but Leon's slightly surprised expression faded and he stood up, pulling his back pack on.
He walked past Dana in her shocked state, he stepped through the groups of furs and humans as the bell rang, many ignoring him as they moved to get to their first period classes. Leon hid within the groups of people and he quickly faded into the school, leaving Dana standing there trying to find him.
*
I never expected to run into Dana again, I didn't want to but I did and now I will have to deal with her. I was hoping she would move on and graduate before I came back here, so no one would know me but things didn't work out like I planned and it wasn't the first time. I just tried to hide in the crowds and tried to avoid her but sooner or later I would have to face her and it would be sooner as she cornered me outside and demanded answers.
*
Dana glared at Leon, still being the taller of the two, her paws on her hips as she looked down at the human. He avoided making eye contact with the right side of his face turned toward the wall so she didn't see it, silence being the only thing between them and Dana was quickly becoming aggravated and it was visible.
"Leon, answer me!" she shouted. Leon turned his head to look at her with his left eye before he turned and tried to step past her, only to have his right arm grabbed and his attempt halted. Dana growled loudly while she shoved Leon against the wall and blocked his path so he couldn't get away.
"I'm not letting you go Leon, tell me where you've been, I've been so worried about you and so has your family." Dana's words only resulted in a cold glare from Leon that caused the larger dragon to flinch and lower her muzzle before reaching out to touch Leon's right cheek with her left hand.
Leon however grabbed her wrist. "I've been around, don't worry about me." With that he brushed past Dana and she didn't try to stop him this time, he quickly disappeared from sight and made his way back to where he lived.
*
Pushing Dana away was the only option I could see, the further away I kept people the less chance they had of being hurt like me. They couldn't get close to me because I wouldn't feel that pain again if I lost them, Dana was a part of the past Leon and she couldn't have a part of the Leon now, she would only look at me in disgust if she knew. At least that's what I thought.