The Downfall

Chapter Two

Wallace Street was on the other side of town and the clock inched dangerously close to 7:30. Nadia would like to have said she left right away, that she jumped at the chance of adventure. But life wasn't a fairytale, was it? It actually took her a bit to work up her courage. Then the idea of her mother's words crossed her. If you don't try, you'll never know. That thought of her mother-- the mother she used to know was what finally motivated Nadia to leave.

Where on Wallace Street? How was she supposed to know this? All it said was Wallace Street, 7:30. The brunette started thinking that this was a hoax. Standing on the corner of Wallace, she looked around her body on high alert. But even high alert fails sometimes. She knew this when the bag came over her head. She screamed, but it was quickly cut off by the hand over her mouth, muffling anything she tried to say.

She felt her body being dragged back towards the alleyway. Her attacker was stronger than she was. She would never be able to get away--unless they showed a moment of weakness. So, she did what she could. Nadia bit the attackers hand through the sack. It wasn't much, but she heard a small curse sound out from behind her. Her attacker was a male. That was good enough to know. That narrowed down who it could be.

She felt a blow to her right temple and immediately fell slack. ‘ f**k that hurt. ‘ She thought to herself, her eyes starting to shut against her will. The last thing she felt was the hard interior of a vehicle floor.

When she next opened her eyes, her head was pounding. The dim darkness of the sack still over her head didn't help much either. She gave a small grunt of protest as she tried to get it off. But she couldn't use her hands; for they were tied behind her. That was when she felt the rope. “ Great, kidnapped. Just great. Way to go, Nadia. You've truly outdone yourself. “ She muttered sarcastically under her breath, it came out mumbled however and that was when she felt it being pulled off.

Finally, she could breathe clearly again. That of course, was when the panic decided to set in. Of course. Because it wasn't logical to panic until you see your attacker. What was her body thinking? There was a bright light shining on her face. Was this the government or an actual kidnapping? Questions ran through her head, one by one.As soon as one was asked, another replaced it. It was a constant loop. Cycling in with her breathing which got faster as she started freaking out.

Then, just as the bag was pulled off her head, it was put back on. Gods, she hated this sack. But as she realized, when she couldn't see, she was calmer. It was strange. That's when she finally heard it, the low murmuring of voices. Nadia, in all of her kidnapped glory, decided to listen in.

" I don't think this is our girl, B. “ One male said. They were talking about her. Of course, why wouldn't they?

Nearly tripping over a rock was what brought Nadia back from her sea of memories. Rubbing her wrists where the rope burned in so long ago, she continued walking home. She had moved out of her mother's house when she was released. She couldn't stay there anymore. Not with all the fighting, and she most definitely wouldn't put her mother at risk.

Nadia hadn't even contacted her. But the worst part? She was glad she had left. She was finally free to do whatever she wants when she wanted. She knew that she shouldn't have stayed at her mother's for as long as she did after high school, but Nadia couldn't help it. She didn't have a job then, nor a place to stay. Now? She has her own apartment and helps to lead her group of the rebellion. She now has that little, capitalized red R on her hip.

Whenever she was feeling doubt, she just looked at that R. It gave her hope. Hope for a better future where passion was once again free. She was doing it because she felt that it was right. But there was no room for cowards in the rebellion. And occasionally, she feared that when the time came, she would be too terrified to act.

That would end in an unmerciful slaughter of her fraction. That squeezed at her. Wrapping itself around her like a python and squeezing. Squeezing until she could no longer breathe. Standing outside her apartment door, Nadia took a deep breath and tried to regain herself. Tonight? It was crazy and scary and. . . and she made it out. Alive, thankfully. She heard dying wasn't a fun experience, then again, nobody has ever lived to tell the tale.

Pushing open her door, she took the key out of the slot and turned on the light. Kicking it shut behind her, Nadia set her keys on the counter and finally spotted the male standing in the middle of the living room. If she gave any notice of being surprised, the male didn't catch it.

Itching towards the closet where she kept the spare baseball bat, she raised an eyebrow at the taller person. She wanted to say that he stood around five feet and ten inches. He was a f*****g giant. Instead of asking the basic, who are you? Nadia opted for something else. “ What do you want? “ The words dripped off her tongue covered in the poison known as annoyance. Reaching the closet she opened it up and took the bat out.

Gripping it tightly, she made sure its presence was known, tapping it on the floor twice before pointing one end towards him. “ Now, I'll ask one more time. What do you want? “

If he was threatened by her holding a bat to his neck, he didn't show it. Goddamn him. Calmly, he pushed her bat to the side. “ I need help. “ Three little words. If he wasn't a random stranger standing in her apartment, Nadia might have melted at his accent.

But, because he was a random stranger in her apartment, she kept herself intact. She had her doubts and suspicions.

" Show me your hip. " She commanded. When he raised his shirt, she did indeed notice the red R. She gave a small sigh. “ What's the name of your faction? “ Maybe she could get him home or help him, depending on what was needed.

“ They're dead. “ And that changed everything.