Four Crowns

Walking down the dirty streets of my neighborhood at night, I keep my eyes on alert. My neighborhood wasn’t the best one around Ohio. I had my hood over my head to hide my face. You always have to be cautious at night in this area. It’s always something happening at night out here. My foster parents don’t think I’m worth a car and think nobody would want to hurt me when looking upon my face. I have always been called ugly since I was little and they don’t make it better. I always thought about running away, but I never knew where I would go. So, I stay and try to stay alive.

I was about ten blocks from my house now. When a van came up behind me slowly. I glance at the all black van with only two doors and the back doors. It’s those types of vans in those movies were men or women use to take kids. I turn away picking up my pace down the sidewalk. It speeds up to come right next to me as the window roll down. I look to see two guys in their earlier thirties looking at me with creepy smiles.

“Hey, Beautiful! You need a ride cause I could use a little help.” The one driving said before laughing.

I rolled my eyes before stopping completely in my tracks. He was caught completely off guard as he drove past me. I turn running off down the way I came from. I know that’s the opposite way to my “safe” home, but if they decided to chase after me I don’t want them to know where I live. I can hear tires burning behind me as I run. They yelled at me calling me cruel names. I cut into an ally way to try and find a place to hid. It was getting too dark for me to see the father I run from the streets lights. I snap my finger and a ball of flame appeared in front of me.

Oh, I forgot to tell you my ability of fire magic. I discovered it at the age of ten when I wanted to make Smores. All I needed was some way to roast the marshmallows. I somehow flick my fingers and fire came out of nowhere roasting the marshmallow. I’ve been practicing with the fire since then. I move the ball of fire to the side as I run down the alleyway. I notice a crack in between the walls that I could fit in and if those guys came after me they wouldn’t be able to see me unless they were right upon it. I squeeze into space before making the ball disappear with my hands.

“This leads to a dead end, so she’s around here somewhere?” The guy in the driver’s seat voice spoke.

Whatever flashlight they have it has to be very powerful. It lights up the alleyway in one beam, they at least have two of them. I tried moving more in between the walls, but it only got tighter. I pray that they won’t shine the light this way and wait in silence. Twenty minutes pass before I finally heard silence. I waited another five minutes before moving out from the walls. I look at the dark alleyway before snapping my fingers for my ball of fire. Before I even took two steps a hand grabs my arm forcefully, throwing me against the wall. My head hit the brick wall hard causing me to see stars. A body press against me as a light flash in my face.

“We knew you would come out b***h!” The one holding me to the wall said.

“Get off of me!” I yelled at him trying to push him off.

“Oh, no honey. I need my ride before we let you go.” The guy in the driver seat said.

He set the flashlight down walking over to me. He took the passenger seat position next to me pressing his body up to mine. His hands roam up and down my body as he leans in close to my face. I move back my head meeting the wall as his lips find my neck. I tried pulling my knee up, but he had my legs pin. I started panicking as my breath speeds up wiggling under him.

“Oh, baby. Don’t be scared I’m about to make you feel good.” He whispered in my ear his hand unzipping my pants.

I tried fighting him off of me making it hard for him to take off my clothes. I didn’t see his fist coming at my face as it knocks me back into the wall. I cried out in pain as I already know nobody could hear me or don’t care if I’m about to get rape. I couldn’t think straight for a few moments which gave him a chance to pull down my pants. I didn’t notice that his pants were already unzipped until he moves closer to me.

“Please don’t,” I beg not wanting to lose it yet.

“Shouldn’t have been out at night with my horny a** walking the streets.” He said with a laugh.

I close my eyes as tears fall down my face. This is it, I’m about to get rape in a dark alleyway. Then I remember my fire magic. I imagine him lighting up in flames, but they won’t hurt him. He jumps off me in a scream patting at the fire.

“What the hell.” The passenger driver yell.

“Help me!” The driver yelled.

I reach down to pull up my pants. The passenger driver moves to grab me, but something fell right in front of me. More like someone, now stood in front of me blocking the man from me. I lost my concentration on the fire as it disappears from around the driver guy.

“What the hell just happen!?” He yelled in confusion.

“You two guys seem to be giving this girl some trouble.” The newcomer asks them in a smooth voice.

The driver guy seems to pull himself together fast. He stood up straighter looking the stranger in the face. I didn’t know who this person was, but he was helping me so I didn’t care. He stood about a foot taller than me towering over me and the guys.

“I’ll count to five and if you two aren’t out of here by then…” He just trails off.

“We’re not scared of you!” The passenger guy said moving to stand next to his friend.

“Suit yourself, one…two…three.” He turns his head to look at me.

I look up to him catching his eyes. A gasp left my lips when I see the fire burning in his eyes. Turning back to the guys he didn’t hesitate to grab the driver seat guy throwing him into the wall. It was so quick that everyone froze as the stranger press his body up on the guy. The passenger seat guy moves to help his friend, but I grab his arm twist it behind his back. Pushing my knee into the back of his making him fall to his.

“I don’t appreciate what you was about to do to Keahi. I’m trying to debate if I should kill you or come close to.” Stranger said to the driver guy.

“Whoa! You can’t kill them, dude. Sure, they might deserve it but you can’t.” I told the stranger.

He didn’t say anything just stare down at the driver seat man. The passenger seat guy moves under me, but I twist his arms tighter until he stops squirming. I look back to the stranger seeing him back up off the man.

“You’re lucky she’s a reasonable girl or you’ll be dead right about now. Get out of here before I decided to go for it anyway.” He said in a deep scary voice.

I let my guy go as he scrambles up to his feet “Let’s go, Carson, I don’t want to die today!” He said grabbing one of the flashlights from the ground.

Carson moves away from the stranger grabbing the other light. They both ran back down the alleyway leaving me and the stranger in the dark. I couldn’t see anything except pitch black, but I still felt him coming to stand right in front of me. A ball of light appeared in between us lighting up his face. He had dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes. He was handsome with his strong jaw line and cheek bones.

“Uh…Thanks for saving me.” I told him.

“It’s my job, can you come with me princess Keahi?” He asks me.

“Where?”

“Back home.”

“Do you even know where I live?” I ask him.

He nods his head holding his hand out to me. I look down at it and back up to him. He did just save me and It’s better walking home with him than alone. Plus, if he starts trying anything I could just burn him.

“Fine, take me home,” I told him grabbing ahold of his hand.