Primal Rage

The biting December wind whipped off of the Irish sea carrying with it, the scent of brine and faint saccharine aroma, melting candy floss from the deserted promenade of Blackpool; Yasmin tightened her scarf around her neck, pulling Raven closer as they hurried down a narrow alleyway, a shortcut that they needed to get towards the main streets that will lead them back to Yasmin’s flat.

Raven had become rather withdrawn and Yasmin, ever attuned to Raven’s moods, had been doing her best to keep her spirits up.

They were about halfway through the alleyway when it happened; a figure emerged from the darkness, moving with a speed that caught them by surprise; Before Yasmin could react to the sudden movement, a heavy blow landed on the back of her head; in an instant she crumpled to the ground, she was unconscious before she could even register the pain.

Raven; she froze, her eyes fixed on Yasmin – the scream that clawed its way into her throat died before it could escape her lips; the world seemed to just tilt; the lights blurred into a swirling vortex; Yasmin, on the ground and unmoving – she had completely frozen up, her head was now flooded with too much information for her to process anything, a panic had set in.

Daniel, his face contorted into a cruel leer; turned his attention to Raven, he stalked towards her, the fetid stench of stale alcohol and…, desperation, emanated from him; he grabbed Raven by her wrists; forced her backwards, pinned her back against the cold brick wall, she was easy to move, he was somewhat surprised by just how easy it had been; her back landed with a thud – but her eyes never once moved from Yasmin.

“Well, well, well” he rasped; his voice thick with a venomous satisfaction “Look at what we have here; and now, all alone” he grinned; but she still hadn’t moved her eyes “I’ve been waiting a long time for this opportunity; no need for anything this time”

To Raven, everything just sounded like some distant echo; meaningless noise that failed to penetrate the high-pitched whistling that was piercing her ears; the thousands of voices now in her head; none of them her own, but they all asked the same question to her ‘Is she dead’ Yasmin had still not moved she could feel Daniel’s grip; she had even felt the wall against her back when she hit it.

Her vision seemed to narrow; she was too focused on Yasmin’s still form; a low-hum began to vibrate through her body, it started within her chest and had begun spreading outwards – a physical manifestation of the rage that was building.

It wasn’t just anger; it was a primal, possessive fury – a protective instinct so fierce, it threatened to consume; this man – this ‘thing’ had dared to touch what was hers, silenced the woman that brought light into her shadowed world.

A usually placid, timid, fearful Raven vanished – standing in place was something else entirely, something ancient; dangerous.

Daniel was emboldened by her silence – he pressed closer, gripping her wrists tightly “You’ll experience everything this time, little bitch” he told her with a sick smirk “Understand me?”

He never saw it coming.

The shift was almost imperceptible; a subtle change in posture, her gaze had hardened, and had moved to him directly – Raven moved, she moved with a speed and ferocity Daniel never expected of her.

She ignored the pain coming from her wrists as she shifted her weight; using the wall as leverage, she gave a swift, precise kick – it landed on Daniel’s knee; a loud, sickening crack followed, it reverberated in the silence of the alleyway.

Daniel howled out in pain, his grip loosening.

Before he could recover, Raven landed a devastating elbow strike to his face; square on his nose, the force of the blow throwing his head backwards, his body following; blood erupted from his nose; trying to regain his balance, he raised his hands in an attempt to grab forwards, but Raven – she was relentless in her blind fury.

All of the supressed anger, silent fear – bottled up rage, it came pouring out in a torrent of violence; she attacked with terrifying precision, she struck at pressure points; vital areas.
Each blow was delivered with a cold, calculating fury; fuelled by a single-minded desire to hurt him for hurting Yasmin.

Daniel would crumple to the ground, unconscious, bleeding – but Raven did not stop, she kicked and punched, her movement were frenzied, animalistic; the alleyway echoed with sickening thud of flesh against flesh, the air thick with the metallic tang of blood.

She was lost in a red haze; the world reduced to a single, overwhelming need to obliterate the threat; she never heard the approach of footsteps, didn’t register anyone call out her name.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed Raven’s wrists; pulled her up with surprising force – with a sudden spin, she lunged into another attack “Stop!”

A voice, firm and authoritative bellowed – it cut her out of the fog of her rage, she couldn’t move her wrists, the grip, much to strong for her to pull free; as she blinked, trying to focus; she realised the figure holding her, was Adonis.

“Let me go!” she shouted; straining against his grip “He hurt Yasmin; he hurt her!”

“He’s unconscious Raven; you need to calm down” Adonis’ voice was steady, his grip was firm; slowly, he manoeuvred her around; away from Daniel prone body; pulling her towards the relative light of the alleyway entrance

“He hurt Yasmin” Raven choked; her voice trembling “He…” it slowly began to register in her head what Daniel had been intending

“I know” Adonis said; he had seen everything, he had been watching from the shadows – observing everything in silence, he would not admit it though, but the reality of what he had witnessed had confirmed something for him

He pulled her forwards; embracing her within his arms a moment, Raven resisted, her body still tense with adrenaline – but, she began to calm, her rage had begun to recede; still there was a voice in her head, when Adonis felt she had calmed down enough, he stopped restraining her, she pulled away from, her eyes darting to Daniel’s body – the reality of what she had done crashed down on her, the horror of her own violence was sickeningly apparent; she could have killed him – a wave of nausea watched over her

“Yasmin” she whispered, her voice barely audible; she rushed away from Adonis right away; he observed quietly

Raven stumbled as she raced over to where Yasmin lay; her heart pounding, she came to a skidding stop on her knee’s, she felt pain in her knee’s against the ground “Yasmin” she said; gently, she started tapping her face “Yasmin; please” she pleaded, her voice cracking “Please wake up”

There was a low groan that escaped Yasmin’s lips; her eyes fluttered open, focusing slowly on Raven’s face as she stared up at her “Raven?” she mumbled, her voice slurred “What…, what happened?”

Adonis though, interrupted; placing his hand against Raven’s shoulder causing her to look at him “The ambulance will be here soon” he told her; he wasn’t however, going to wait; he turned, leaving Raven with Yasmin and the unconscious Daniel, as he walked – his eyes shifted towards Daniel, a sly grin curving his lips as he disappeared out of the alleyway.

Raven held Yasmin close; her body, as Yasmin could feel, shaking with the aftershocks of adrenaline and fear; the lights of Blackpool seemed to mock her with their brightness, a stark contrast to the darkness that had tried to consume her.

She had seen a side of herself she never knew existed; raw and primal – she had no control, the experience had left her shaken, terrified by what she could have done.

As the ambulance sired wailed in the distance; Raven knew something wasn’t right, something had changed; she hadn’t been the same ever since that encounter at the old manor house during Halloween.

Written By: Westley H.