1927: Redemption

Bloodshed

“Being able to temporarily switch your emotions off is a natural defence against overloading pain into your empathy circuit. Be sure to re-engage your empathy circuit at the first opportunity and process the pain, otherwise being stuck in an emotionless void becomes an unfortunate default mode.”

2021-DECEMBER-FLORIDA

In her weakness, Adeline found her strength. All along she was turning outward, expressing love to the world in the hope of some coming back. She offered her soul like a brilliant white light, a force to heal an ailing world of cynicism.

Yet what the universe saw was her wounded side and pushed her further away, that survival instinct to sideline the weak kicking in. She had never been like that, always running toward the needy, and so was confused. Now she understood that to help others she must be strong in herself like the beast was strong in himself, love herself. And so she took that love she poured outward and let it flow in her veins, channelling the spirit of the lioness. She did not need company; she was not alone - Adeline had solitude, peace and time to heal without the needs of others, but was it true? She took her adversity and she made it to her advantage.

Lights were still low as they reached the platform, everything was quiet, it was the silence before the storm. They had to come back as there was no way through the tunnel to reach her apartment, neither of them uttered anything to each other.

Four figures appeared at the entrance of the train station and her heart nearly stopped, she could vaguely make out long shaggy hair on each of the men.

Awesome! This was what she wanted after all, right?

The chances of their survival were low if they had guns, but Adeline couldn’t live with herself if she didn’t try. And, that was the time when she felt an aura of power surrounding them, it was the stranger or the Beast who exuded dominance and ferocity.

Her stomach dropped when each of the men came forward as if they were waiting for Adeline and the beast only, and Adeline could perfectly see the gleam of gunmetal in their hands.

It felt like time slowed just for a moment and she wondered what if this was the last night of her life?

A small scream left Adeline’s lips when the entrance door to the station slammed open with a loud bang as if they were informed about the targets’ entry, who were obviously Adeline and Mr Beast. The metal door crashed against the bricks of the building at the force.

The Beast came out of the dark, his golden eyes searching his surroundings rapidly.

“Just in time,” mumbled Adeline when she saw him leaving the dark for good.

He locked his eyes with Adeline and the aura radiating from him made her shrink closer to the wall for support, he was beyond furious. The lower half of his face was covered in a black mask and she couldn’t help it when curiosity came roaring to life inside of her, a full head of dark chocolate hair sat tousled on his head, the top of his hair was long and untidy while the sides and back were shaved short. Dark eyebrows and long eyelashes framed his forest greens, she dragged her eyes from the mask that covered the lower half of his face to his massive build.

The Man-Beast leapt forward and grabbed her by the wrist, his electric touch scorched her ice-cold skin. Adeline stumbled as he yanked her behind him and faced the men coming in their way.

Adeline was sure they could feel the aura of power radiating off of him, she wasn’t sure if the men could feel it or not, but judging from the sweat beads forming on their heads they seemed afraid for their lives.

They hesitated for a moment, glancing between each other and Beast’s towering figure. They must have not been very smart, as they continued coming forward.

“Stranger..” The name which she gave to him which he knew very well left her lips in a scared whimper. She wasn’t only scared for her safety, Adeline worried about him as well. In a motion that was calculated and slow, Beast flexed his fingers, eyeing up his targets.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the men stepped forward and one began to raise his gun.

The Beast moved faster than any human Adeline had ever seen, in an instant he was in front of the man who had lifted his gun. He grabbed the man’s arm just as a shot rang out into the night, in the subway.

Adeline stood, gaping at the man who had been apparently her stranger.

The man's gun was pointed to the ceiling as the Beast snapped the bone in his arm with one hand. The c***k of bone-breaking was as loud as the bullet that pierced the air.

Things seemed to happen all at once, the man with a broken arm opened his mouth to scream, but the beast was much faster as his claws raked across the man’s throat, spilling blood like a busted bike.

One man down!

The other men rushed forward, guns drawn and raised in the air.

Adeline kept herself flush against the wall and gaped in horror as she stared down the barrel of a gun.

The beast spun on his toes and grabbed the other man with one arm. He yanked the man’s arm behind his back, and the gun clattered to the ground. He wasted no time toying with his victims. He looked like a blunt instrument with deadly consequences.

While one man had his arm twisted behind his back, the beast used his other hand to grab another man by the throat and kicked in the back of his leg, another sickening c***k echoed down the poorly lit subway and another throat was torn out, he dropped the dying man like trash and ripped the other’s throat out as well.

Three men down!

The bloodshed was as barbaric as it was stupid; it was as evil. Some thoughts could come with reasons to kill, yet they were the devil's siren. We were born to love, not to become monsters of our own making. Even in our grief, we wish for peace, to reach out and heal with the "enemy," to find the ways that love conquers all.

But, these thoughts did not make any difference because the Beast not only fought for Adeline’s life, he enjoyed the kill. And the ones who enjoyed the barbaric act were the ones who could never be at peace.

Was Adeline thinking right about the Beast?

Did he enjoy the kill or just lose control as her life was in danger?