Welcome to Mercy’s Point. The city of no hope. The home of criminals. The place God has abandoned. The Devil’s toy box. Any of these nicknames describing this mad world are accurate in their way.
A failing and corrupted industrial city, Mercy’s Point is a lawless place. Sirens are heard every ten minutes wherever you go, and the black smoke from factories are the clouds that float over the city. With every cop, there are twenty civilians. With those civilians, fifteen of them are either murderous psychopaths, thieves, organized criminals, or flat out anarchists. The rests are just innocent victims or people soon to join one of these categories. With these numbers, any cop in their right mind ignore calls, die within their first day, or become criminals themselves. As the number of criminals in the city rise, the number of people becoming cops dwindle each day.
Mercenaries are possibly the only people in Mercy’s Point that has respect as they bring ‘justice’ the city desperately needs. The problem with this is that anyone can claim to be a mercenary, but those of legend is highly regarded in the city. Even so, it’s still rare to find one that cares for the inhabitants of Mercy’s Point and aren’t full of themselves. Or at the very least isn’t corrupted. Aside from that if you pay the right amount, they’ll complete any job any way they see fit.
More can be said about this city however, the smell of fire from a burning building across the street engulfs Alice’s nose grabbing her attention. Her eyes are still glowing slightly until screams of agony pierce her ears as she sees the building beginning to crumble. Bystanders are just looking or walking away from the building as the people inside must suffer until the very end. With her eyes no longer glowing she stands there motionless unable to move the slightest muscle. Another familiar sight for Alice all she can do is stand there and hear the screams coming from the building.
Alice feels that she can do something to help but something unexplainable prevents her to do so. As if she’s been in a scenario like this already Alice feels paralyzed. In the process, Alice can hear the crying of children in the building which forces Alice to turn around facing her door. She places her hand on the handle eager to go back inside until she stops herself. All Alice can hear is the pounding of her heart. It’s barely been a minute and the harsh reality of her city has gotten in Alice’s head.
Alice thinks to herself if she wants to go back inside. She asks if she wants to see the corpse of her husband. It wouldn’t block the screams if she did anyway, they’re only getting louder and scarier. Alice begins to grit her teeth as her hand clenches the handle harder. The distressed Alice closes her eyes and attempts to block out the screams. All she can see is complete darkness and hear her heart hitting her chest. The thoughts she previously had at the house returns almost as loud as the screams coming from the building. The heat she can feel from the fire is now felt in her heart. Alice can see a small familiar light in the distance from the darkness in her mind. The screams are now gone. She slowly releases the handle and begins backing away from her door. Opening her eyes Alice sees the building now destroyed and covered in flames. She turns facing her back to the building and walks away with an emotionless face. Alice doesn’t know where to go or the direction she’s currently heading in. With her hands in her pockets and her hair covering the sides of her face, she just walks.
Alice loathes her city as she sees drug deals happening right in the open and people breaking into cars with no hesitation. Homeless people being taunted by thugs and arguments between rival gangs. Only the strong survive in Mercy’s Point which makes Alice wonder how she was able to live here this long. From the corner of her eye, she spots women in suggestive clothing luring men to a nearby alley or motel. Alice slightly drops her head and decides to stop looking at the city God has abandoned.
Walking aimlessly Alice begins to ponder on what happened in the house. The feeling she had flowing through her while she was levitating was surreal. She questions if she was the one that caused the house to shake. That power she felt, however, makes her believe none of this is happening. It’s just a hallucination or dream she constantly thinks to herself. Her scars miraculously vanishing and a knife whispering to her. This can convince anyone that this is all in their heads. Nevertheless, one thing is certain, Alice loved the feeling and a part of her wants more. She then moves on to think about Malice.
The ominous feeling it let off, the terrifying presence, and the tone of Malice’s voice. Alice felt unsettled whenever Malice spoke. There’s something sinister about Malice that she can feel but Alice didn’t feel like she was in any danger. It’s odd for Alice to consider anything evil about Malice when she feels safe and comfortable when it’s around. When Malice placed its hand on Alice’s shoulder, she felt calm as if she knew Malice was feeling everything she was.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Alice looks down to see her shadow following her. The presence of Malice can be felt, and Alice has a new feeling of security. Many questions are left unanswered regarding Malice and the strange sensation she has felt back home. For now, Alice must go with whatever she feels is right. Most of her life she has listened to people. Whether it did harm to Alice or it benefitted the other person, she listened with no questions. Accustomed to following others she tries her best to figure out her next step. Once more she looks at her shadow.
“Bounded for life…” Alice says while smirking.
Walking for miles and with the sun beginning to set, Alice spots a man staring down an alley. She walks past him only to stop in her tracks when she hears a plead for help.
“Please stop!” A distressed woman yells at her attacker.
The woman herself is maybe a year younger than Alice. She’s dressed in suggestive clothing and is on the ground suffering from a broken nose.
“Poor girl.” Mumbled by the man who was staring down the alley. He begins walking away with no intention of helping.
Alice looks at the coward with anger and annoyance. This was also a familiar sight for her. Being in the position the girl currently is more times than she could remember. Or chooses to remember at the very least.
“Shut the fuck up or this knife is going straight in your throat. You don’t want that do ya?” Her attacker says menacingly. He grabs the girl by her neck and pins her against the wall slamming the back of her head in the process.
Bald, middle-aged, and covered in tattoos, the man towers over the defenseless girl with a knife to her throat.
“Now be a good little whore and do what you’re told.”
Alice’s mind begins to race again with thoughts of rage and anger. Her heart burning with fire. The banging of her raged infused heart is getting louder and louder. She can’t stare and watch any longer.
“Hey!” Alice yells from the end of the alley.
The man looks and spots Alice still holding the knife near the girl’s throat.
“Alice?” The attacker asks. “Is that you?”
Alice just stands there silently.
“Oh shit, I almost didn’t recognize you. What the hell you did with your hair? And what happened to your eyes?” The attacker questions Alice.
Alice continues to stand in silent focusing solely on him.
“Did you turn deaf too? I’m talking to you!” The attacker’s voice begins to rise.
Ironically enough Alice can’t hear him at all. Only the sinister thoughts flowing through Alice’s head are heard. Alice can just see his lips moving while he’s still holding the girl. She spots the tear slowly falling off her cheek.
“Let her go.” Demanded Alice. She spoke in a soft but firm tone. Alice’s eyes start to glow slightly.
“The fuck did you just say to me?” Questioned the attacker.
He pauses and begins to laugh. “That’s funny. A whore coming to try and save another whore.” He continues to laugh. “Get the fuck outta here Alice I don’t know what you’re doing down here, but I’ll see you any other night.”
While the attacker is distracted the woman knees the man in the groin breaking the grip he had on her. She immediately runs past him and eventually Alice leaving the alley and Alice behind.
“THAT FUCKING BITCH!” Yelled the attacker as he holds his groin in pain.
Alice still stands completely motionless watching the attacker, her hair covering half of her face.
“You fucking did this!” The attacker shouted at Alice. “You’re gonna take her place you fucking whore!”
The attacker begins to rush at Alice with the knife in his right hand when suddenly he stops.
“Wha- what the fuck is happening?” The attacker questioned as he can’t move any muscle in his body. The knife drops to the ground.
Alice’s face is now covered completely by her long jet-black hair. Her shadow is no longer by her side as she stands in front of the attacker.
“What are you doing to me?” The now frightened attacker asks Alice. Soon he begins to rise off the ground.
“WAIT WAIT WHAT’S GOING ON?? ALICE PLEASE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
He struggles to try to move any muscle with no success. Still not saying a word Alice stands below him with her hair covering her face.
The attacker is then slammed to the ground face-first, breaking his nose along with his teeth. He slowly tries to get back up spitting out some of his teeth. Once again, he rises off the ground.
“Alice…stop this please.” Pleaded the attacker
He’s slammed on the ground face-first once more leaving a gash on his forehead. On the ground barely moving he’s picked up again only to be thrown back to a metal door creating a dent in it.
Alice slowly walks towards him with the knife now in her hand. The man now on the ground sitting against the door coughs up blood. Standing directly in front of the man, he reaches his hand out to her begging for her to stop.
“Please…” Begged the attacker.
Alice grabs his hand only to stab it with his knife.
“AGHHH!!” The attacker shrieked. The blade pierced deep through the palm of his hand. His screams of pain fill the alley.
Alice crouches down and brings her face closer to his.
“Look at me…” Alice demanded.
The whimpering and bloodied attacker listens and stares at Alice. He can only see the jet-black hair covering her face but proceeds to look. As he does blood soon falls from his eyes. His jaw drops as his eyes turn completely black. The attacker’s body slides down onto the ground.
Alice stands back up removing the hair covering her face. Her eyes are no longer glowing as she stares at the lifeless attacker with blood continuing to fall from his eyes. For the second time today, Alice has taken a life.