Eagless 106

“So basically”—Ashley gestured with her hand as Nicole sat across the table—“my story is that I got jumped, which is true, while I was in Duncan, false but not super important, and suffered serious injuries, true, that left me physically, mentally, and emotionally unable to attend classes or practice, true. The reason they’re just hearing about this was the shame I felt from the situation, preventing me from being open about it until now, again true. I’ll tell them I talked to an officer in Duncan, but since I couldn’t remember anything about the people, they said it wouldn’t help to file anything. In my shame, I refused to go to the doctor even through my roommate’s insistence. And hopefully that works.”

“What if it doesn’t?”

“Let’s hope it does. Most of it is the truth anyway. The only parts of the story that aren’t true are that it happened in Duncan and that I tried to report it. As long as they don’t want specifics as far as who I talked to, I don’t see where the issue is.”

This will work. It’s a good idea. A strong idea.

“I don’t know, Ash.” Nicole tapped her fingers on the table. “That seems like a flimsy idea.”

“Well.” She sighed. “When it’s all you got, it’s all you got. I’m just glad I can walk again, without the stints or crutches.”

“I’m glad too.” Nicole smiled.

“I’ll talk to my professors throughout the week as I return to class. Hopefully, they will accommodate me. For now,” Ashley stood and limped a little to the door—“wish me luck explaining this to the coaches.”

“Good luck!” Nicole called after her as she closed the door.

The coaches were unhappy that Ashley hadn’t contacted them, but were sympathetic enough to her situation to look past their frustrations. Thanks to their support, her professors were also understanding and were willing to work with Ashley to finish all her classes for the semester. Three days a week, Ashley spent two hours with the university training staff working to rebuild her muscles. Both of her arms and legs were found to have been fractured, but they’d healed on their own thanks to the stents Nicole had fashioned for her. The other four days of the week, she spent at the tutoring center working with her professors to bring her grades back up.

Three weeks after her initial conversation with her coaches and seven weeks after the fight, Ashley’s life was beginning to return to normal. There was one area of her life, though, that was still broken. Her night life as a vigilante had taken a forced hiatus. In that time, campus crime numbers had continued rising to the point that they were now at pre-White Knight numbers. Burglaries, assaults, and even a carjacking had happened while Ashley was sidelined. The Daily had gone so far as to argue that the White Knight and his copycat vigilante had actually created more crime on campus by leaving a void that emboldened criminals when they weren’t seen. And the worst thing was that five of the seven students involved in her assault had been released with a warning. The other two were suspended from the university but would have their records expunged after doing a small amount of community service. The campus needed a hero again.

“Absolutely not.” Nicole crossed her arms between Ashley and the door. “There is no chance I’m letting you go back out there after everything that’s happened the last two months.”

“Our campus is dying, Nicole. I have to do something.”

“The last time you said that, you literally almost died, Ashley. I’m not going to be able to show up and hit someone with my car every time it takes a bad turn. You’re lucky to be walking now. And you’re barely doing that! You’re still limping! You’re not close to where you were physically when you were attacked. If you go out again, especially like this, you’re not going to be as lucky as you were last time.”

“I have to try. I’d rather be on the wrong end of something than someone else. We could’ve been attacked last year, but the White Knight stepped in. I have to keep paying that forward. We’re the only ones doing anything about this campus’s problems. You’ve seen what’s happened while I’ve been hurt.”

“Fine.” Nicole’s green eyes were damp, but her voice was steady. “Do what you want. But I’m not coming after you again. I’m not carrying you to the bathroom or pouring water in your mouth again. You’re on your own. I had hoped that experience would convince you to hang it up, but I guess not. I just hope you realize before it’s too late that you can’t help anyone if you’re dead.”

“Nicole,” Ashley pleaded as her roommate stormed off to her room, but she didn’t receive an answer beyond the door slamming closed.

I have to try.

Ashley zipped up her leather jacket, pulled her blonde hair into a ponytail, and shoved her mask in her pocket. Lifting her head, she walked out into the night. She focused on her breathing as she patrolled the perimeter of the campus, mask still in her pocket. With fall finals approaching, there were a lot more students walking around than there had been earlier in the semester.

Finding the union courtyard empty, Ashley hurried up the balcony ladder and settled into one of the chairs in the shadows. After she settled, she wrapped her arms around herself and rocked gently back and forth as she watched and waited.

It didn’t take long before a scene broke out below.

“Let go of me!” the girl yelled. “I told you I’m going home.”

The man’s voice was much lower, and Ashley couldn’t make out quite what he was saying, but he had grabbed the girl by the arm and wasn’t letting go. That’s enough for me.

She quietly descended the steps and strode up behind the couple.

“Let me go!” the girl demanded, again to no avail.

“She said to let go,” Ashley spoke from behind the man, standing tall.

“What are you doing here?” the girl questioned.

“Oh, this is too good a chance to pass up.” The man smirked, turning to face Ashley while getting into a fighting stance.

If you insist, she smirked back as he edged a circle around her. Rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, she easily avoided his charge and gave a quick kick to the back of his legs as he tumbled by. The man hopped back to his feet, charging again, braking right as he got closer. Ashley leapt to the side again, simultaneously turning her back to add more force to her kick. Instead, a sharp pain went through her planted leg as he delivered a blow to her right knee.

Toppling to the ground, she gripped her knee as she worked to find her footing again. With all of her weight on her left leg, she tried circling the man who was now standing tall over her limping frame. A small crowd had gathered around them.

Ashley held one arm out to try to balance herself without her right leg. The man charged again. Standing her ground, she connected with a swing to his left collarbone. He took advantage of the opening and landed a shot to her good knee, then stumbled away holding his shoulder while Ashley toppled to the ground.

From her knees, she looked up, her legs unable to support her weight. He approached as she mustered her remaining strength to raise her head and straighten her back. He slammed his fist into her face. Spittle flew from her mouth as she crashed back down, and she gasped as the tip of his boot slammed into her abdomen, ripping the air from her lungs. He wrapped a fist into the front of her shirt and lifted, only to strike her back down again.

“Now we all get to know who this wannabe is!” the man shouted to the crowd as they cheered. Blood leaked from both corners of Ashley’s mouth, and her eye was already swelling shut.

“That is,” the man continued in a voice so soft only Ashley could hear him, “if we’re even able to recognize you.”

The feel of his hand on her face as he reached for her mask made her nauseous, but she didn’t have the strength to react. Ashley took a deep breath. There was nothing she could do now. This was the end, and she would meet it head-on.

As the edges of her vision started to darken, a crackle went through the chilly air, followed by the shriek of the man in front of her. He toppled on top of her as she heard the crowd disperse. The weight was lifted off her, but she couldn’t see anything but darkness. She registered the sensation of being lifted before her mind gave in to the darkness, too.

Eagless will return with episode 107 on November 10th.

For more stories set in this world, buy my books, The White Knight and SAMSON – OUT NOW! Or read my short story series The Street Rat for free like Eagless!

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