MABEL
Now, Mabel might have learned about where to best attack, where to best assault, where to best cut and slash, rip and tear, but what to do when the body simply wasn’t there or how to defend, hadn’t been as notable.
Her reach did nothing – and though an air of frustration didn’t quite reach into a growl – she could feel it beginning to build in her chest. Which was stupid; she couldn’t expect to snag him on the first interval.
But sometimes she wanted that instantaneous moment of triumph. She’d had so little of it. Just a taste. Just a morsel. Just a light savoring of what could be.
He dipped around the pillar, snagging, striking towards her. There was no muscle memory for defenses, for catching his movements and hastening her own parry or retaliation; only natural instinct, to dive in another direction. Swift, but not swift enough, as he caught the tail ends of her shirt, and she could hear the fabric tear, pull apart in its haste. Lucky, perhaps, to not have been embedded in flesh.
Not to be dissuaded, not to be outdone, Mabel pounced. Quick and rapid, she maneuvered around the portion of stone too, dagger outstretched, intending for his shoulder.
Her reach did nothing – and though an air of frustration didn’t quite reach into a growl – she could feel it beginning to build in her chest. Which was stupid; she couldn’t expect to snag him on the first interval.
But sometimes she wanted that instantaneous moment of triumph. She’d had so little of it. Just a taste. Just a morsel. Just a light savoring of what could be.
He dipped around the pillar, snagging, striking towards her. There was no muscle memory for defenses, for catching his movements and hastening her own parry or retaliation; only natural instinct, to dive in another direction. Swift, but not swift enough, as he caught the tail ends of her shirt, and she could hear the fabric tear, pull apart in its haste. Lucky, perhaps, to not have been embedded in flesh.
Not to be dissuaded, not to be outdone, Mabel pounced. Quick and rapid, she maneuvered around the portion of stone too, dagger outstretched, intending for his shoulder.
If you dig under my feet
You will find things that you don't want to see
You will find things that you don't want to see
