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[04- FAKE] Mark
watched, dumbfounded, as Cammy fled out of the alley and down the
street at top speed. He
surveyed the carnage in front of him, well on 15 people with minor
to serious injuries. All done by
one girl in the space of almost 25 seconds. It had happened so fast,
he could not believe it, everything
a blur of movement and sickening noises of flesh impacting on flesh.
Still
shocked and confused, Mark stumbled out of the alley, stepping over
several prone forms. He had
never liked any of these people, in fact, many of them had made his
high school life a nightmare,
but he thought that not even they deserved such a brutal attack. Standing
at the mouth of the alley, Mark stared across the street at a phone
booth, thinking, Before
it clicked that he should call the hospital. after making the 911
Call, Mark sat on the curb, trying
to think things through. He
tried to think what would have made Cammy so nervous in the hall,
and how she could be so good
at martial arts, and only be 16 years old… And
why, despite her lethal abilities and advanced knowledge of combat,
she still seemed like a normal
kid…well, kinda normal…Mark tried to get the two images
of the girl playing with an old tomcat
and the killing machine that went through half a football team as
though they were nothing, and
couldn’t. Something
didn’t fit. The past few days he’d spent with Cammy, she’d
been a thoughtful, interesting
companion, someone he found he liked very much. The berserker he’d
just witnessed was
nothing like Cammy. Mark thought as he looked at the white paper bag
he’d been carrying. There
was no way he’d be friends with someone who’d attack people
so ferociously and thoughtlessly,
but Cammy seemed to be as horrified as he with her actions. Mark Realized
he was still her friend. And
Cammy would need a friend right now. Without
further hesitation, mark grabbed his package, stood up and headed
for the only place Cammy could be. And
at a good distance, two tall figures quietly followed him. Cammy
sat on her pile of blankets, the one-eyed tomcat on her lap, and wiped
at the tears that just Wouldn’t
stop. She sniffed miserably and wiped her nose, which wouldn’t
stop running either. She’d sworn she would
never hurt people like that again! She’d convinced herself she
could leave all the killing behind, and just be
a normal girl, a foolish dream! After all, she was just a ruthless
murderer, Lord Vega’s assassin doll. I’m not a person!
She thought angrily, I’m just a robot, a killing machine! As
Cammy let these dark emotions wash over her, she sank deeper into
depression and self- loathing,
seeming to physically collapse in on herself. All I have ever done
was hurt and kill people, how
could I think I could be Mark’s friend? How could I trick him? Not
wanting to think any more, Cammy sank further into her blankets and
listened to Mr. Sagat purr as
she stroked him, letting her shattered happiness fall away and the
familiar hopelessness drown her. Barlog and Sagat will find me, and
take me back to Shadoloo, my memories will be buried again,
and I will have to endure it all once more. I think if I go back, it will kill me. I deserve that. Cammy’s
self-hatred was interrupted by a small sound from the front of the
tiny office building, and both
her and the cat’s eyes turned to the noise. Ice shot up Cammy’s
spine, and formed a needle of
terror spiking through her thoughts. They’ve found me! Before
she could stop him, the cat leapt off of her lap, and began sauntering
toward the noise, much
to Cammy’s distress. Cammy, frozen with dread, waited for a
further noise, daring not to move
lest she give herself away. She
tensed herself when she heard another sound, like someone losing their
footing, then relaxed when
she heard the voice. “Ow..” Mark? Cammy
eased herself up, and crept to the doorway and peered around the doorframe,
still not
quite believing that Mark would come here after how she had lied to
him. Sure enough, when she
looked around the frame, there was Mark, gingerly stepping through
the broken and discarded office
equipment that was no good for burning, hampered by Mr. Sagat weaving
through his legs. “Cammy?
Are you here?” he called quietly. Apprehensively, Cammy shuffled
into view, unable to meet
Mark’s eyes. She looked a terrible sight, the dried blood from
the battered youths still all over her,
and ruining the newly stolen clothes, wisps of blonde hair loosened
from the fight. She could feel
the lump in her throat trying to choke her again, as she stood opposite
Mark, the only person in the
world she could call a friend, and felt the shame well up. Still
not able to look at him as he made his way over, Cammy thought of
all the terrible things she’d done
in the past, people she had killed – murdered! The people
she had injured because she could not
control herself, deceiving her only friend about what she was. The
shame threatened to engulf her
anew. Cammy
started when she felt Mark’s hand on her elbow. She hadn’t
noticed he’d navigated his way
through the maze of junk and was now standing in front of her. Fearing
the worst, Cammy once
again forced herself to look at him, and was surprised by what she
saw. A
smile, acceptance. Warmth. Mark
took in Cammy’s condition, dirty, bloody, her eyes red from
crying, her cheeks streaked with blood
and tears. The smile was replaced with worry and concern. “Cammy?
Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Cammy shook her head, not trusting her voice just yet. With that one
expression, Mark had banished
so much of the despair that had overcome her earlier. “I…I’m
ok…” she murmured. Cammy raised her eyes, meeting Mark’s
gaze openly, “Mark, I’m sorry
for those people, and…and for lying to you. I’m really
sorry.” Mark
smiled “I know.” He cupped her cheek with his hand, smiling
warmly. “It’s okay.” Cammy wondered
why she was shaking. |
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[INDEX] |
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