Looking up, I could see clouds rolling in, and the smell of rain was heavy in the air. That was one of my favorite smells, and drawing in huge gulps of air almost made me forget the dread I had felt earlier at the old woman's premonitions. Almost.

It iriitated me that she was still in my thoughts, even now. "I should be able to have some peace," I muttered angrily. My life, up to this point, had already been filled with Death and loss. I really didn't think someone so young should have to worry about her friends and family dropping like flies around her. So, to stop the chaos that always seemed to follow me, I stopped having friends, and made a life of my own, on my own. Now, don't get me wrong, nothing was perfect, and it was an uphill battle just to stay alive most days. There's things I see in my dreams that would make a grown man piss his pants. I'm what they call an interceder, I pray and fight a spiritual fight for people's souls when they won't do it themselves.
I can't make up my mind if this is a curse or a blessing. But, hey, every night is a battle. Bloody and black, with fire and brimstone, and the whole shebang. And you think your life is shit? Please.

Back to the present, wakling down these silent streets, every shadow had me jumping and getting anxious. It was almost as though my dreams were seeping into reality. It was freaking the hell out of me, so I picked up my pace and tried to think about getting home to some hot chocolate and a good book. However, tonight, it seemed, was not my night for such things. Stepping out of a dark corner, a lanky kid, probably 17 or so, held up a gun and smirked. "Hey babe, give me your wallet and jewelry and I'll let you keep breathing."
"How long have you been practicing THAT one?" I asked snarkily. His gaze narrowed and I heard the safety click off. I had been looking for a fight all day, and maybe this was my chance to see what this punk was worth.

"What are you gonna do, shoot me?" I asked in a sweet soprano. His eyebrows shot up.
"Don't think I won't do it babe. I've killed people for less attitude than yours."
"I just bet you have. Well, I'll let you in on a secret, but you gotta come closer," I sing-songed at him, praying he would. I could feel the energy building up in me, the white hot power that sometimes made me black out from the magnitude of it. "Come on kid, what are you scared of?" I mocked, showing teeth.
"Fine," he snapped, coming closer, "What the hell do you wanna say before I take your money? Enlighten me."
"I was gonna say, you little shit, that maybe you should pick on someone with your intelligence level, maybe then you won't get your ass kicked by someone like me." He made the mistake of laughing, like I had just told him the most hilarious of jokes, and doubled over from it. But he must have seen something in my eyes when he straightened, for he went pale and dropped his gun. I knew from his expression my eyes were probably glowing that freakish white and amber color they did when the energy was just under the surface.
He was smart enough to try to run away, I'll give him that. He didn't get far, though. My anger was so hot, it almost burned as hot as the energy within me. I pulled my hands in front of me, creating a fireball of it and watched myself in amazement and a little terror as it went streaking from my hands towards the kid. I don't recall anything after that except sweet darkness as I slumped to the cold earth.