There was no hesitation when the man came into view. With swift movements she caught him off guard and took him to the ground. She knew she didn't have the weight advantage to keep him down, so she placed a knee on his chest and pressed a blade to his throat. Brief recognition flashed between the two before both of their expressions changed. His morphed into a relief and concern while hers settled on fear and upset.
"Qui êtes-vous ? Que voulez-vous ?" She questioned. The words sounded wrong from her lips. The wrong language. Wrong accent. He knew her better than that. When he didn't respond and instead leaned up she retrieved a second blade from her boot and held it to his groin. "Parler." She demanded.
She watched him open his mouth and take a breath, but nothing came out. Her breath caught in her throat as a twig snapped to her right. Instantly she pulled the blade from his neck, pointing in the direction of the second man. He slowed his approach, noticing the predicament of the first man.
"Easy..." He offered, his English accent smooth. He continued to approach with his hands raised, only stopping when she pulled back to throw the knife. "Easy." He repeated. Again, recognition crossed her face before it melted back into fear and upset.
"Combien êtes-vous?" She questioned, her voice shaking. She knew there were more. At least three. That knowledge alone made her feel uneasy. Anxiety creeping down her spine.
"You know we don't speak french..." The man beneath her finally spoke up. His Irish accent wasn't as comforting as it used to be. She glanced down at him, only to realize he was looking past her. Behind her.
"Got--!" A third man shouted. He reached out to grasp the back of her shirt, fingers curling around the collar. At the same time she lunged forward and over the male pinned to the ground. The third man tore her shirt, the sound audible in the quiet of the night. "--you..." He trailed off in shock as she rolled and took off running. The three men were stunned, giving her enoigh of a head start.
She tucked both blades away as she ran, lungs burning with the effort. Her legs protested after all the running she had done earlier, but she had to press on. There were still two more men hiding somewhere in the dark.
As she rounded a tree she nearly ran another one over, catching him by surprise. She quickly dropped and swept a leg out, knocking his feet out from under him before carrying on. He didn't even have time to acknowledge her before she was gone. The third man thundered past without a second thought while the other two paused to help.
Breaking out of the cover od the trees she sprinted down the street. Past closed doors and windows, past quaint homes and businesses all locked up for the night. There would be no help. The heavy footsteps behind her urged her on, ignoring the searing pain that course through her veins. Her legs begged for a break, but it was not a luxury she could afford.
Ducking around a corner she startled when she realized the fifth man was standing at the other end of the street. They had lured her into a trap. Of course they had. With no other join she darted into an alley, knowing it was a dead end.
"Come on, love, don't be like that!" He shouted, joining the third man in the chase. The appearance of the wall didn't surprise nor cornern her. Instead she threw herself at the bricks and frantically began to climb. Normally she would take care with the placement of her hands, but tonight safety was a luxury.
"Stop!" The third man called. She pushed on. Not even slicing her palm on a sharp stone was enough to stop her. Slow her down? Yes, but not stop her. As she reached the top she dared a look over her shoulder and down, catching the eye of the fifth man. He looked equally confused and hurt, even more so when he realized she was afraid.
"No, don't." He commanded as the third man tried to climb the wall after her. Together they watched as she disappeared over the top and down the other side.
