Page 122 of Semblance

While the White Crow continued his threats, I saw Shadow sneaking up behind him concealed in a blanket of darkness.

I allowed my eyes to divert away from the White Crow and looked over his left shoulder while I let out a sigh of relief.

The White Crow grinned.

“I see what you’re getting at,” he said, “Sadly you need a better poker face.”

He spun to his left and fired off a quick shot, but was surprised to see that no one was there.

“Wrong side asshole,” Shadow said as he blindsided the White Crow from the opposite direction and drilled him in the shoulder with a two-by-four, causing the assassin to drop his weapon.

The White Crow growled like a wounded bear, taking a step back while clutching his arm.

“Ugh, what the fuck,” he cursed. “That hurt like hell.”

“Nothing compared to this,” Shadow said as he lunged at the White Crow, hands still gripping the large piece of wood.

Despite being wounded, the White Crow’s reflexes were bursts of lightening. He was much faster than his brother, dodging Shadow’s attack and retaliating with a boot to his gut. Shadow dropped to his knees, writhing in pain.

“You fucking coward,” the White Crow spat. “This is what fighting me fairly actually feels like.” He followed up with another kick to Shadow’s ribs. I heard a sickening crunch.

I couldn’t stand here like a useless damsel in distress and watch Shadow get pummeled. I scoured the ground for the closest weapon and discovered a full bucket of primer lying mere inches away. The White Crow continued his assault on Shadow, who struggled to get to this feet but was struck back down to his knees with the White Crow’s heavy fists.

“This is what you deserve for trying to be a snake,” The White Crow continued taunting. “I can do this all fucking-”

Before he could finish his sentence, I took the opportunity to attack him with the bucket, swinging it awkwardly with two hands, and managed to catch him across the side of his head.

“Argh,” he screamed, clutching his head. “Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you people? Stop fighting like cowards.”

I came at him again but had the wind knocked out of me when he countered with an elbow to the soft spot of my stomach. The pain felt like an electric shock, originating from where he had hit me, all the way to my fingertips as I struggled to suck in air.

The White Crow picked up the paint bucket with one hand, raised it over his head, threatening to bring it down on my skull.

Shadow snuck up from behind, a hammer in one hand, and grabbed the White Crow’s wrist—still clinging onto the bucket—with the other. He pulled the bastard’s arm as far back as he could and delivered a punishing blow to the assassin’s elbow with the hammer.

The White Crow howled in pain as Shadow crushed the bones in his arm.

“You murdered my friend,” Shadow said as he continued his assault, driving the hammer into the White Crow’s kneecap, smashing it to oblivion.

The killer’s howls intensified as he took a few staggered steps back. Shadow continued the attack, making contact with every swing. The White Crow shielded his arms while backing away in retreat. The two were drawing closer to the edge.

“Shadow, watch out,” I cried out. My warnings were ignored. Shadow was too focused on obliterating the White Crow to pay any attention to me.

One of Shadow’s blows landed on the White Crow’s head and I thought for sure that was the deathblow.

Astonishingly, the White Crow failed to stay down and instead—with a surge of superhuman adrenaline—charged into Shadow like an angry bull. Shadow tried to get out of the way but wasn’t quick enough as the White Crow barreled into him, sending them both flying over the edge.

“Shadow!” I screamed, rushing towards the spot where they had both fallen over. I couldn’t stand the thought of him dying on me. I needed Shadow in my life. He was all I had left in this world and I loved him.

He was clinging onto a flimsy piece of scaffolding gutting out of the side of the building. The White Crow was gone, reduced to a smear on the concrete. I hoped he was with his brother, dancing with the devil in hell.

From the creaking of the scaffolding, it wouldn’t be long before it all went tumbling down.

I lay flat on my belly, just at the edge, and reached out to Shadow. He extended one hand upwards but we were still inches apart.

I willed my body to stretch further, hoping to defy all physical odds written by the universe. The tips of my fingers touched his and for a moment, I thought I could do it. I thought I could save Shadow’s life.

One of the bolts securing the scaffolding to the side of the building came undone under the stress of Shadow’s weight. I was devastated as Shadow sank a few inches further away from me.

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