Philadelphia by Treasure Hernandez Page B

You like to play?” He punched the back of her head.
    Billie could feel the tears streaming down her face and mixing with the blood from her lip. She struggled to get free from the grasp of the young man, but he was too strong. She could feel the full weight of him on her back as he used his knees to pin her arms down. Dirt was flying into her mouth, causing her to choke as she screamed, “Fuck you! Get off me! Help!” She was in panic mode.
    â€œI’m gonna teach my bitch to obey. You behave and I’ll take care of you.” He grabbed a hold of the waistband of her slacks and yanked them down, exposing her bare ass. She struggled even more now, violently trying to get out from under him. The pain in her arms from the pressure of his knees was becoming unbearable. She struggled desperately to free her arms. During her struggle, she felt her left hand hit something hard. She looked and saw a rock about an inch from her fingertips.
    â€œYeah. I’m gonna tear this ass up.” He started unbuckling his pants.
    Billie strained to stretch her fingers and grab the rock. Her fingertips were barely making contact with it. The young man moved into position to ram his penis into her. The moment he released her arms from under his knees, Billie grabbed the rock and was able to swing around and smash the rock in his face. The force of the blow knocked him off of Billie, and she was able to scramble to her feet. The young man was momentarily stunned, allowing Billie enough time to wind up and bash the rock into his head.
    â€œYou motherfucker!” she screamed as she repeatedly slammed the rock into his head. The young man’s face split open like a coconut with blood pouring out of the gashes she was creating. She kept on smashing until she was too tired to swing anymore. Then she collapsed to her knees and sobbed.
    After a while, she was able to compose herself and stop crying. She pulled her pants back up but had to leave them unfastened. The button and zipper had been ripped off so she was unable to fasten them. The young man’s body lay motionless beside her.
    Billie stood over the bloody body and stared down at her would-be rapist. She thought back to her very first kill, and how the episode changed her. Now this kill transformed her even more. She could feel it. She felt stronger both physically and mentally.
    Before getting back into her car, Billie walked to the edge of the Delaware River and threw the rock as far as she could. She then kneeled at the shoreline and washed the blood from her hands and face.
    What she couldn’t wash away was the memory of what just happened. She replayed the attack over and over during the drive back to her home.
    Billie pulled up to a red light. Across the street she saw a bright neon sign that said NINA’S BAR. With memories of her father’s murder and her recent attack dancing in her head, she decided to drown them out with a couple of drinks at the bar. She crossed the intersection and pulled into a parking space in front of Nina’s bar.
    Billie walked into the dark bar, which stank of stale beer that smelled about a hundred years old. A lone pool table sat in the far corner, and music played on a busted radio behind the bar. This was hardly Billie’s style, but all she wanted was what the rest of the handful of patrons seemed to want: a hard drink, and fast.
    â€œWhat can I get you?” the bartender asked as Billie took a stool directly in front of him.
    â€œGrey Goose on the rocks,” she said.
    The bartender paused before starting to make the drink. The order surprised him. Normally his customers asked for the cheapest beer or liquor.
    While he was pouring the vodka, Billie looked at her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. What she saw staring back at her shocked her. Her lip was already swollen, and there was dried blood all around the wound. She had scrapes on her forehead and her hair was a bird’s nest.