Dark start

I have never been more afraid in my life.
Three large men dressed in black had been waiting for me in an alley behind the local super, now one of them had his large, thick hand on my throat, lifting me off the ground.
“Gabriel” sniggered the apparent leader of the crew.
“Do you know why we are going to kill you?” he tilted his head to one side as a dog trying to understand a human.
He was an obvious brute, he had said my name but I had never seen him before. I would have known that ugly face if I had. He was also incredibly stupid asking me questions while he was suffocating me. Was he expecting an answer?

I shook my head and could feel the brute thighten his grip. It was as if my head would explode, but only after my eyes would pop out.
“Couz you annoy me, you and your little girlfriend” His voice was filled with malice and I knew he would kill me soon, but I still wanted to live and I feared for Sam’s life now that she was threatened.

I felt his hand ease up and I dropped to the filthy ground, gasping for air as I forced myself to hold my body up. 
I looked up just as I heard the other two walk towards me. Three steps and they were on me.
The first kick, from steel tipped shoes, lifted me off the ground and slammed me into the brick wall behind me. I was feeling the consciousness fading from me already. I had never been in a fight in my whole life and now I will regret it in my final moments.
“Nice one” the leader called to his minion. I could not believe it, he was actually proud of the kick his minion had landed on me.

I was able to lift myself up to my feet now and regarded the three with terror. I knew they were just playing with me, but I had to know …
“Why?” my voice was hoarse, it pained me to make a sound.
“Because we don’t like arrogant fuck heads. This is our territory and you and your little whore should have known that before you ignored our demands” his anger was building and I could see a blood vein pulse on his forehead.

I thought about what I had done wrong, but I could not remember anything. Fear was making me unable to think.
One of the guys spun around and landed another kick. This time I was kicked in the head and all went blank. I remember I felt no pain as the kick landed, it was too quick for me to even try to defend myself against it. I wish I could say my whole life flashed before my eyes and the meaning of my existence was clear. I had done my part for the world or even done anything good, a difference. But It was just black.

I must have been lying there in the alley for a while because when I regained consciousness I was soaked by the rain. I was coughing to clear my lungs and the pain had caused me to waken. They must have been kicking me after I passed out. I could tell by the odd angle of my leg. I was unable to do much but lie and feel the life return to my body and the pain that come with it.

Why was I not dead? I felt like I would rather have died that the humiliation of surviving and then to die alone after. I felt helpless. I was just another mindless drone wandering the streets from home to school and back again.
I had Sam though, lovely Samantha. I had my reason to live at least, I coughed up some blood in a horrible attempt to laugh. I would not let this happen to her. Not that I had any idea of how to get out of this mess. I had no idea of how to fight the men again in an attempt to keep her safe.

I rolled onto my back as I felt the rain drops on my face, every drop on me reminded me of the beauty the world had to offer, I would not let myself enslave no longer. Part of me regretted not sticking with my self defence lessons I had taken when I was younger. I needed to make myself my own guardian. It was still dark outside and I could her nothing but my own staggered breath and the rain hitting the asphalt. I knew I could not lie here, I had to live and I had to find out why this had happened to me.
I rolled onto my stomach and was unable to move my right leg, but I was able to use my arms to crawl out to the street again. Slowly I was able to pull myself to the curb as I pulled out my cell phone out of my pocket.
“911 whats your emergiency?” a woman answered.
“Can you please send an ambulance to the corner of Olympia and Main? I have been hurt” I was gaining my strength as I saw hope return again.
“It is on its way. What is your name?” She sounded too professional and I found myself thinking of how she could do this job of hers. Hearing about these things happening all the time.
“Gabriel” I sat up leaning my back against the brick wall. I saw a car drive past, too fast to notice me in the dark.
“How did you get hurt?”
“Three men dressed in black attacked me” I looked down at my leg. “I have a broken leg.” It was twisted and pain throbbing but manageable now.
“do you know who they were?” She was apparently reading off a script, trying to gain as much information as possible from me and to keep me on the phone. I was impressed with her professionalism.
“No.” I coughed, pain shooting through my body as I did. I was thankful that I could feel the cold rain and the softness of it cooling my body.
A siren was coming down the street now and I could see the flashing blue lights of the ambulance in the darkness. I dropped the phone as my strength was fading again. It was as if I had found strength only to get rescued but now that I was getting what I wanted I could not keep myself up any longer.
Just as the ambulance came to a screeching halt in front of me, I passed out again.