Take a step back now, Batty, breathe in, out, think this through. The boy lunged at me and without hesitation I swung my fist and hit him square in the jaw. A loud crack filled the air and a hiss came from somewhere out of my line of sight. A thin line of bright red trickled from the corner of the boys mouth, and he glared at me, then spat at the ground. A rush of adrenaline filled me and made the corner of my mouth twitch into a slight grin. In the bloody mess on the dirt were two white, solid lumps. I had got his teeth.
“That’s it, fights off,” a voice growled from my side. One of the boys, the eldest I assumed, marched into the dirt ring and pulled the boy I had been fighting out. He mumbled something to him, then turned back to me.
“Batty Finn, we’re letting you go this time. But don’t count on us being so nice if we meet again,” he said. His face was hard, expressionless, but I could see in his eyes the burning anger and hatred.
“That was you being nice?” I stuck my tongue through the gap on the left side of my mouth where my lovely pearly incisor had once been. “You got one of mine, too.” I smirked, knowing I was taunting. I had taken out nine teeth between four of the boys.
He stepped closer and leaned in towards me, his voice low and threatening.
“If we ever cross your path again, you won’t be walking away so lucky.” He looked into my eyes as he said it and I saw that he seemed to be serious. He leaned even closer, surprising me slightly, and his eyes moved to my lips. I felt my heart beat faster in my chest. He pushed his hand up to push a piece of his black hair from his eyes, then reached it out to hold my chin gently.
“Let me see it again,” he murmered. I stared blankly at him. Of course. He just wanted to see his small victory. I opened my mouth just wide enough fro him to see the still bloody and tender space. Looking a little less depressed, he glanced back up to my eyes, then kissed me on the cheek. “Thanks,” he said, and turned on his heel and jogged back to his group of friends. I rocked back on my heels and wondered at the moment, then shook my head and hastily gathered my knapsack and canteen. I left the clearing with only one quick look back to the boys, who were still complaining and showing off their battle wounds to each other.
As I got farther away I felt the soft stir of air I was so accustomed to, and Little Bat appeared at my side. The other end of my ripped thread still hung from him, tied in a neat bow around his neck. I looked down to my hand and winced at the frayed string that dangled uselessly from it.
Hello love, I thought. Did you watch?
Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Lb thought back. You made them mad. He giggled and I poked his round furry belly.
“I tried,” I said aloud. “I didn’t even get to go up against that tall one, he ended it too soon.”
Scared, Lb said.
“Ha, not likely. Just worried about the gang’s reputation I think. He seemed like he was itching for a good fight…” I drifted off as I thought back to his green eyes staring into mine. What a strange boy, his moods changing at the drop of a hat.
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