Lethal Love

Thrill of The Chase

Universally everybody knows, to make it in life you need a good degree. Well that's what every person Arwen ever encountered seemed to believe. This popular opinion had led her to a university, in the capital city Nellos, taking a dreary degree in Economics. Everyday she stared at yellowed classroom walls, and trudged the soul-sucking walk from campus to her grey box, also known as her room. Maybe it was luck that she still achieved all A's, but it was her lust for knowledge that kept even the most bland subjects tolerable.

One particularly monotonous day on the way back from her lecture,with the silver clouds tumbling overhead promising rain, Arwen dropped her bag of cluttered notes directly into a puddle. Usually, she'd of picked them up ,swift as a fire-bolt, but today she watched them swirl, submerged in the abyss of brown and feeling numb to any sense of feeling. That's what this life had done to her, make her numb. It was perfectly carved out by her parents and consisted of, getting degree, making money, dying unfulfilled and she'd fallen into the trap pathetically. Arwen felt weak living this life of safety, without freedom and certainly no risk. Maybe it was for the best the thought fluttered defeatedly to the front of her mind.

After a while she realised she was still stood there, deep obsidian waves cascading down her back. She was relatively tall for a girl and had intense grey eyes, which when glared through correctly could intimidate the most arrogant of men. She'd suppressed her once outgoing personality into calm tranquility, but outbursts of her previous self were hinted by the shock of blue dye winding along the tips of her black locks.

Splash...thud thud thud Arwen snapped from her trance in a heartbeat, senses alert. Crap she thought as a man decked fully in black dashed down the street, her bag clutched in his hands. She had two choices ,call the police ,who wouldn't entertain themselves with minor crime like this, or chase after him herself. Maybe it was Arwen's inner adrenaline junkie stifled by her tedious life but she plunged into a sprint, similar to a shark after years of hibernation. Arwen was definitely rusty, but arguably fast as she launched after the man, her bones humming with the new found energy. It suddenly occurred to her as the wind slashed through her hair and her legs pounded against the pavement, how she had let herself become so unathletic. Once she'd dance for hours a day, stopping only when her legs tumbled beneath her and feet dripped with blood. But now she was breathless, every aching muscle begging to stop as her too thin body darted past a sharp corner. The faceless man was fast but she was faster, and Arwen gained ground on him despite her body's protests. Suddenly, he charged onto one of the bustling main streets of Nellos, the capital of the Island of Albion. Arwen rounded the corner mere seconds after but the crowded street was overflowing with people like a beehive in the height of spring.

The east quarter of Nellos truly was breathtaking. Despite living here for the past two years it's beauty struck Arwen like a iron bolt. Buildings sculpted from the finest sandstone lined the streets edges, their pillars standing majestically as if the Greeks had carved them out themselves. Libraries, cafes, chocolatiers fringed the bottom rows while quaint apartments were located above. Arwen often found herself in Dora's Coffee Parlour people-watching while they traipsed down the street infatuated with the grandeur. The ivory buildings were built over 300 years ago, and this pocket of Nellos was a national treasure among it's people.

Manoeuvring around said people however, was not as elegant. Arwen scrambled furiously after the thief earning a few grumbles in return. It felt like she was crawling head first into a storm, thrashing into people like a banshee gone wild. Arwen had felt something other than cold hard boredom, and acted on it instantaneously. Is this what economics has done to me? Arwen questioned as she stared hopelessly into the sea of heads.

By sheer luck, a flash of inky black caught the corner of her eye and without a moments thought she bolted down a side alleyway. If she guessed correctly he was heading towards the west of Nellos leaving behind the golden streets and artistry. She could half the distance by a few blocks and take the shortcut on her right. Arwen had her plan set and she was going to catch that pathetic excuse of a human.

screech Arwen hurtled to a far from sophisticated stop, her mouth parting in shock. Stood there, gleaming like lioness with her prey a women held the thief in a deadly one armed headlock, Arwen's purse dangling idly from the other. She must of been mid-thirties but her face held depth that hid too many secrets. The women was dressed in all black training gear, powerful muscles peaking through, with a titanium whistle hung prominently around her neck. The aura of importance protruding from her intimidated the life out of Arwen, and it took all her strength not to gape embarrassingly at the scene in front of her.

'I saw you tracking this man and thought you'd want this back' she spoke cooly giving a disgusted smirk towards the man cowering beneath her arm.

'Um.. yes..thank you' Arwen stuttered uselessly. Pull yourself together she thought angrily while recovering her bag. Silence filled the space between them and Arwen made the the mistake of staring directly into the viridescent green eyes studying her carefully. Arwen's gaze dropped once again to the heavy whistle around the women's neck and wondered what on earth it was for. After another moment of serene quiet Arwen couldn't take it anymore
'I'll get going now, would you like me to take the man to the police station?'
'No I'll take care of him' the women replied with unnerving calmness, making Arwen grimace.

Confused and slightly star struck she turned around quickly walking back the way she'd come, thoughts swirling around her mind in a jumbled mess.

'I liked your determination' the voice sounded from far behind her, soft as a whisper in the wind. A small pang of pride trickled through Arwen, to receive any validation from that women seemed like a miracle.

Safely tucked her way in her grey box Arwen processed the day's events, not her usual melancholy 24 hours after-all. Who was the mystery women? What job does she do? How did she catch the crook? The questions circled around Arwen's head, reflecting the buzz that's still coiled through her veins. She considered feeling concern for the thief still quaking in the the women's grasp, but honestly he could rot in hell.

She could be with the ...no definitely not Arwen contemplated. Everyone new the SSOA (secret service of Albion) was a big thing ,as were all countries secret services after the war, but surely not, she refused to believe she'd met a spy. After all, it was incredibly hard to get into the SSOA, not to mention the whole operation was highly confidential. Arwen dismissed all her queries and decided the women just enjoyed the gym...a lot.

Clang knock hysteric laughter sounded out as a group of students shuffled down the corridor heading off to experience Nellos' thriving night scene. Arwen had tried to fit amongst the groups at the start, but the artificial friendships and drama that came along with it did not tempt her one bit. Instead she shrunk inside herself more than ever, focusing on studying and dredging unenthusiastically along with life. She was waiting. For what, she did not know but anything to spark the thrill she felt coursing through her this afternoon.