Free Altruist (The Altruist Series Book 1) by Ashley Walsh Page B

few moments my breathing evens out and though my inhalations slow, my pace quickens. I feel alive. The anger that I felt moments ago begins to dissipate and my mind clears. I am at peace. I never noticed how quiet these woods were—
     
    THUD
     
    I feel an acute throbbing on the back of my head and tumble to the ground. Blinking my eyes open, I cough violently as air struggles to reenter my lungs. Pushing myself off of the ground I hear the rustling of feet against the dirt and suddenly a black leather boot finds my ribcage and I am thrown onto my back. The pain is excruciating and constant. I grip my side to stabilize the bones.
     
    “You really thought I wouldn’t come back?” a raspy voice rings in my ears as a tall dark figure crosses my line of vision. “Why do you look so utterly confused Catherine?” Jolts of lightening shoot through my body as the sole of her boot finds my ribs again and I roll over into fetal position clutching my sides.
     
    “Stop…please,” I manage to mutter, the taste of blood now in my mouth.
     
    “Stop?” The woman laughs. “Do you not remember me?” The creak of her voice infects her laughter as her tone elevates upon each rhetorical question. “Do you not remember yourself?” Another blow from her boot meets my body and I cry out in pain. She kneels down and jerks my jaw toward her. My mouth gaping, I blink until my sight clears and once it does I immediately recall her sharp features, the juxtaposition of her wavy jet black hair against her pale skin—the woman from the bookstore. My mind begins to race. “Don’t worry, Catherine. This will be quick.”
     
    I grit my teeth, mustering every ounce of energy that I can and this time, as her boot reaches for my body, my arm shoots out towards it and stops her as if she has hit a wall. Her body becomes suspended over mine. For a moment, I search her face for recognition of what is happening but she seems as confused as I am. I feel her weight, but not against my hands and arms as I should; I feel it in my mind. Instantly, my body comes to life, yelling, screaming with red hot energy. I reach my other hand toward her, inches away from coming into actual contact, and rolling onto my back I catapult her over me. Scrambling onto my feet, I glance over my right shoulder to see the woman shaking her head as she begins to rustle up off of the ground, a guttural moan escapes her—she was not expecting that. I turn to run but soon realize that I will not be able to lose her and prepare myself for the impending attack. I watch as she struggles to lift herself. “Come on! Get up!” I scream, the voice that escapes my body does not sound like my own but the adrenaline, the pure hatred racing through me does not feel like my own either.
     
    The woman gathers herself and moves towards me. “You… will regret that, Catherine.”  Her voice cuts through me and I tighten my fists, readying my stance as I accept what is about to happen. Suddenly Shoshanna appears, racing towards us and tackles the woman to the ground. Blow after blow, her fists find the woman’s frame. I stand there for a moment in complete shock until Shoshanna glances towards me. “Run Cate...Now!” I am, idle, unable to move, watching as Shoshanna knocks the woman into submission. “Cate. Go!” I snap back into reality, turn, and run.
     
    Chapter 8
     
    My face is salty with tears by the time I reach the edge of the woods and my feet hit the asphalt of Highway 15. What just happened? What is happening to me? My palms burn and my head aches with exhaustion. Pace slowing, I fight the urge to collapse. I have to keep going, I need to get home. Then it hits me—home, how am I going to explain why I look like a caged animal to my parents? Scrapes and dirt adorn my arms and blood is trickling from the left side of my lips. I gasp for air. Something that came so effortlessly moments ago is now a struggle, a one person war. Closing my eyes, I try to clear my mind,