It happened suddenly that June almost missed her opportunity. Mick’s hands slackened and June used what strength she had left to push herself away from him before she fell to the ground gasping for air. The sounds of her struggle to breathe echoed around the dark, damp alley. Her head spun and her entire body ached by the consuming struggle. As her breathing slowed the silence in the alley caught her attention. An abnormal calm engulfed her and fear once more grew. Danger remained and her need to escape became her main focus.

With blood-stained hands June raised herself and turned to see the reason behind Mick’s withdrawal. What she saw frightened her as she panicked and inched away.

Crouched beside her, Mick’s face distorted in agony and his body paralysed through no action of his own. Wrapped around his arms, thin threads of fire made their way under the sleeves of his work shirt. The stench of burned fabric and flesh sickened June. Without a thought for her injuries, she moved away from the sickening sight. Not until she was several feet away, backed against the damp wall did June make out the figure of a woman. Tall, thin, she wore black low-slung jeans and red short-sleeve shirt. June made every effort not to glance directly at the woman, unsure of her intentions.

“Can you stand?” asked the woman. Her voice harsh and cold. Almost demanding an answer from June.

June refused to make eye contact as she carefully picked herself up without replying. She wasn’t sure whom she was more frightened off at this point. With her body weak every effort proved painful as June leaned heavily against the wall for support. The cool sensation from the bricks on her clammy skin washed over her body and offered little relief.

It was not until the woman spoke again, did June realise she was now standing between herself and Mick.

“You have a nasty way of treating women?”

Her voice, like nails down a blackboard, sent a chilling shiver down June’s back. Who ever this woman was, June wanted no trouble from her.

Still kneeling on the ground, Mick’s face pierced with pain, sweat running down his greasy skin, he strained to speak, “She’s… no… woman.”

The threads around his body sizzled and June cringed, burying her face against the wall, as Mick cried out in pain.

“The way I look at it. She looks like a woman and talks like a woman. If that’s how she identifies herself, you have no right to treat her any differently.”

“Go to hell,” Mick replied through clenched teeth.

“Already there,” the woman replied.

The burned flesh became pungent and June could no longer endure Mick being tortured.

“Please,” June said, her voice hoarse. “Please, don’t hurt him.”

“He tried to kill you.”

The woman glared down at her but she was at the point of no longer caring. With both hands on the wall she pushed herself away from the cold stone. June wanted nothing more than to get away. She could not bring herself to glance up, as she huskily replied, “I realise that. But please, he doesn’t deserve this.”

“You’re too kind,” the woman told June.

“For my own good,” June replied, her voice almost a whisper, “I get told that all the time.”

The threads of fire vanished and Mick fell to his hands, groaning in agony. Through glazed eyes, June saw Mick struggling to pull back. She did not notice the woman had stepped closer to her until she placed a hand on June’s shoulder causing June to flinch in fright.

“I won’t hurt you. But you need medical assistance. I know someone who can help.”

Only then did June turn to glance up at the woman beside her.

She stood over six feet tall. Her dark red hair cut extremely short, her cheekbones high and her brown eyes hollow of any emotion. She frightened June, yet there was something about her manner that gave June the impression she was genuinely concerned.

From behind, June heard Mick stand. She looked over and noticed the thin burn marks on his skin. It didn’t appear painful, but she knew it would be.

“Who the hell are you?” Mick spat.

Shocked Mick would confront the woman after what she had done; he was either a fool, stupid, or both.