Carmen walked down the street in a sprightly gait. She was in a good mood. Shane had been very nice and open today, telling her the odd and funny things that used to happen when she was still a relative unknown singing at a bar. Now she was going to pick up Shane’s clothes from the laundry. She was turning around the bend when she felt someone dragging her into an alleyway. “What the fuck…..” she was about to scream when the person cupped her mouth and all that came out was a muffled voice. She saw another person in front of her and that person was a tall blonde. She tried to struggle but her assailants were much stronger than her. She raised her elbow and swung it back. It connected with flesh and she heard her attacker’s sharp intake of breath. She screamed but her scream was cut short by a stinging slap to her cheek. Carmen doubled over in pain, pressing her palm to her cheek.

“You’re pretty close to Shane, aren’t you? Well, stay away from her,” The blonde one said.

“Why should I? Bitch…” Carmen spat the retort back and her defiance earned her a knee in the stomach. Carmen crumpled to the ground, holding her stomach. She could feel a piercing pain and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to alleviate some of it.

“Silent now? Where is that attitude of yours?” She felt herself being yanked up by her shirt collar and she used whatever strength of hers that was left to throw a punch into blonde’s face. The blonde’s lip was cut and started oozing blood. Carmen felt a grim sense of satisfaction and when she saw a passer-by at the main street, she shouted. She got his attention and her two attackers fled away.

“Miss? Are you okay?” “I just need to go to the clinic,”

Carmen sat on the bed, as the doctor pressed his hand to her stomach. “It hurts, but I think it’s not too serious,” She was about to voice something else when she heard a knock on the door and the door swung open immediately. She was filled with a sense of dread. Shane. She lowered her head. “How is she?” “Mostly superficial though the blow to her stomach is slightly more worrying,”