Last Hope 
By Crossmanx
Hope comes in many different forms!


By Crossmanx at - crossmanx@hotmail.co.uk - comments and ideas welcome.

Last Hope

It was just starting to get dark, overhead dim clouds where gathering and it
looked as if a storm was heading in for the night. Hazel wrapped her jacket
around her as she could feel a slight cold wind start to swirl up; she was
heading home after her day at work, well serving at one of the many coffee
shops that had sprouted up around the city over the last few years. It seemed
as if when any normal shop closed the next week it had become a coffee shop,
soon the high street would just be a line of coffee shops down both sides and
nothing else.

She looked back into the coffee shop, she didn't mind the place, after all it
was just a job to get her through college and then she would move onto
university, and probably get another job in a coffee shop wherever she ended
up studying. It had been an OK sort of day, a few trips and one good one from
a group of four women who'd come in around midday, her tips all went to pay
for her holiday later that year and so far she wasn't doing too bad with it.

As she walked home she felt a couple drops of rain, looks like the bad weather
was already staring, so she decided to take a short cut along the canal.
Normally she didn't like going that way, especially as it was getting dark,
but it would cut at least twenty minute off her journey and get her home
before the rain really started. So she set off up the high street, and then
down an alleyway which came out into the new shopping and restaurant
development.

By the looks of it the work was well underway, the area was all boarded up,
and the hoardings had all those artist impressions of what the area would look
after it was complicated. And looked quite good, but somehow the final thing
never looked as good as the drawings. Up ahead she could see a group of
workmen who were locking up one of the gates to the construction site, there
were all loud and blustery, typical of the type of workmen she had seen around
the town centre since the new development had started. And to be frank
whenever see saw any of these workmen their crudeness and manner always made
her a bit nervous.

As she got closer she thought she'd recognised one or two of them 'Oh No it's
them!' Early that morning there had been a group of work men come into the
coffee shop, they had been quite loud and foul mouthed and the manager had had
to ask them to leave, not the type of clientele he wanted in his coffee shop.
Although Hazel had had nothing to do with them that morning she hoped they
didn't recognise her. She moved over to the other side of the walk way as she
got closer and passed the group. Even though she deliberately didn't look at
any of them she knew they were looking at her "wasn't that one of the waitress
from that coffee place this morning?" 'Dame!' She thought as she heard one of
workmen's comment when walking past, but she just carried on hoping nothing
more would be said "you know I think your right."

She quickened her pace; trying not to make it too obvious she was trying to
get away from them. She heard a few low voices from behind her as she carried
on and almost jumped out of her sink as a loud burst of laughter erupted and
echoed around the area. Then she heard footsteps as the men moved off, but in
which direction? She tries to hurry even more as the men's laughter and
footsteps makes her even more anxious, she quickly turns a corner that leads
to the steps and then onto the canal and BUMP! OHHHHH!

Hazel had been concentrating too much on the men behind her and was looking
properly where she was going, as she'd turned the corner and knocking into
something, someone. She stepped back away from whatever, whoever it was, by
now she was too nervous, too wound up to concentrate. She now focused on the
person she'd bumped into hoping that it wasn't one of the workmen, to her
relief Hazel was stood looking at another woman, a young woman, maybe her age
or younger, she wasn't sure. But instantly she was relieved to see a friendly
face.

The young woman, girl, was Hope, an attractive, tall black woman, with dark
eyes, red lips and black curly hair, although it was short, length wise, it
was bold and bushy. She was tall and the high heeled brown boots she wore gave
her even more of an impressive elevation, the boots finished just below her
knees and lead into a pair of white leggings that clung to her well-formed
legs and around her shapely arse. She had one of those rears that made you
just want to drop to your knees, grab hold of and sink your teeth into her
gorgeous pert buttocks. Further up she had on a tight pale coloured t-shirt,
which seemed to have moulded itself around her notable large breasts. And
lastly she wore a short leather jacket, the sort that had metal studs and
strip all over the place, but suited her quite well.

Hope could see instantly that the girl who had bumped into her was nervous,
tense and even a bit afraid, "are you alright?" the black girl asked. But
before Hazel could reply the three men from the construction site turned the
corner and stopped as they saw the two girls. "Oh hello ladies, are we
interrupting something?" The smutty comment makes the other men laugh; Hope
looks from the frightened Hazel back to men and understands straight away what
going on here. "You work with her do ya, if so we may well be back for coffee
tomorrow and this time we expect to get served!" There was a nasty tone to the
man's words, a nasty tone that scared Hazel and annoyed Hope.

The black woman, showed confidence and seemed a much stronger person as she
gentle took Hazels arm "come on we were just about to leave." Hope guiled
Hazel towards the steps that down towards the canal and the obvious pathway
that many people used that Hope was sure that the scared girl was heading for.
As they turned and walked down the steps the men followed, one either side of
the girls and the third man directly behind them. All the time the men were
making comments, either about the girls or about going for a coffee tomorrow.
Hope put two and two together and realised these men where referring to her
new friends place of work.

At the bottom of the steps the girls turned to the right to walk away, but one
of the men stood there blocking their way, he just stood there with a stupid
grin on his face. The girls turned around only to be met by another man
blocking that way, and the last man stood on the steps hindering any attempt
to go back up that way. The three men stood ginning at the girls, one in
front, one behind them and one to the side, on the other side was the bank of
the canal, the women were surrounded. Hazel was by now very scared and she
showed it, Hope was different and the men were starting to notice this. The
black girl had a different look on her face, a look of someone who was very
pissed off!

The rain was starting to come down now and a cold wind added something to the
silent scene as the men surrounded the two women. Hope looked from one man to
the next; the expression on her didn't change, 'till "what you looking at?"
The tone in the tall man's voice didn't sit well with the black girl, WHACK!
SMACK! THUD! She spun round her fist dealt its shocking blow to each of the
men, knocking them backwards and giving the woman a chance to get away.

Hope pushed Hazel away "you go I'll be ok, go on get out of here." Hazel
stuttered for a second as she looked down at the three men that were now on
the ground nursing sore faces from where the black girl had hit them. Then she
looked back at Hope and knew 'this girl can handle herself' Hazel fled the
scene knowing everything would be alright, but maybe not for the men!

Hope was also going to leave and follow on, she was sure she had made her
point and as turns to leave, one of the men, the largest of them, had a
different view as he reached out and grabbed onto the woman boot to stop her.
Hope stumbled as the hand came out for her foot, she quickly regained her
balance and then turned back towards the men, they were back on their feet and
not looking too happy. "That wasn't a very sensible thing to do!"

But Hope just ignored him, he might have had more to say but she wasn't in the
mood to listen, she turned and again his hand came out again, but this time
onto her shoulder. Her natural reactions took over, Hope's opposite hand came
swiftly up and grabbed his hand, she pulled it forward over her shoulder and
dropping it at the same time, she twisted and carried on pulling his arm
forward WOOSSHH! THUD!

In a flash the man was sent over her shoulder and tumbled down to the floor,
at first there was gasps of astonishment from the other two men, then a few
giggles as they realised their friend had been thrown by a girl! Even if she
had hit them all that was just her being lucky as they were all stood so
close, but to be thrown by a girl! The giggles turned into laughter as the
embarrassed man quickly tried to get back to his feet and save some of his
dignity. He now stood there in front of Hope, annoyed, angry and slightly
humiliated by her actions, there was only one way to deal with someone like
her, woman or not he had to do something to gain back his respect. With anger
written across his face the man reached out towards her, but again she was
just too quick, as she parried his oncoming hand away and then WHACK!

The girls boot shot out and out striking the man hard in his groin, he called
out in pain and went to hold himself, a man's natural reaction, and then he
dropped to his knees. As she struck, the other two men stopped their mocking
laughing, off balancing and throwing someone was one thing, even spinning
round and hitting them all, but kicking a man in the ball's, that just wasn't
on. They both went to go for the black girl, to grab her and make her suffer
like she had done to their friend. But Hope was far too quick, as the large
man had dropped to the floor she had thrown herself into a spin WHACK! CRACK!

Her boot had come round and caught the nearest man on his chin, spinning him
round and sending him staggering. Then her boot had carried on and slammed
into the last of men, it drove hard into his chest and sent him off his feet
and flying backwards. The first of the men had been driven into one of the
sets of handrails that went up the steps, he tried to grab hold of the rail
but didn't get a good enough grip and the force of the blow just sent him
spinning over it. The second man flown through the air and landed on his arse
further up the canal pathway, three strikes and three men down, that was the
sort of result Hope enjoyed. She looks down at the two new fallen man then
turns to walk away but the large man was now back onto his feet.

His face looked as if he was still in 'some' discomfort but there was also a
determined look in his eyes, she made a fool of him and now he wanted revenge.
He took in a deep breath and ARRHHHH! He screamed and rushed at her,
determined to take this woman, this girl down, his arms stretched out to grab
her. But it was her who made the first grab, as he got close she swerved and
ducked down, her hands thrust forward and made contact, she grabbed hold and
using his momentum, she twisted in the opposite directed and OHHHHHH! SPLASH!
She'd thrown the man down to the floor, he'd hit the ground hard, bounced and
rolled, unable to stop himself or grab hold of anything he's carried on and
rolled straight into the canal.

The girl turned back to the other men the blond hair man who gone hurtling
over the handrail was now back up onto his feet, he was obviously a bit
disorientated and shock up, but that was no reason for her to go sort on him.
She ran towards the man and as she got close, she jumped and in mid-air she
twisted, her boot came round and smashed into the side of the blond man's head
sending him catapulting off his feet WHACK! He went flying and her aim was
spot on as gain the evening air filled with the sound of a second man being
sent headfirst into the cold waters of the canal SPLASH!

Two down and in the drink, one left who was still dry, but for how long? The
last man, the shortest and stockiest of the three, who'd been sent on his
arse, was pushing himself off the floor. He'd seen what had happened to his
friends what this girl done as was 'wary' to say the least, as she took a step
closer to him he stepped backwards, determined to keep some distance between
them. But the look in her eyes should have told him there was no escape from
her, Hope throws herself into a cartwheel move, she tumbled towards the man.
His mind raced and knew he had to move and move quickly, as he started to turn
and runaway THUD!

The summersaulting black girl cartwheel across the pathway towards the turning
man, then as she got close THUD! The heel of her boot pounded in-between his
shoulder blades, the pain was excruciating, the man lurched forward dropping
to his knees. If that wasn't bad enough, then Hope had more for him, as he
knelt there she vaulted over him, landing in front of the kneeling man. As
soon as her feet touched the ground the girl twisted around, throwing herself
into a spin, where her boot came round and SMACK!

The boot flew round straight into the kneeling man's head, blood splattered
out as he soared across and over the pathway towards the edge and canal
SPLASH! A third water bound man, Hope was pleased with her work and even
managed a smile. But it was short lived as she could see the first of her
waterborne men was now trying to get out of the canal. Hope did remember
allowing them to come out so he had to go back in, the tall man was almost up
and out, the water poured off him as he heard the sound of running feet, and
as he looked up CRACK!

Hope's boot once more found a soft male target, as she kicks out and up into
the man's jaw! The man's head is sent shooting backwards and the rest of his
body follows as her boot sends the man flying back into the canal and the
sound of man hitting water echo's around the area. Just as the tall man is
sent back his friend, the second one, is also on his way out of the canal. As
he pushes himself up he stops, the sight of his friend flying backwards and
making a splash stops the man in mid action, his face drops in horror, he knew
she won't be letting him out and that he's next!

His head turns to where the girl was, but she already on the move and making
her way towards him. All he can see is a boot as the girl slides along, leg
outstretched so the sole of her boot collides into the man's gut. As she hits
him she also turns, twists, and her other boot comes round and WHACK! It now
slams into the man's head, the force spun him around and once more the second
man plunges back into the canal. Whilst he flounders in the water the black
woman get back to her feet and turns her attention to the last of the men.

He was also in the process of hauling himself out of the water when he saw the
girls sliding attack on his friend, he now just holds himself there, his arms
resting on the side of the canal wondering what she will do next. But he's too
dazed and too slow to react, as she now rushes at him and grabs hold of the
man. Her strong hand reach down and grasp him, she hauls his sodden body up
out of the water, a feat of pure female strength in itself as he's a not a
light man and the extra weight of the water would make him a challenge to any
'normal' male to try and lift.

But she lifts him up and holds him there half in and out of the water, as she
decides his fate. The man's looks up at her, held by her strong arm, he looks
at the attractive black girl and wonders will she show him some pity? His last
hope is that she will spare him a final humiliating punishment for his
misdemeanour of daring to intimidate the young woman, Hazel. But as he looks
into her eyes he can see nothing but a deep black pools of empty compassion
WHACK! Which is now shown by the girl's violent upward thrust of her knee
straight into the man's gut, and the man's sent flying back into the water,
with a heft splash.

Hope stood next to the bank of the canal and looked out at the three hurt men
who were struggling in the water, for a second time she smiled "its ok boy's
you can come back to shore I promise I won't hurt you." She laughed as she
said it and the men as they wadded there looked at each other, the expression
on their faces told each other that none of them believed her. They all turned
to swim to the other side of the canal and away from her; Hope could see their
plan and ran down the pathway to a bridge that spanned the waterway. From the
bridge she could see the men struggling to get out of the water, her smile got
broader as she continued the 'chase'.

Before she got to them the three men had hauled each other out of the canal
and where trying to make their getaway, even though it had been raining all
this time the 'extra' water on the ground gave her an obvious trail for the
girl to follow. Hope tracked the men from the canal bank to the back streets
of the town centre, she found where they had stopped, probably talked and
split up, and she chose her trail to follow. To carry on the chase, to run
down her pray ready to devour them.

In a very dimly lit and covered alleyway, she could just make out a few drip
of water on the floor that lead behind a couple of the large wheeled waste
bins, where the cowering blond man was hiding from her. He looked up, a
frightened, scared man, a fearful man who had parted from his friend in the
hope of getting away, of hiding and praying he'd not been found, unlucky for
him! The screams echoed around the dark alleyway as the girl beat away the
man's last hope of salvation. Then silence feel, the black girl, Hope, stepped
from behind the grotty, dirty large bins the man was beaten and going nowhere
now.

She left the blond man there and walked to the end of the alley and looked
around, it was raining more heavily now and tracking to other two would be
almost impossible now. But just then she heard a scuffling noise and what she
thought was low, whispering voices, from the alleyway opposite. She smiled,
'time to go hunting again!' One down two to go, the evening wasn't over, yet,
and the men had no hope of surviving, she wasn't in the mood for any leniency!