Alrighty exactly. Xenopus sighed heavily to himself as he recognised the voice, and he wondered again if he should really go through with this. It wasn't wise, hell, it was everything but, but as he heard the little shriek that most likely came from the girl, he also knew that he couldn't just walk away now. He would wonder what had happened to her and probably get on the nerves of the newsstand-people eventually. And he really didn't need that kind of remorse right now, he'd rather deal with Frank that bastard and worry about the consequences later.
Luckily, there were still enough drugs running through Xenopus' system for him to be able to maintain his act and think clearly. He just hoped that Frank still remembered their last encounter vividly and that he therefore wouldn't dare to question Xenopus' interference. Or at least that he wouldn't dare to get in his way.
Taking deep, calming breaths, he quit eavesdropping and confidently strode around the street corner, into the field of vision of the goons.
"Hey lads," he greeted with a lazy smirk, and tried not to look bothered by the scene that played out before his eyes. Frank and one of his cohorts spun around to face Xenopus, looking ready to attack, while the third one that had in a tight grip the chick jerked her closer to himself. "How's it going?"
Frank put the knife back into his sleeve once he recognised him. "X," he grumbled throatily and with a flick of his wrist he signalled his companion to put away his drawn weapon, too. Xenopus didn't even flinch at this greeting, he simply nodded and held Frank's gaze, unaffectedly.
The tension that filled the air between the five made Xenopus' skin crawl, so he cleared his throat, making clear he wasn't here for idle gossip.
"Soo... Would you like to explain what's going on here?" he asked, with just a hint of threat in his voice and a malicious grin playing on his lips.
He rather enjoyed the shiver that racked Frank's body as he likely remembered what had happened the last time he had been asked a similar question. His hand reached up to touch the ugly scar that distorted his face as he grimaced now at the newcomer. Xenopus smirked when Frank bit his lip and took a step away from him despite that he was actually a head taller than Xenopus.
Frank's cohorts on the other hand practically radiated confusion as they witnessed the reaction of their leader to Xenopus' appearance, and the one with the girl even loosened his grip on her in surprise.
When nothing but a stutter escaped Frank's lips, Xenopus chuckled darkly, then carelessly motioned towards the trembling girl. "I've had her on my radar for quite some time now, and if you don't mind, I'd like to have her for myself."
Frank gulped heavily and ignored the protests of his cohorts, his wide eyes fixed on the one who had defaced him as if slashing around with a jack-knife was nothing.
"O-of course, X," he stammered then, hand still clawed into his cheek and eyes never leaving Xenopus' figure as he sauntered closer to the girl. Frank hesitated a moment longer, then gave a short tug at the sleeve of the man next to him, and they both took off, leaving the third thug behind. He had a baffled look on his face before he abruptly released the chick and ran after the others.
Wow, Xenopus thought to himself as he watched their retreating figures, that went better than expected. He had expected to at least have to make some practical use of his own blade he'd held inside of his long-sleeved jacket. But apparently, the impression he'd made back then was enough to scare Frank away. No wonder he never took the drugs again he had been on then.
Only when the goons were a safe distance away, he turned his attention back to the task at hand. "How are you?" he asked, his voice stripped of the authority it'd held before.
Her fingers were clasped around her neck, her eyes wide open and damp from tears, but when she eventually spoke she seemed neither terrified nor particularly shocked.
"They still have my phone," she said numbly, like it was the only thing worth caring about.
"Well, princess, but you're still alive, aren't you?" Xenopus retorted, baffled by the emotionlessness of the girl.
Wasn't she supposed to freak out and hyperventilate and break down in tears or something equally girly?
YOU ARE READING
technicolor dreams • a modern fairy tale
Short Story• a modern retelling of the frog king • There are no witches and curses, no princesses and golden balls, no frogs and magical transformations into princes. There's just life and its struggles. But sometimes that's enough. Lives change and it all be...
