The auditorium is silent. And it smells. It smells bad.

I look at the stage floor in front of me; a gas mask sits in a pool of dark, thick liquid. Slowly I turn around, the pistol hung at my side. Jared and Rebecca stand in similar puddles of black – both looking up at me centre stage. Rebecca is grinning like a maniac and Jared's mouth is slightly hung open.

"That was FREAKING AWESOME!" bellows Rebecca.

Jared throws her a sideways look – a mixture of irritation and fondness behind his expression. He throws his hand over his ear, covered in blood where it flows from a cut in his eyebrow.

"You want to use your indoor voice there, Becs? All I can hear is ringing."

She cups her hands around her mouth and leans forward slightly. I take note of the pink bruising already appearing around her left eye.

"That was freaking awwwwesoooome."

I feel strange stood in the centre of the stage, like I'm some kind of attraction. I hurriedly make my way down the steps, careful not to slip on the demon blood. I gaze around at the scene of destruction.

I can't believe I just did that. I can't believe I just shot those things. I can't believe I killed them. I wait for a moment of dread, or regret, or remorse, or reality, or...anything; but it doesn't come. Instead my lip tugs upwards slightly.

They had it coming.

They had it coming, the voices in my head agree.

I stop still in front of Rebecca and Jared, and take a deep breath.

"What now?"

"We should probably get out of here," says Rebecca, her eyes darting towards the door. "I'm guessing the room is soundproofed – how else could they have gotten away with hacking body parts without attracting attention – but someone will come in sooner or later. We shouldn't be here when they do. I don't fancy explaining this to anyone..."

"Agreed," says Jared.

He spins on his heel and makes toward the door. I drop the pistol onto the floor and fall into step beside Rebecca.

"What about those girls?" I say.

I think of the trauma they experienced – paraded in front of this room full of demons where they were going to be tortured.

"They got out alive. I suppose, considering the circumstances, that's the best we could have asked for. Some will repress it all, some will fight through," she shrugs and throws a pointed look at me, "I often find us humans are stronger than we give ourselves credit for."

We emerge into the main club, pushing through sweaty bodies moshing to the now human band playing on the main stage. It's a relief when we burst out of the main doors into the smoggy London air. Jared looks over his shoulder.

"You bring the car?"

"In the Sainsbury's car park."

He nods and heads up the dimly lit alley, away from the Meat Market.

"Frankie!"

I turn around and frown. A tall, black haired male dressed in goth clothes stands near the entrance of the club. He rushes towards us.

"Do I know you?" I say.

His face falls.

"You don't remember me?"

"I...uh..."

"I used to go to Kensington High. I was a couple of years above you," he shrugs, then his eyes sweep over Rebecca's bruised eye and Jared's bloody face. He takes a small step backwards, "Anyway...it was...um...nice to see you again."

He turns and hurries back off to the club. Rebecca watches him, her eyes narrowed, then shrugs. Together we turn and make our way down the bustling, Brixton street.

***

Rebecca drives us to the South Bank and we sit on one of the benches overlooking the Thames. Rebecca sprawls backwards, resting her head on Jared's lap - the toes of her combat boots lightly touch my jeans.

"Carter's going to go mental when he hears about this," she says. She props herself up on her elbows to meet my eyes, "He was right all along, you do have powers."

I think of the reverend – his stiff posture and his intense eyes.

"Do we have to tell him right away?"

"Maybe not right away, but soon. We have work to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you avenged Daisy – and we  found out that whoever did what they did to you probably attended that auction. It's a start. But we're nowhere near done yet." She grins, "Carter will have the next file ready – the next girl – the next body part to avenge. And he'll want to train you. You're more powerful than you know."

I exhale softly, feeling the cold breeze circling us on the bench. Rebecca falls back onto Jared's knee and for a moment we sit in silence, watching the colourful London lights across the river. I'm still waiting to feel surprised, or shocked, or afraid. But still I don't. For the first time since I returned I don't feel quite so empty.

Jared turns to me and catches my eye. There's a serious expression on his face, and he slowly rubs the back of his neck.

"That was some good work, Fr...I mean, Jessi..."

"Frankie. Call me Frankie.

He nods, his dark eyes sincere.

"That was some good work, Frankie."

With her head still on his lap Rebecca suddenly grins.

"That was just so freaking cool! I'm Frankie, the last thing you'll ever see!"

She points her fingers upwards like pretend guns, aiming them at the sky, and makes fake shooting sounds. And as Rebecca is chattering, and Jared is rolling his eyes, I feel the corner of my lip begin to tug upwards. Because for the first time in a long time I start to feel purpose, and friendship, and respect.

And something occurs to me. Something that has never really occurred to me before.

I'm not beautiful. But I sure as hell aren't worthless.

https://youtu.be/LWeABgSkZN4

End of Part 1 - Daisy Malone - The Left Arm

Stay tuned for the next body part...