Eternity is Only A Lifetime Away

Moonlight and Street Fights

Aleka sat at her desk, staring tiredly at the bright computer screen, wishing words would magically appear on the blank document before her. She took a deep breath, preparing herself, before pushing the red faded notebook to one side and poising her fingers above the worn keyboard. Slowly, carefully, Aleka began to type out the start of her essay, making sure every word was perfect and that she was making full use of her knowledge on the subject of ancient Greek mythology. The lights cut out suddenly and when yelling her best friends’ name down the stairs led to nothing, Aleka reluctantly made her way from her room and to the kitchen, using her cell phone as a light to make sure she didn’t trip or slip on the unruly stairs.

Aleka felt along the wall in her attempt to find the fuse box. She sighed and fumbled for the blown switch, flicking it back in place and cursing when the bright fluorescent light of the kitchen hurt her eyes. The eighteen year old spotted the neon pink post-it stuck to the fridge door.

Hey Aleka!

As I have told you nearly a thousand times, I’m at the student union tonight—we’ve got that party tonight and you have already promised to turn up for at least an hour! So, turn off the computer and get your ass down here. I’ll be phoning at 10pm if you’ve not shown. It’s not healthy to avoid people.

Georgie x

Aleka rolled her eyes as she remembered the disaster that was the last SU party she had attended. There had been brawls in the street and the police had been called when it all kicked off. It was far from a fun experience. Aleka leaned on the kitchen unit, thinking. She wasn’t going to accomplish anything more with her essay so she didn’t see any harm in going to the party for a little while and as she made her way up the stairs, Aleka had the distinct feeling that there was someone watching her every move…

The streets were dark and the air was cold. It was nights like these that made most people reach for the blankets and turn the fires on. Aleka quickened her pace; giving thanks that she and Georgie only lived a few streets away from the student union. She still had a sinister feeling that she was being followed and the thought made her hug her hoodie closer to her slim frame. “Hey, Ally, baby!” Aleka turned around to see a drunken student staggering towards her.

“Hey Greg.” She said, forcing a small smile. Aleka was far from in the mood for this tonight.

“You going to the partaay?” He asked, dancing for her in a ridiculous fashion before doubling over and heaving into the gutter.

“Yeah for a little bit.” Aleka had never felt happier to see the SU looming in front of her as she pulled out her ID to flash at the bouncer.

Once inside, Aleka looked around, her eyes scanning the crowds of hormonal college students as she searched for her friend and housemate. The smell of sweat and smoke filled her senses and knocked her sick. She wanted to find Georgie, have a quick drink and then get out of there. Eventually, after failing to find her friend, she tapped the shoulder of a tall lanky guy she knew from her biology class. “Have you see Georgie?!” Aleka shouted over the music as he bent down to hear her more clearly.

“Yeah, she went outside with some guy about ten minutes ago!” He said before turning back to the crowd he was dancing with.

Aleka didn’t even want to think about what her friend was getting up to outside with someone who was probably a total stranger, but there was something within the young girl that made her want to find her friend and so with that drive, Aleka headed for the door, shivering when the cold air hit her face and neck. She listened intently and heard Georgie’s flirtatious giggle coming from an alleyway that ran alongside the back wall of the student union building. Aleka turned to move in that direction, spotting the silhouettes of two people pressed against the harsh brick wall. “Hey girl, I hate to break up your fun but-” Aleka was interrupted by an ear shattering scream from her friend as she wildly tried to push the bigger figure away from her. “Hey!” Aleka ran blindly up the alleyway to the slumped body of her best friend who was bleeding from the neck. “What the hell-” She was suddenly yanked backwards by her hood, thrown across the alleyway like a simple rag doll. She threw her hands out in front of her in an attempt to cushion the impact of her fragile body smashing into the hard bricks and to her surprise she found that as soon as her hands made contact, she came to a sudden halt. She turned to see the figure lunging at her again and on instinct she dived to the dusty ground beneath her, rolling free from him when he crashed into the wall where she had previously been standing. He turned to glare at her, his eyes shining menacingly under the white of the security light. Aleka scurried backwards on her hands and feet, wishing, praying that someone would stumble across the situation and help her and Georgie. Her back hit the fire escape and she tried desperately to clamber up the metal stairs, but the stranger reached her first, pulling her down by her leg before lifting her by her neck, cutting off the air supply as she clawed and scratched at his icy hand, desperate for oxygen as her vision started to blur. It was a lucky kick that freed her just in time and she hit the floor painfully as her assailant roared in pain, clutching his kneecap. Aleka took a few needed breaths and staggered to her shaky legs, running towards the main building again, but she didn’t get far before a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist tightly, dragging her back to the dark alleyway, pushing her up against the wall, the rough brick scratching her face and hands. She pushed back desperately, trying to free herself from his hold, elbowing wildly behind her, catching him in the gut, loosening his hold but only slightly. She tried again, catching his groin, giving her the power to pull away completely and make another break for freedom, but he grabbed her ankle, sending her screaming, crashing to the hard concrete. He began dragging her back towards him and Aleka reached out, groping around for anything to help her pull away. He hands closed around a broken and rusty pipe and she turned her head only to see a sick, sadistic smirk on the strange man’s face as he realised he had her.

Then, it was as if a new power took over her. She pulled the pipe back and with determination drove it towards his chest, piercing his heart like a dagger. He roared out, letting go of her to try and pull the pipe out, but to no avail. He staggered around and Aleka pressed herself against the opposite wall, watching, her dark brown eyes wide as he gasped for air before glaring at her once more as he fell to the ground, dark, rotting smelling blood pooling around him. Aleka let out a shaky breath, breathing heavily, her eyes fixed on the lifeless body in front of her. She had just killed a man, in cold blood, no, self defence! It had to be self defence, right?

Aleka sat there, her back pressed against the wall, unable to move from the spot, still shaken up by her ordeal. The blood flowed towards her, like an arrow pointing at the killer. She wanted to be sick, she wanted to run, she wanted to forget all of this, but every time she closed her eyes the smell of the rotting blood and the image of his dead body filled her mind. The police needed to be informed and an ambulance needed to come and check on Georgie and the place needed to be cordoned off and Aleka knew that she couldn’t deal with all of that.

The sound of footsteps approaching snapped Aleka out of her thoughts but before she could turn around, this new stranger had pulled her to her feet, holding her in a death grip with her arms pinned to her side. “Let me go!” She screamed, kicking out as best as she could with her unsteady legs.

“Stop struggling.” The voice was male; deep and calm.

“No!” She screamed again, higher this time as she struggling against his hold even more. The stranger lifted her up, holding her tighter as he turned her in his arms to study her face. Aleka could barely make his features out in the dark and his hold was cold, icier than her previous assailants‘.

“I will not hurt you so long as you do what I instruct.” Aleka swallowed hard and turned her face away as she tried one last time to free herself. The man holding her surveyed the scene with dark eyes and then, in a quiet almost shocked voice asked her; “You have no idea what you’ve done, do you?” Aleka stopped struggling for a moment, almost pleading with him now.

“Please, just let me go.”

“I am afraid that I can’t do that.” Before Aleka could plead and beg some more, she felt herself moving up the fire escape and soon found herself staring out at the starry night sky as they moved closer to the edge of the rooftop. Suddenly, she found herself looking down on the bright lights of Bristol and realised that, somehow, she was flying. She turned her head slightly and noticed two black, silky wings protruding from the back of her kidnapper, moving gently as the pair of them soared through the midnight sky.

Aleka didn’t know whether to scream, cry, laugh or smile. All she knew was that this was serious and things would never be the same again for her…