Neve Amélie Galemore
"Finally! Gosh, I'm tired." Sam said while stretching her body. I wiped the last table, making sure it was completely clean. Right after I finished cleaning, the door opened and the cold wind instantly entered the room, making me shiver. Alcander stood at the door, his hands in his pockets.
"Hi, babe." Sam said while walking towards him, his arms opening for her. I immediately looked away when I saw her standing on her tiptoes, no doubt kissing her boyfriend. I tuned out their conversation giving them some privacy and went inside the changing room to clean myself and get my things.
Freeing my hair from the ponytail, I pulled out my phone and shoulder bag. I rolled my eyes but smiled at the same time when I saw the two of them cuddling and whispering to each other. I don't know much about Alcander but I can tell that he's a good guy and he certainly loves Sam. He would go to the cafe every after shift just to pick her up.
"Hey, would you like something to drink?" I asked Alcander, his eyes snapping to mine. I involuntarily shivered when I looked into his eyes. Electrifying blue. His eyes always look... cold. It's like I'm being assessed by them like he's looking for something.
Alcander isn't the most talkative person out there. He always has that cold demeanor, so we only talk when it's necessary or just to be polite. But one thing I've noticed is that he has a soft spot for Sam and for her only. Every time he looks at her, his eyes would always soften. And that sight always warms my heart.
"No, it's okay. Thank you for the offer." His arms snaked around Sam's waist and pulled her closer. I furrowed my eyes when they just looked into each other's eyes, silently communicating. A thing I don't understand. Maybe because they're together for how many years that they can communicate like that? I honestly don't know.
"Oh yes! Neve, do you want us to drop you off?" She turned to me, her eyes wide in anticipation. It would be rude to turn down the offer but at the same time, I don't want to be a third-wheel and besides, I still have to go to the city. It's been so long since my last visit there. Even though I love the forest, taking a stroll in the city still makes me happy sometimes.
"I still have to go to the city so no but thank you." I smiled at them and gathered my things.
"I'll go first, please make sure to close the door." Sam frowned but didn't say anything and just hugged me. I gave a small nod to Alcander who was still standing there, his face void of any emotions. I walked out of the cafe, instantly shivering when I opened the door, the cold crisp air greeting me.
I hugged myself tightly, letting out a loud sigh. I wish it gets sunny again, I'm so tired of this cold weather. My shoulder slumped and I scrunched my nose. I was about to continue walking when I saw the black car still parked in the same spot. I suddenly felt some chills run down my spine but what's weird is that there was an unknown urge inside of me.
I don't know what the urge is all about but there's this pull in the pit of my stomach. I didn't notice that I'd been standing and just staring at the car for minutes already. I snapped out of my thoughts and shook my head. These thoughts make me anxious, and I have to stop them before they get out of control.
Not sparing a second glance at the car, I started walking towards the station. The city isn't that far from here, like fifteen minutes away by car but if I walk, it will probably take more than thirty minutes and I'm not feeling well today so I'll just take a taxi. This town is by far the most amazing place I've been.
It's almost as if it's divided into nature and the city, probably because they want to preserve the forests. But it's not even divided by extreme measures, some parts of the city are surrounded by forests and this is why it's not that hard for me to get necessities from the city. This town is really full of mysteries.
I didn't wait for too long for a taxi to arrive since there was no one waiting except for me. I took my earphones from my bag and plugged in, listening to music while looking out of the window. I wrapped my cardigan tighter around my body, sighing when I realized that the air conditioning is in full blast.
I looked at the driver and frowned when I noticed that he was just wearing his uniform without a jacket. How can he stay in this car without getting cold? And here I am, a shivering mess because of this weather. I tried to sniffle my sniff, but my nose won't let me. I took a glance at the driver and saw that he was already looking at me.
"Are you cold, miss? Would you like me to adjust the AC?" He asked while looking at me through the rear-view mirror. I smiled and gave him a small nod.
"Yes, please. Thank you." I said and he immediately adjusted the temperature. It's still cold but it's manageable. The driver was smiling a little while moving his head with the beat. He's already old, you can tell it by the wrinkles contouring his face but there's still warmth in his eyes, especially when he smiled at me.
I paid the driver and got out of the taxi. I started walking on the sidewalk, watching people walk, talking with their friends, and just having fun. You can't really tell if a person is having a hard time just by his or her physical appearance. A single smile can hide thousands of wounds and I think it's one of the strengths and at the same time, weaknesses of people.
It's warmer here and I internally smiled, knowing that I don't have to suffer from the intense cold. I made my way towards a restaurant I really love. Every step screams familiarity as I walked inside a small family restaurant. My grandparents brought me here every weekend and the food made me fall in love with this place.
I was instantly greeted by the heavenly smell of dishes. I smiled and sat in a booth near the window facing the streets. It's just a small restaurant but they make the best soups out there. And since, I'm sensitive to the cold weather, my grandparents always brought me here to have some soup and they make the best Pasta e Fagioli.
Deep down, I know that I'm not just coming back for the food but also because of the memories. Me and my grandparents love eating here and coming back, it brings back a lot of memories. Memories I want to cherish and never forget. Memories with them are the only good memories I have.
I finished the Pasta e Fagioli and blueberry cheesecake half an hour later and decided to go to a flower shop nearby. It's getting late already, and I don't want to walk in the forest late at night. Ralph's warnings keep on ringing in my head. Even though I find peace in the forest, I can't help but feel scared to be in the dark.
As I stepped inside, the sweet scent of flowers wafted toward me. Rows of flowers are positioned on different tables. They vary in color, shape, and size, but one common thing about them is their magnificent beauty. Flowers give me comfort, and it reminds me of my grandma who taught me everything I know about flowers.
I picked the flowers I needed and paid at the counter. I smiled at the young girl as she wrapped my order with beige craft paper and a loop tie. Despite her young features, her graceful and precise movements show her knowledge and experience. I paid for the flowers and stepped out of the shop.
I involuntarily shivered as the chilly air hits my face. Wrapping my cardigan tighter around my body, I contemplated taking the shortcut alley as it is already late, and I am shivering from the cold. Throwing away all my concerns, I walked towards the corner of the street, entering a dark, cold alley.
Goosebumps covered my arms and the tiny hairs on my neck stood up. Walking down a dark, cold alleyway is never a good idea to begin with, but now, I'm fully regretting my decision as my footsteps against the dirty and wet concrete ground resonated. I just started walking faster to reach the main highway faster.
My heart skipped a beat when I heard much more heavy footsteps compared to mine. I tried telling myself that I was only being paranoid but deep inside, I know I was being followed and I don't know what to do except to move faster. My hands start shaking as I clutched the flowers tighter. This was such a bad idea! I heard a snicker behind me, the figure or figures stalks my every move.
Despite the extremely cold weather, my hands started to feel clammy because of my nerves. I almost tripped against a big rock that I did not notice, and I immediately turned into a corner which is another mistake as the alley seems to be getting darker. I took a deep breath, preparing to confront the person, and whipped my head behind me.
A crack of the skin contacting another echoed off the walls as my head was whipped to the side. I lost my balance due to the impact of the blow and during that moment, I can't hear anything but the ringing in my ears and the thumping of my heart. The bouquet of flowers also flew from my hands and onto the ground, my hand starts to burn as it came in contact with the rough surface of the ground.
I can hear the blood pounding in my ears, as they begin to ring hard, and my breathing turns shallow. It becomes difficult trying to keep my eyes open, as my heart races to the point where it feels like my chest will break open. No! Here it comes, the full-blown panic attack. The fear is too overwhelming.
Voices can be heard from the background, but I still can't move as my head went blank. The figure crouched in front of me, but I still can't move. Why can't I feel anything? The familiar pain erupted from my body. Or is it from my heart?
Pain.
Why?
"What a pretty girl you are."
Pain.
Stop!
"Hey, girl!"
Pain.
Don't.
"Hey! Are you deaf, you fucking bitch!" I went from not registering anything to looking directly into the man's eyes after he tugged my hair back, making me face him. The man stood too close to my face and I gasped for air. It's not just one but there are two men standing before me. My hands shook as I think of worst-case scenarios.
They are... How should I say this? Large? They are probably a little bit shorter than Alcander, who is the biggest man I have seen in my entire life. The first man's mouth moved into a menacing smile as he looked at me, the look was frightening enough but his eyes, they are dark and bloodshot which sent shivers down my spine.
"Now look what we got here." The man said while smiling, rather in a creepy way. The two snickered at the back, blocking the way, and not allowing me to look at the other end of the alley. I'm trapped and am currently having a hard time breathing. I swallowed hard before I looked at him directly, wiping away all my emotions.
"Walking down an alley at night? Aren't you just asking for it?" I stared at him hard despite the fear engulfing my heart. I clenched my fists, preparing to attack if he ever do something I do not like. No matter what happens, one thing's for sure. I will not go down without a fight. I pursed my lips in disgust when the other guy licked his lips, adjusting his pants. Sick!
"Make it quick man, people might see us." The man behind him said while still staring at me. The other man quickly grabbed me by my arms, pulling me against him. I almost gagged when he wrapped his hand around my neck. Not wasting a second, I swung my arm, slamming the rock that I quietly picked up when I was still on the ground against his head.
"You fucking bitch!" I turned around quickly, not wasting any second. The adrenaline pushed me to run faster, the ground crunching below my feet. Heavy footsteps mimic mine as the two men run after me. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and my cheek is still stinging from where he smacked me.
The men keep cursing behind me while I let out heavy breaths, trying to run faster. I almost smiled in relief when I was only a few feet away from the main highway when my hair was pulled back, making me wince in pain. The tug was painful, it was like he was ripping my scalp. My feet staggered as the man whipped my head back and slammed it against the bricked wall.
Pain erupted from my temple, making me lose my balance. I gasped in pain as my head spun and throbbed. The ringing in my ears was so loud and persistent. A slow tickle was felt on the side of my head as blood dripped off from the wound. It stings so much that I can't help but let out a whimper. I tried clutching the wall, but my vision blurred and my knees buckled.
"You fucked up so bad, little girl. You'll regret what you've done. How 'bout we return the favor and make you scream so loud tonight?" I breathe so hard when he clutched the collar of my blouse, his own face dripping with blood from the place where I smacked the rock.
He smirked and raised his hand as I turned my head to the side and closed my eyes, waiting for the impact. I waited and nothing came. A crack resonated around the walls as the hand gripping my hair was removed. I looked up and a gasp left my mouth as I stare at the huge figure covering the light. Just by his silhouette, you can say that he's a huge guy.
"Ahhh... Fuck!" The man was pulled back by the mysterious man, hauling him up, his hand bending in an awkward position. The alley was dark, but the atmosphere seemed to have become a lot darker when the man appeared. I haven't got a clearer view of him as my head is still spinning from the blow.
"W-Who the hell are you?" The creepy guy said, his voice cracking at the end of his speech. Instead of answering, the mysterious man wrapped his hand around the guy's neck and slammed him against the wall. Not once, not twice, but three times. The second guy was scurrying, hot on his feet as he stumbled while running away. Coward.
"I-" I tried speaking but ended up coughing, the pain in my head is unbearable. Despite being a muffled word, the mysterious man turned his head towards me while still clutching the scared man. His dark huge figure started shaking as he looked at me.
"M-Man, I-I'm so-sorry. Please-" The man let out a sound close to a growl, his mouth turning into a menacing snarl. The creepy guy immediately cowered, his hands shaking as he tried to pry the hands away from his neck, but the man just tightened the hold.
I clutched my head, slumping onto the ground. Shivering from the cold and wet concrete, my eyes started to get clouded by black spots, but I still saw how the man threw the guy onto the ground, repeatedly kicking him on his stomach as the guy let out all sorts of sounds of pain. My eyes drooped and before I succumb to the darkness, I saw the man turning his head toward me.
Brown eyes. So beautiful.
And then darkness.