Cally's Pov: "Would you like a bag with that?"
"No, I already have one with me dont worry about it."
"Oh ok then thank you, have a good day."
I smiled at the woman hurrying out of the place carrying a bag full of goodies from our cafe and a collection of latest Cd's.
Apparently, after my little incident and what happened with his brother at the hospital, the new owner backed out from buying our cafe and everyone got their jobs back atleast that's what i heard from marie while i was away.
I may have bad memories with that man who was supposed to own this cafe and his brother but that did not mean i could ever stop working in this cafe.
So here i was working late night tonight because marie got sick and i was covering up her shift.
Before hurrying out of the door the kind woman smiled at me and told me"You too have a good day"
I smiled and offered to carry her stuff till her car but she refused so i watched the woman go away into the cold night streets again safely.
After the woman was gone a familiar tension returned to my body as another male customer came to my counter.
"Hi there" I greeted picking up the CD's that had been placed on the counter.
"Don't look at him"
" Don't look at him" I kept on chanting in my mind as my fingers worked feverishly entering the codes and numbers into the monitor for each CD.
"Can i pay by card?" he questioned as i placed the CD's on the counter.
"Yes" just a moment, I answered as I trailed off some numbers into the computer.
There was an eeiry silence in the cafe as i waited for the man to pay by card.
My eyes flickering from one place to another in an attempt to stay busy. Despite of the faint radio playing in the background i could only feel the sudden tightness in my chest. It felt as if each muscle of my body was being pulled apart and if i moved slightly they would give away.
"He's not going to hurt you" i told myself.
"Thanks" he said , as i watched him stuff the CD's into the bag that he brought along with him.
"You are welcome" i said mustering up the courage to meet his eyes. I saw a middle aged kind man with brown eyes wearing rimmed specticles smudged by stains.
But even though his eyes held no ill intention,
I could not stop my body from reacting this way as if the man was the most gruesome murderer of the whole North America.
My heart didn't stop thudding like a drum till the time that man didn't walk out of the cafe.
Once he was out i sat with a thud onto the sofa chair and wiped the sweat from my forehead.
After my latest accident and due to my phobia, this was a natural occurance for me. I had called myself silly when i decided to join back the cafe considering the fact that i would be scared by majority of the customers I would attend to.
But I also thought that maybe if i interacted with more men then I could prove to myself that they infact were not scary and I could get rid of my fear once and for all.
Unfortunately it hadn't worked that way.
Cally Love! Someone called out to me from the backdoor. So I got up from my chair and went to the backdoor finding no one there.
I decided to walk further padding past the two changing rooms towards the store and called out " Yes Maxine?"
Maxine came out and spoke to me authoratively yet in a concerned voice
" Have you taken your break?" a bit of her Russian accent coming through.
Guiltily I shrugged my shoulders and averted my eyes from hers.
"That's what i thought."
You have worked too long today and i have not seen you eat a single thing.
"I had some tea earlier and a muffin from the cafe", I reminded her only to be met with another worried glare. Maybe that wasn't the best way of reassuring her.
"Trust me, you already know I dont mind working a little late I hate to leave you with all this work alone plus I have to go back to marie's house only and she would hate it if I left you alone with her being sick and all."
Maxine observed me for a few seconds and then pulled me into a warm hug and told me "thank you" for covering up marie's shift even though she knew I myself is dealing with a lot.
She then said to me that although she knew I loved working here and I was lucky too due to staff shortage but that did not mean that I had to continue working.
"You have helped enough", She said to me
You have been on a till for 6 hours now.
Go home already!
"But its soo boring being alone i tried to protest and change her decision."
Callie, Take a break she came to me and held my shoulders after which she went back behind the counters to prepare midnight orders.
I looked at her for a while and eventually with a sigh I said "See you tomorrow"
" You know we will see you tomorrow ok" she said, giving me that stern yet playful look. "Take care, Ok?"
Hesitantly I nodded and pulled my coat off the hanger zipping it up. I waved at her and moved out of the shop. A gist of chilly wind immediately rushed to my face so I hid my nose in my coat. I wore my woolen hat over my honey dew hair and thrust my hands into my pockets seeing the darkened sky above.
I always found it soo entrancing how the light would hide itself soo early in winters and go late in summers.
I tried to ignore the chilly weather and the cold wind blowing as I walked through the dark streets.
It was a quiet area but could be nerving at times when a man walked by me and i tried to think of positives.
It was a beautiful evening.
But just as i was about to reach my home I saw a beautiful stray golden cat stuck by the window sill. I helped that cat get out and adopt her and name her "Nancy"
Seeing that she was injured I decided to take her home so I picked her up in my arms and started walking.
I was lost in my train of thoughts on how lucky i was to have found her and how much love i would give to her when my train of thoughts were broken by seeing two men standing nearby.
Men. Dark shadowy men talking and laughing to themselves.
"Come on cally", you can do it I said to myself as I walked further keeping my face downwards increasing my speed pacing onwards nomatter how much I wanted to run away.
The sound of their conversation grew louder as we grew near.
My heart stammered as we reached the men.
But, all they did was walk past us.
I did not realise I was holding my breath until I could see dark spots clouding my vision.
I had to take in some deep breaths. Thank God for that cause my abdomen was paining very badly andI was feeling out of breath.
I frowned when I realised someone was following me. So I looked behind me and was shocked, so shocked that my cat feel from my arms.
"Hey girly is that your cat?"
All i could do was stare at them as one of the men immediately grabbed Nancy by the neck. I did not know how he reached me so fast and how he picked up my cat that way because she was surely uncomfortable and looked in pain.
"Y-Yes i said silently shaking my head and reaching them forcibly, but could you please put her down she is injured. I tried to reason out.
The man holding my cat only laughed at my answer making me worry if he would leave the poor cat alone or not.
To my utter shock I watched as the man dropped Nancy to the floor and she ran across the road to the pavement opposite me.
I sighed at the fact that I lost my cat.
And was about to go when I realised the men were still watching me.
So I thanked them unwillingly.
I did not want to see their face on how they looked like but it was impossible to do so too because of the lack of street lights.
So, I started walking back calling out to Nancy "Baby Baby where are you?"
"I would like to hear you call me that" I stumbled at the sound of a voice said in my ear and I tried to balance myself with my hands.
Taking a shaky breath I did not turn around and started walking.
"Where are you going all alone?
"Did your Boyfriend leave you?"
This time I did look back, fighting everything inside me to shout out and faced the man who had spoken only to find a very unpleasant nose and a man with a sinister smile. His hair was slicked back and hidden inside his beanie. From here I could even smell their breath to know that they were drunk and needed some serious freshening up.
"I am just going home" and I hope you reach home safely too.
I gave them a faint snile and started speed walking home. Never in my 23 years of living could I find out why they were so entrigued by me so I pushed the thought away and started walking.
However, I heard rushed, pounding footsteps coming from behind me.
I knew what was happening so I ran and ran till my feet touched against the pavement and I forced myself to reach uphill.
My eyes were wide and blurry and Icould hardly see a thing with the cold wind blowing against my cheeks, all i could hear were their footsteps so loud echoing in the streets.
"Don't cry" "Don't cry"they wont hurt you and you have very little distance left I said to myself.
My chest was already starting to strain from pumping my arms and legs so quickly and i was struggling to breathe.
My whole body was shutting down at this time and I had no control over it.
Even my throat was closing up on itself and nothing but choking gasps were coming out.
I tried to follow the path, where was I going?
All of a sudden a hand was yanking me back by the hood of my coat and I was flung into someone.
"Where the hell do you think you are going?" someone hoarsly said in my ears grabbing a hold of my wrists.
"Let go of me" I shrieked and kicked in pain as another man lifted my legs and both men carried me into an alley with me shouting and pounding their backs with my fists.
"Stop fucking kicking, one of them grunted but at his words I started crying.
"I couldn't breathe" "I couldn't breathe" and I wanted to go home.
Seeing my state one of them said Stop fucking fighing you are making it a lot harder for yourself.
"Please, Please leave me! I sobbed let me go I need to be home"
I felt myself choke and start coughing and spluttering. My body was shaking, trembling no longer fighting. I was just focusing on staying alive and getting back breath into my lungs but I couldn't. My breath only became wheezier as I was laid down on the wet pavement. My hands going automatically at my own neck as I scratched at it desperately for air.
"What has happened to her one of them asked?
The other one shrugged his shoulders and answered by saying doesn't matter
"Just make it fucking quick I want my turn with her."
"Jesus Crist" someone muttered but i could not see as my ribcage was banging do loudly requesting for it to come out and that's when I felt someone's breath on my face but I had no courage to push them off... shallow shallow breaths left my nose as i felt my eyes roll to the back of my head.
I wanted to scream at them but my whole body was numb. I wanted to cry "ohh" how badly I wanted to cry.
But then there was silence
I heard something falling to the ground and then the loudest of booms.
It sent a ripple of shock through my unresponsive body as I heard someone shouting in pain.
It was a piercing scream that held no dignity at all but held only extreme pain.
I didn't know what was happening except for hearing a squelching sound sounding like that of meat ripping and something slumpping to the floor beside me.
And then I felt the most gentle of hands lifting me up. I felt like I was flying.
"Open your eyes for me Angel?"
"Why did that voice sound so familiar and why was I not able to open my eyes?"
My body melted at the voice, it was so sensual so commanding that my body felt inclined to obey all it's orders.
There was something so rough and dominating about it that I felt what would happpen if i didn't open my eyes.
So I used every ounce of strength left in my body to open my eyes only for it to succumb me into deeper darkness.
"Open your beautiful eyes for me Babydoll"
But i could not do so as I felt my head fall onto their chest as I slumped in their arms together.
The sound of the familiar stranger's heart was what lulled me into a calm yet deep troubled sleep.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Hey guys sorry for the long wait.
I hope you all are safe and doing good.
I really hope you all like this chapter and give it your love by commenting on it and don't forget to press the star button.
Love
caree_96