Really?

Screams. Pain filled screams. So loud but so far away. They were familiar. My screams joined in. I wanted to help but couldn’t. I couldn’t move, could barely breathe. Blood rushed through me, almost blocking out the screams but not fully masking it with the WHOOSHING sound in my ears. I struggled, but I couldn’t break free.

            “Look at them,” he grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked my head back, “watch as they suffer.” His raspy voice sent cold chills down my spine. “Open your eyes and watch, b***h. Watch.” I didn’t want to open my eyes. I didn’t want to see the horrors hidden behind my closed eyes. I whimpered and felt hot tears stream down my cheeks. I didn’t want to…. Oh, I didn’t want to look... I opened my eyes--

            “Sam! Sam,” I blinked my eyes repeatedly and looked around the room, “Are you even listening to me?” Dozens of people were milling in and out of the fancy restaurant. We were sitting at a table having dinner. Well, my breakfast and her dinner. “Oh, my God. I take you out and this is what I get? I swear. It’s like you’re not here anymore. You’ve got to snap out of it.”

            “I’m fine, Jessica. Just thinking,” I wiped my hands on my jeans and took a bite of the spinach salad sitting on the table in front of me. “Don’t’ worry, I was listening.” I said with a mouth full of vinaigrette, tomato, and spinach.

            “Oh, yeah,” she looked skeptical, “Then what was the last thing I said?”

            “’Sam! Sam! Are you even listening to me?’” I started laughing, shaking off what I had seen and then took a drink out of my water bottle. “No, but seriously. I was. I don’t mind watching Justin tomorrow night while you’re on your date night. He’s always a doll.” To be honest, I didn’t want to be alone in the apartment and Justin would help keep me company, help keep the darkness out.

            “Oh, really? You’ll do that for me?” Jessica clasped her hands together and beamed at me with her beautiful black eyes. “Oh, you are just the bestest friend ever!” She looked liked a five year old who found out she was having a slumber party. I looked at my wrist watch and sighed. I never did like the graveyard shift but it fit my lifestyle perfectly.

            “Well, honey, I’ve get to get goin’ or I’m out of a job,” I stood up to leave and hugged Jessica goodbye.

            “Do you really have to go so soon? I mean, can’t you take the night off?” Her eyes were pleading and so child-like. “I never see you anymore.”

            “Don’t be silly,” I laughed gently, “We live in the same apartment.”

            “I know, but you’re always sleeping when I’m awake, or you’re working.” She folded her napkin in her lap and fidgeted with one of the frayed strings. “It’s almost like you’re not here anymore. I’m serious!” I had to wipe the grin from my face because she really was serious. “It’s like you’ve been slipping away.”

            “Don’t worry. I’m fine.” I gave her one of my famous smiles and kissed her on the forehead. “Now, you enjoy this dinner, on me, and call up that new boyfriend of yours.”

            She smiled uncertainly and accepted the forty dollars I gave her. As I walked out of the really classy restaurant, I froze dead in my tracks. I stopped so suddenly the person behind me ran right into me. We hurriedly said our sorrys and she was on her way, but I couldn’t move. I was literally frozen. I couldn’t think of anything to do. If he approached me, I would run but he just smiled. His savage looking teeth gleaming in the lamplight just a hundred feet away. I slowly turned around and walked in the opposite direction. I was amazed I hadn’t smelled him before, but then again, he was down wind. I could hear him following me with his spit shined business boots, his freshly ironed and crisp navy blue pants and suit jacket. I could now smell his aftershave. I rounded a corner and took off running but before I got too far, he slammed me up against the hard brick wall. Sometimes I wish brick was squishy because the pain in my head from the impact was nauseating. I was pinned and had nowhere to go.

            “Where have you been, love?” His cold eyes penetrated me, making me shiver. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” He leaned over and smelled my hair as a bystander passed by. Fear coursed through my body, causing me to shake, as his teeth grazed my neck. “You just disappeared on me.”

            “That was two years ago,” I said breathlessly. My heart pounded in my ears, making it hard for me to concentrate. I don’t know if it was from fear or from attraction. I hoped fear. “I left for a reason. I’m not going back.”

            “Really?” I could smell him more now: his musky scent with the salon style shampoo. They did not mix well together, but he was one of the few who knew how to pull it off. “I don’t believe you. You’ll come back.” He ran his fingers through my hair and got a finger stuck in one of my auburn curls. Finally my anger came to my rescue.

            “You don’t know s**t, Jim,” I hissed through my teeth. “I will never come back! I have a life here. I have a job, I have friends. I can take care of myself, regardless of what you think.” I kept pushing him further and further away from me as I advanced on him. “I’m not some pup that needs looking after. You forget who you’re dealing with.” If looks could kill, I would have shot daggers at him with my green eyes. I really hoped he would have died right then and there, but my luck isn’t the best and sadly, I don’t have the ability to shoot real daggers out of my eyes. “I. Don’t. Need. Yo--” Again, he slammed me up against the wall, but this time he kissed me, hard. I could barely breathe and my attempts to free myself were futile. He had a strong grip on me and it didn’t seem like he was going to let go. I screamed incoherent angry words at him, which didn’t faze him, until I bit him. He pulled away abruptly and felt his lip. He looked at me with stunned disbelief and then he became enraged. I looked for a way out but I couldn’t find any until (thank my lucky stars) a taxi turned onto our street. I hurried up and stepped to slow it down but Jim caught my arm. He just wouldn’t give up. I quickly yanked my arm out of his reach and kicked really hard where the sun don’t shine. He doubled over coughing. The really messed up thing is, I knew this wasn’t the last time I was going to see him.

Author's Note

Anything you think is important to mention.

Reviews

[WayOath]

Interesting. I have afeeling there is more to this story than you have posted here. Or, you just had a thought that wouldn't leave your head and you want to make it into a book. lol, that's how I write. I have no where to go just this one idea I have to write down. I love the male character. He's very dominant but kniving at the same time. You should write more on this so I know more about these characters past and how they have come to develop. You have a uniqe way with words especially in your detail "His savage looking teeth gleaming in the lamplight just a hundred feet away. I slowly turned around and walked in the opposite direction. I was amazed I hadn’t smelled him before, but then again, he was down wind." I particularly liked this part. Let me know when there is more if there will be. I have printed out a book of yours and plan to read it and post the reviews.

Awesome job,
WayOath

[Tala]

Wow, really great, interesting dramatic, all the good things there. The dialogue's a bit bland at the start but I guess that's probably on purpose and sometime unavoidable. Problem with the name Sam is you don't know if it's a lass or a guy. Don't get me wrong, no problem with homosexuality, but it's good to know just so's you can picture it.

[shoaib]

wow ! incredible work

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the conversation and the characters. I like the pace of the story. A lot of opportunities for the story to go. I like the ending a lot. Woman need to defend themselves. A excellent chapter. I hope to read more.
Coyote

[Eidolon Michael]

I like it! Very intriguing for a first chapter. You get kinda just plopped down into the action, but things sort of became clear later on. I'm interested to see what this will turn out to be! Horror? Drama? Supernatural Thriller? Ooooh, the questions I have! Good job!