The Fourth Horseman

Late Nights

Evening shifts in the emergency rooms were almost always eventful. It's like the gates of hell open when the sun sets, even worse so on the weekends. So here I sit on a Friday night shuffling from one room to the next.  Standing at the door of a room across from me I see my closest friend, Georgia, trying to reassure a patient they would get to leave soon. She brushes her blonde hair back which had fallen from her ponytail to the side and locks eyes with me.  We share a mutual eye roll which to us means how the hell did we wind up here. Closing in on midnight, and unusually wide awake we both decide to swing by a local pub on our way home to have just one tiny drink before calling it a night.

 
I met Georgia in college, a few years back after she had moved here from West Virginia. We immediately hit it off as best friends and had been nearly inseparable ever since.  She would come stay with me for a few days to get away from her apartment, finding comfort in the silence of the wide open county and deep,  peaceful woods around my house.  

It was half surrounded by forest and the other side was farmland. When the sun would set and the stars would come out it made for a  perfect view for two best friends,  a nice shot of whiskey and endless laughs. She was a wonderful women, and knew pretty much all my secrets, and I knew hers. We were a great pair and I was most thankful to have her in my life.

As she made her way back to the main nurses station she stopped and looked towards the waiting area, then back to me. I smirked because I thought she might be thinking the same thing.  Who's sorry ass is next. But then her head tilted and she had a look of curiosity mixed with a little concern.  She made her way over to me and said check out Mr. Mysterious over there in the corner. He hasn't taken his eyes off you. I gave her an eat shit look and said oh great, another admirer.

 
I had never considered myself to be a stunning beauty but I did have curves in all the right places. Dark brown hair straight as an arrow and bright blue eyes. I had my fair share of lovers. Mostly overbearing dicks who tried to control what I wore or how I looked. They even tried to control where I went. Let's face it, I attracted the broken ones almost always. Issues abound with every man I'd ever shared my bed with. None lasting more than a year but almost always when I was done with them they just wouldn't give up. Yea, a few stalkers, some abuse, I even had one guy beat the shit out of every one I looked at for nearly 5 months after I told him to get lost. Guess he figured if he couldn't have me no one could. So after that, I laid low and found company  with Georgia.

 
I'd loved someone once. His name was Eric. All through high school and even a little after. I though it was solid. Until I found out his dick had been sucked by almost all my friends. Heartbroken, I vowed to never again let my heart fall so hard. Breaking it off with Eric was the biggest hassle of life. He just couldn't let it go, long after I was gone. He tried to beg and plead for me to come back  but I was done. I still get the late night call every now and then from Eric. Sometimes just silence on the other end and sometimes he would whisper all the things I used to love to hear. Sometimes I would cry afterwards. Never understanding why I just couldn't shake the feelings but never giving in to him.

Pulling myself from the memories of the past I decided to get a good look at my new spectator. Walking over to get a better view I locked eyes with him. He held me in such a stare I was momentarily stunned. Indeed he had assessed me quite thoroughly and seemed to be happy with what he was seeing. Dark, chin length hair, fine chiseled jaw and chin, nice broad shoulders, and although he was seated I could tell this man was tall. Wearing all black he stared at me with no expression on his face yet he simply could not look away. And honestly neither could I.