Eyes of a Wolf

Memories

Chapter One

11:45 p.m. Friday, March 6th, 2023

Draven sat at Lucky's, the only pub on this side of Fallsview, UK where he could just relax. He went there every Saturday night, just to pair his favorite beverage. A tall ice cold Tennant's Lager, with crisp salted pub chips the combination was just heavenly to Draven. Among other reasons, he comes to Lucky's to enjoy watching the frequent flyers that come in and out of the pub. Hell he loves being surrounded by the thick accents and culture. He loves the eccentric characters that came and went. Draven has seen the joint full of every kind of human possible, a certain amount were other worldly beings, had to be, no one single human is that beautiful or enticing. That's if you believe in that sort of thing. So very many unique individuals in one little place. Their tones varied in contrasted complexions, to the variances in how they dress or by virtue of how they view life. Here there was no such thing as differences, everyone loved each other and that was just another reason Draven loved Lucky's. It's so uncommon to see people from all walks of life come to this one place. So much so, that it's as though this place calls to them, it's quite incredible really. Draven starred at the bartender and proceeded with, "I thoroughly enjoy passing my free time here." The bartender casually rolled her deep green eyes and said, " You say that every weekend when you come to Lucky's. Though, I have to admit you are a dedicated customer... considering. Would you like to have your usual?" He replied sarcastically, "Of course, you know me so well!" She handed him his Lager and pub chips. Draven casually tries not to pay attention to her then scoffs and walks to the pool table. He figured he would get a better conversation with the guys shooting pool then he would with the bartender!

Lucky's Pub was so far away from the hustle and bustle of the crowded streets in Edinburgh. Where he worked in a very drab office of a local publishing company, "The Scots Magazine '' writing puff pieces for his readers. He'd write about everything from festivals and food to the latest trends or gossip, all the way down to the supernatural and otherworldly beings. He went as far as to write about the culture of the Scots. Anything he could learn to teach his readers he would write it. So in a way, he was happy he gave up his life in America to come work in this beautiful country. Though he missed his home there was no longer anything left for him there. Consequently, Draven left it behind, he hasn't looked back since.

Later on that night, after playing way too much pool and shooting too many shots of Tequila. Draven sat at the bar of the local pub, in deep thought about his life and how unhappy he truly was. He has always been alone as far back as he could remember. He lost his father and sister when he was only six years of age. His mom was lost and hopeless in her grief that she soon started to not care about him. Draven tried to help her but nothing worked. She lost control of her grief and stayed angry all the time.

One day out of nowhere she snapped on him. Everything went black and he never saw her again after that. Lost in thought, Draven never understood what had happened or how. He couldn't even remember anything past that point. He was left feeling empty and alone. He had lost his whole family, his world basically everything that was meaningful to him. He was still extremely young. It wasn't fair but apparently that's how life works. Not paying attention to the fact that he wasn't alone, he spoke out loud... "life fucking sucks!" With an extremely thick accent, her long raven hair fell into soft curls around her waist. Staring at me with deep green eyes, the bartender asked, "Who the hell are you talking to Draven?" Brushing off the fact that she had even spoken to him, getting sucked back into his own thoughts as the bar started to fade out around him.

After that he was sent to his Aunt Desirae's to live. Having lost everyone that he loved, it was awkward for him to be with his Aunt Desirae and Uncle Gibson. He had never really gotten to know them and his aunt had suffered the loss too. Not knowing how all this worked they all tried their best to make every day the best it could be. My Uncle Gibson took me under his wing, trying to teach me everything that he knew. My Aunt Desirae trying her mothering skills out on me always made me laugh to myself. Because she wasn't very good at keeping a grounding going. Looking back, it was quite fun to be around my auntie and my uncle.                                                                                                                                                                   Draven was appreciative of them, for everything they did. My aunt and Uncle were well off and had given me everything, trying to make my life better and ease my pain. Finally they had their own baby, I became more of a big brother again, so it seemed to me. Well at that time I felt I was less important. Though if it were true, I can't say I blame them because they had been trying for years to have their own baby. I was so ecstatic for them. Still, I helped them and baby sat my little cousin Noxx when they needed me to. I loved my little cousin. He was incredibly chunky and sweet. As he sat there in thought about what was left of his past life. He found himself wondering whatever became of them...                                                  Only because he had taken off he never said his goodbyes. So one day I decided that I was going to finish high school early. I wanted to become a published writer, so I decided to go to an Ivy League School for Liberal Arts. Because all I wanted to do was write even if it was a blog or in a small section of a newspaper or magazine as a published writer. So I ran off to college and haven't been back since then. Figured their lives were better off without me in it since bad things always seem to follow me. In my opinion they were better off, probably safer without me around, I was a walking bad omen. Nevertheless, I couldn't knowingly put all three of them in danger anymore. I loved them too much to lose anyone else.                          Draven pondered for a while, he was curious if they even knew he had left America to live in the U.K. He never contacted them when he left but he had some serious problems and needed to leave. Draven knew his aunt and uncle loved him; they just had their own family now and he didn't want to get in the way of that anymore. Since then, he has thoroughly tried going to talk to numerous therapists but nothing has worked. He'd thought to himself maybe nothing had happened to me at all or did it... His hysteria was getting the better of him at this point. Nevertheless that doesn't account for all tattered scars that atrociously covered my body. Draven chalks it up to just a really bad dream.                                                   Since that day life has been terrible for him, never healing from any of it. He truly never had anything work out for him, not even relationships. These relationships always ended because he had too much baggage or the other party involved liked to be promiscuous. Plus the fact my skin was horrible to look at for almost everyone whom I have been involved with intimately. Moments later he felt wetness streaking down his face. Admitting to himself that no one was ever going to love him. For a moment, Draven sat there feeling sorry for himself he whispered... "I'm always going to be alone..." huh" he scoffed. Proceeding to slam his beer back. Tears welled up in his troubled eyes, cascading down his roughly handsome face, he angrily wiped the streaks from his chiseled cheeks embarrassed that he was crying. A travesty in his own mind, he couldn't escape his truth..                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    The tragedy that was him, Draven was trying to convince himself that he was only crying because he had drank more ale then he ate chips and he was now too drunk to walk. Nevertheless, he called an Uber. Trying way too hard to make his legs work, which only to his dismay caused him to fall flat on his face. It was bad enough that he was crying and now he has fallen down making an asshat out of himself. Draven tried to summon whatever dignity he had left tonight to get up and brush it off but couldn't prevail. When he tried he had just slipped once more causing him to bust his face off the nearby bar stool. Suddenly warm wet fluid was running down his chin. Upon touching his face he realized that he had in fact broken his nose and blood was everywhere.                                                                                                                                                                                         Unaware that upon inspection his face had broken the bar stool. He thought to himself god damn she is going to kill me over the broken bar stool and blood all over the floor. Sauntering over to me in all their glory with the sarcastic looks on their faces. Were the two bouncers for Lucky's Pub. Tommy Jones and Loo Sullivan. Tommy was a tall muscular man with thick dark hair with some of the bluest eyes I had ever seen. Loo Sullivan well, he was a pretty boy, blonde hair with a short build rippling with muscles. They were pretty rough company and actually kind of funny. I really liked shooting pool with them every other weekend. We always had a good time together.                                                                                                        Squatting down Tommy and Loo came to check on me, to make sure I was ok. Loo blew his breath hard, looking at me now and saying, " Do you need our assistance getting up Draven." All I could do was grunt as my lip and nose were bleeding. Tommy grabbed me under my arms quickly ushering me up off the floor. Though I almost toppled over from being dizzy where I had busted my nose and lips, I chuckled at the sight of blood everywhere! I finally decided to stop laughing long enough to help find my footing. Loo and Tom were laughing because I was a complete idiot.  The beautiful black haired bartender tossed me a few bar towels to clean up with. I will forever remember how beauty would never be the same after laying my eyes on her. I don't know if I was just really drunk and that's why I noticed. I have been here all night and have spoken to her. I've always thought she had some gorgeous green eyes but I never truly noticed until tonight.                                                                                                            In amazement with myself truly out of all the times I've been to Lucky's how did I not see this sooner. Suddenly, snapping me out of my new found reality, with such a cheerful face and sarcastic tone she said to me, "You really need to clean up the mess you have made in my bar tonight." Smiling from ear to ear with her lusciously thick pink lips. She must have thought I was a deaf mute because I could never speak back to her when I was belligerently drunk. I never thought to ask for a name though when I came to Lucky's.                                                                                                             I was only there to drink away my scars and pain but tonight I just couldn't believe I hadn't noticed sooner... Moreover, she was so mysterious with her deep green eyes and shifty movements. I wonder how she came to be here. I can't quite put my finger on why I am so drawn to her all of a sudden. During the time I spent cleaning up my mess, I began to ponder, while staring way too much, I wondered what her secret was. She has to have one but, what is it.... Tossing the bar towel back to her. Draven watched as it knocked over some very expensive bottles of liquor and to his surprise she had the reflexes of a cat. How could she be so quickly reactive? She definitely had some skeletons and Draven just had to know more. So he quickly followed with, "How did you do that? Where did you learn that from?"                                                                                                                 Draven starred at her for a long time. Impatiently waiting, Draven asked, "What secrets are you hiding?" "Why won't you speak to me?" Soon realizing that he wasn't going to get an answer from her. He gave up the questions for now. His investigative side in journalism kicked into high gear and Draven decided right there he would just find out on his own. Then once he has all of his proof, whatever that may be, he would confront her. Sounds like the perfect plan to him except he didn't even know her name. Where would he start, "I guess I'll have to be creative and dig deep into my investigator side." he smiled and thought, "This should be fun." Tommy smacked the back of my head and spoke, " Draven you got to quit staring at her dude. Before she whoops your ass." Loo and Tommy stood up at that point I knew it was time to go.                                                              Tommy and Loo helped me out to my Uber. Tommy hollered at me, "Be sure you make it inside this time, ok Draven. I don't want to have to carry your drunk ass up two flights of stairs tonight." Loo laughed then said "you really need to stop drinking so much man." As they hurled my drunk ass into the Uber and paid for my ride. I casually rolled my eyes and blew my breath at them. Then I proceeded to roll down the window and yelled " I love you fuckers, see ya next weekend." While flipping them the bird. Though, honestly I was grateful. I wouldn't have made it to that car tonight without them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The drive felt like it took longer than it should've. Driving through three lights, down four blocks of whole foods and clothing stores with closed signs hanging in the windows. We finally passed two apartment complexes. I knew I would soon arrive at my flat on the upper side of Edinburgh. Suddenly the vehicle halted to a stop at the Fallsview Flats and Townhouses. As a huge sigh of relief Draven finally made it home, not quite remembering how he got up two flights up stairs on his own. I do remember that I crawled into the shower, then sleep consumed me nor did I care that I was falling asleep in my tub.