The Town of Anton

Chapter Two

There was only so much running I could take. And after being on the run for four years, I was growing tired of the ride and decided to settle down in Anton.

Upon my arrival, the taxi dropped me off in front of my vacation home. It was a beautiful red brick mansion with black shutters. The bushes were aligned all along the sides and in the backyard was a perfect white gazebo.

While entering the house, I recalled the persian rugs and gray walls. As fancy as this house was, there were seven bedrooms and four living rooms.

The straight staircase, with black-iron railings, led to the upstairs where all seven bedrooms were lined up. But before heading to my bedroom, I stared at the chandelier lights and was hypnotized by its beauty. It was large, enthralling, and so electrifying that all other lights in the house could not compete with it.

Kicking my shoes off and heading upstairs, I felt the radiant heated floors making my feet so comfortable that it almost felt like home.

Almost.

I wanted so badly to be happy again. My room didn't feel like my room and this house was at the edge of town, very close to the woods. I wanted so badly for my parents to be here with me that I didn't care what happened to me. I just wanted my family.

I have called my brother Alex almost every single day for four years, and I'm jealous of how good he has it. He doesn't have to be afraid of what's out there, of what might be under his bed when he goes to sleep, or who he might come across. He has the perfect life.

Getting groceries was my first priority. It was late at night, but with Anton being a small town and all, I didn't have much to worry about. Small towns are always known to have less people and a lot of quietude.

I walked into town with an open mind. It was dark and my legs were cold. All I wore was a black hoodie, camouflage shorts, and a pair of my favorite converse shoes. It was so cold that my teeth chattered as I looked into the sky to see the moon.

In the distance was a sound of chaos. I wanted to avoid the crowd, but a man walked up to me. He had gray hair, wrinkles, and a beer gut. But he appeared to me with kind brown eyes as he asked, "Can you help me?"

"I'm sorry?" I responded, wondering what he could possibly need my help for until I noticed a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other.

"I need you to help me," he said, bringing the cigarette to his lips.

"I have to go."

And without a moment's hesitation, he dropped his cigarette and beer can and grabbed me. All signs led to rape as this drunk man moved in for a kiss. Watching as he puckered, I tried to think of an escape plan.

"You must help me!" The man yelled, tightening his grip on me.

"Let me go!" I screamed. I tried to escape his strong hold on me, but he only grabbed me tighter and tighter until my arms went numb. "I said let me go!" Kneeing him in his groin, I made a fast run for it.

"I need your help!" The man called out, but his voice faded away. I exited the alleyway and made my way to the store. I was so out of breath that I waited before going in.

I thought about the old man once more. He was so drunk tonight that he won't even remember me tomorrow. I'm not certain that he won't, but all the labels read 'drunk' and my guess is that he probably passed out behind a dumpster somewhere. But I was stupid. I should have kept walking to steer clear of the chaos, but the commotion was ringing so loud in my ears that I almost lost my hearing.

Entering the store, I saw the lights dimmed and no one at the cash register. There was slow music playing, but it was so quiet that I could barely hear it.

"Is anybody here?"

A girl appeared from behind the counter. She ran fingers into her golden wheat blonde hair and asked, "Can I help you?"

I shook my head, grabbed a cart, and headed into an aisle. Among the shelves were many vegetable cans and ketchup bottles. I looked around and went into each aisle, taking a few things as I go until I slammed into someone with my cart.

The impact was loud. "Are you okay?"

He turned around and looked at me. He was hot. Not like the temperature, but he was boiling with perfection. He had tender lips, silver eyes, and gorgeous dark brown hair.

"I'm fine," he softly spoke.

"You don't look fine," I replied, clutching his bruised arm. "Oh my, you're so cold!"

I forgot that I was shopping for a moment. He was just so attractive that I forgot everything once I looked into his eyes. But the moment ended too soon when he finally responded. "I should go."

"Wait!" I called out to him. "What's your name?"

"Deacon," he replied before leaving.

I went back to the cash register. The girl standing there looked at me with her green eyes and asked, "Did you have any trouble shopping?"

I shook my head as she scanned my items. Waiting patiently to go, I saw that her name tag read 'Pansy' and decided to ask her a question. "Why is it that I'm always running into trouble wherever I go?"

"Bad luck, maybe?"

The thought occurred to me. So many strange things happened tonight. First the drunk man asking me for help and then I run my shopping cart into someone who I didn't even see coming my way. He just appeared out of nowhere like rain on an unexpected sunny day.

I slept to these thoughts. I slept with a knife under my pillow and my hand gripping the handle for safety. Tonight was bad luck for sure, and I didn't plan on having anymore.