Sparks

Chapter 7

Nobody else seemed to notice. The crowd failed to see the fear etched into the woman's face. They didn't see the man's hand that rested lightly against the small of her back. They were all too engrossed in their own world to notice that he leaned into her often and whispered comforting words into her ear. They didn't see the way her hair rose as he spoke to her. They had no way of knowing that she was falling in love with the man that risked his life for her. Risked his life for a stranger whom had intruded in his daily life and awakened feelings and memories that he didn't want to acknowledge.

She hated that she had involved him in this, hated that with each second they waited the closer Sander got. She hated it all. But, she loved that Romelius was there. Always just a glance over her shoulder away. He would smile lightly, meaning to offer her comfort. But it never reached his eyes, revealing how worried he truly was.

The crowd was thick, as was expected for a spectacle this grand. A bridge that had been undergoing construction for many years was finally completed. The town reveled in the quiet. No more machines growling, no more men shouting, nothing but the waves crashing against land. It was natural, and that was what the people were enjoying.

But the fear that raced through Pagatti's veins wasn't natural at all. Her heart pounded faster each time somebody accidentally brushed up against her. She nearly screamed when a man touched her shoulder, only for him to apologize for mistaking her for someone else.

Romelius sidled up beside her and rested a reassuring hand on her back. He had grown comfortable touching her over the past few days, even if it was the brush of his hand or feeling the swish of her hair against his skin.

"It'll be alright," he murmured in her ear. She didn't seem to believe him, instead she spun in a circle, scanning the crowd for Sander. She completely ignored his touch and the way he seemed so sure that she would be okay. She was terrified. Almost her entire teenage life had been learning to protect herself, to the best of her abilities, against men like Sander. And yet they were always one step ahead of her. Always had something to threaten her with: Lacy, her mom, Sam, anybody. Anybody that she had slipped and let her attacker know she cared about.

"Calm down," Romelius grabbed her wrist and tugged her out of the crowd. He did this for the both of them. He knew he couldn't hang around, Sander would never approach Pagatti if he was around. And while he didn't want to leave her alone, this was her idea. To actually do as the crazy man stated.

"We can't ignore him!" She had yelled when Romelius offered up the idea. "He'll just get Lacy. He could hurt Sam. This is my problem. I'll deal with it."

The statement had hurt him, deeply. Did she not realize that he was involved just as deeply as she was? But he understood where she was coming from. He had told his mother the same thing when Saturn had passed away. Although the circumstances were entirely different, some of the emotions involved were the same.

So, he followed Pagatti blindly into the crowd, until he couldn't take her fear any longer. They had no plan. Romelius couldn't hang around and that frightened him. Too much could go wrong. Pagatti wouldn't allow him to inform the police, still convinced that they would never help her.

"I'll be just over there," he said, pointing to one of the vendors within running distance. "Just scream and I will be here, faster than Superman." He said the words hoping it would relax her. Instead she just fidgeted before slumping onto the bench under the trees. He hated seeing this transformation. He had thought that the nightmares and the woman on the bench in the rain had been bad. But this was something entirely new. She didn't talk, didn't respond at all.

He squeezed her hand before letting it slip out of his hand and made his way to the stand he had pointed out. He constantly looked over his shoulder at her, keeping his eyes on her almost the whole way there. He reached the stand and just watched her. He was sure someone thought he was creepy, but he couldn't be bothered to care. The crowd was thick and constantly moving. But there was a perfect path to her.

The bridge had been officially opened so the crowd milled about the various stands selling food and wares. A shrill whistle filled the air and the entire crowd turned. Romelius's heart sunk. How could he have been so stupid? He started pushing through the crowd before Sander even came into sight.

The crowd surged towards the bridge, shoving Romelius and blocking his clear path. He watched in anger and frustration as Sander moved with ease towards an obviously frozen Pagatti. Romelius shoved harder, pushed more people. But he knew he wouldn't get there in time and if Pagatti screamed nobody would hear her anyway. The crowd was too loud, the excitement too overwhelming.

In slow motion, he watched as she stood, seeming to get a burst of courage. Only for Sander to slap her down, before clamping a thick hand over her mouth and dragging her into the trees. Romelius shouted in frustration, getting a few odd looks. He continued to shove and push through the crowd, but he knew he was too late. The same bench that Pagatti had been at was deserted and the trees seemingly empty.

There was only one thing that he could think to do. He pulled out his phone with a sigh of resignation and dialed the police.