Lovers at War - (A.R.)

Chapter 04

⸻⸻⸻

Enemy of Man

⸻⸻⸻

I DIDN'T LET it bother me at first. All I needed to do was locate that damn flower shop, and disappear before things got too dirty. It was right there, and just as I was about to pull the door handle, a sickening voice of a man was heard from behind me.

"Hey pretty lady," he said, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. "Where 'ya off to in such a hurry?"

"Oh, you know. . ." I turned around to face him, noticing his robust figure and the deep scar that led down his cheek. "Getting away from you."

"Why'd you ever see the need to do that?" He was growing closer now, and because the windows of all the nearby shops were tainted, nobody could know what was possibly happening right out the door. At this point, I had begun to move further away.

This time, I really did roll my eyes. "Look, pal, I'm not interested. You can stop trying now."

"Who here is asking if you're interested anyway, sweetheart?" He was at my eye-level now, and I could practically smell the disgusting scent of alcohol from his mouth. He leaned in a little, whispering something in my ear that had me feeling so bitter. "All that matters is if I'm interested."

I laughed incredulously as I slightly pushed him away, and for a second he looked a bit taken aback. "Truly, what a hilarious joke, sir," I said. "But really, take a hint?"

He looked slightly confused, and I had taken it to my advantage. I slowly but surely made my way back to the flower shop's door again, turning the handle to no luck. My movements were beginning to get desperate as I turned the handle again and again, but it just wouldn't budge.

The man cleared his throat, and I dared to look at him again. His voice held more mischief than before, giving me the feeling that he wouldn't so easily take no for an answer anymore. "We ain't finishing yet, little lady."

I paused my movements, cursing at myself for ever thinking I'd make it out of all this alive. My first day in this unfamiliar town and I was already being cornered, that too by an old man!

"Is she bothering you?" Another voice said. I nervously glanced in that direction to see a man stood lazily in the corner behind me, his arms crossed. Wait, hold on a minute. . . Did he just say she?

As if I wasn't the one in need of some urgent help right now.

"Guess you could say that." The older man's gaze was on me as he nibbled on his bottom lip with a mischievous look. He glanced at the other guy. "You know, 'ya could join me? We can try

and. . .talk some sense into her?"

The other chuckled darkly under his breath. "No, thanks. She's not exactly my. . . type."

"Oh? So you wouldn't mind if. . .?"

"Not at all." The other shrugged, smirking devilishly. "By all means, go ahead."

Oh, hell no. Just as I thought that he would possibly save me from this lowlife, he ended up being a lowlife himself? I gulped anxiously, backing away from the older man who was slowly approaching me at a faster rate than before.

Tonight, I would be a goner. Little Wesley would come looking for me in a few hours, only to be met with the corpse of his sister, or maybe no sister at all. All I knew was that if anything happened to me today, I would definitely haunt these two boys for the rest of their lives. Oh, how they'd regret it.

"Help," I muttered, eyes red from pure fear and sadness.

Before the perverted man could come even a step closer, the other one suddenly grabbed him by his collar, glaring daggers at him. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Exactly what you said I could!"

The other rolled his eyes mockingly. "I ain't interested in her," he said, loosening his grip slightly, only to tighten it more than before. "But you know what I'm really willing to do right now?"

The older man whimpered, shocked by what could possibly happen to him next. The grip around him was way too tight, he was practically helpless now too.

"Beating the living daylights out of 'ya if you don't scram!" He pushed the other away with such force, causing him to fall on the ground. He looked so fearful that he didn't even steal but a second glance before hurrying away and out of the alley.

For a moment, I was met with absolute silence.