One Cold Winter's Night

chapter 3

Chapter Three

I didn’t see Xavier again for about a month, and our next meeting was less than ideal. It was the night that irrevocably changed my life forever, the night I unknowingly became entangled with a murderer. I had to work the night shift at the diner, I always hated night shift duty. Night time was when all the people you don’t want to meet come out, the true villains in society.

 My shift this night wasn’t bad, pretty tame with the odd occurrence that a drunkard would approach me. They’d make some lame attempt at flirtation before losing their train of thought and leaving me to my work, no one had ever been truly bold enough to try something. I was thankful that this was how far their harassment would go.

    After the long uneventful shift of work I decided to walk home since my car was in the shop, this was my first mistake. I should have called a cab to head home, but I also should have just generally been more aware of my surroundings. But my mind was drifting off to a million other things like why was I dumb to walk home on the coldest nigh of december, just a week away from christmas. It was negative digits only every peaking at 34 degrees, snow falling heavily covering everything. I loved this weather sure, just not when I had a 30 minute walk ahead of me. 

About 12 minutes into my walk did I notice all the extra sets of feet crunching the snow, this was my second mistake. When I heard and noticed these footsteps a gut feeling arose and told me something was wrong and I should go somewhere more people laden. But I didn’t heed my conscience’s warning and kept walking, justifying that they might all just be heading the same direction as me.

    So I kept walking ignoring my instincts, but unbeknownst to me I had picked up my walking pace. It terrified me to know that they too picked up pace, and that’s when I made my third mistake. I ran, bolting away only turning my head half way to see 4 men barreling after me. I shouldn’t have been so obvious and now there was no way to turn back. As I ran the cold air filled my lungs leaving a harsh burning sensation as it entered and exited my body. My legs too burned and buckled, not being used to this much physical exertion. 

I was nowhere close to being in my neighborhood, smart enough to at least not lead these strangers to my home. My final mistake, the one that truly sealed my fate, was taking a detour through the woods thinking that would shake these men off of my tail. I was very wrong to have this naive hope, I didn’t know these woods well enough to get through here. And that’s when it happened, I fell. I tripped or a tree root hidden in the snow, it was all over and they were standing over me.

    The one who I guess was the leader grabbed me up by my arm, there would be bruises for sure. “Give us all the money you have, we say you made good tips tonight hun.” I shook my head, there was no way I was going to give him money I worked for. Even if I have a fortune in the bank these men harassing me didn’t deserve a cent. He chuckled dryly, his eyes were dilated and bloodshot. 

He was clearly under the influence of some substance, as were his 3 followers. His grip tightened even more, making me let out an involuntary wimper, he leaned in close breath hot and disgusting.

 “Fine don’t give it to us. when we are done passing you around we’ll just take it.”

 I felt terror course through me, my lungs burning as I shrieked in fear hoping a passer by would hear. The man cursed shutting me up by pushing me to the ground. I fell wrong and I heard the distinct sound of my wrist snapping.

    They surrounded me, I shut my eyes holding my broken wrist against my chest. I didn’t want to see what was about to happen to me, tears dropping from my eyes mixing with the heavy snow that was beginning to fall. My clothes were damp, the cold air hitting against my body taunting me with the fact that if I survived this event I would surely be sick and bedridden for weeks. I waited for a blow to come but one never did, at least not to me, peaking my eye open at the sight before me was a surprise. 

There was Xavier beating my attackers to a pulp, he was so strong his eyes dark in anger. Why was he so mad? Why was he helping me? I could no longer process anything as my teeth chattered and my cold frame lost consciousness from exhaustion and more than likely hypothermia. When I came to again I found myself wearing an oversized shirt and most definitely not my bed. Where am I?

    This question is answered when Xavier walks into the room, hair wet as if he had just gotten out of the shower. He wore a t-shirt and pair of sweats, in his hands was a tray with a glass of water and a bowl of soup. He walked over and sat the tray on the bedside table  before turning to look at me. “How are you feeling, I hope it’s alright that I had one of my maids change your clothes. I had my personal doctor come tend to your wrist and bruises. Coincidentally the chef just made a pot of soup, have some and warm up. Your lips are still blue.”

 I was confused for a moment with all this new information coming into my hazy mind, everything came back the attackers and running for my life. My bottom lip quivered as unshed tears filled my eyes, without thinking I buried my face in his stomach. With my arms wrapped tightly around his waist, I could feel him stiffen before wrapping his own arms around me to console my shaking frame.

    “Don’t worry they won’t be able to hurt you ever again, I called the police. They should almost be catching those unconscious bastards and putting them behind bars, that is if the surrounding wildlife of wolves hasn’t gotten to them first.” 

As morbid as that statement was it caused me great relief, at least either way they won't be able to hurt  anyone else. We stayed like this for time, me in his arms, until I came back to my senses. 

“Help me eat the soup, they broke my main hand.” He nodded eyes swirling with so many unidentifiable emotions, what was going on in that mind of his? I was fed and then laid back to rest so many questions in mind, they could wait for now.