A Stranger in the Night

I felt my knees go weak and my body melt at the sound of his voice. I didn't know if the reaction was voluntary or not but I was going to enjoy it while I could. He began to lean back but swiftly caught my arm as I began to slip from the bar I was leaning back on when he first approached. "Whoa, whoa, you're okay. Let's find you somewhere to sit." Strangely, I felt comforted in his presence, especially seeing as Jess had disappeared. We approached the booths in the back part of the club, the music wasn't as loud here but the people sitting in this area were definitely making up for that. He walked ahead of me, holding my hand and leading the way, his dark hair falling past his shoulders onto his black suit jacket, that hid a grey button up shirt. His black pants fit him well and sat neatly above some black dress shoes. Compared to most of the men in here, he was very well dressed.

As we got close to one of the booths, a group of young men sitting there suddenly shot their heads in our direction. I couldn't understand their reaction, when they all just jumped up from the table and left. Turning and lowering their heads as they passed us as we continued to the booth. That's odd. I wonder why they all just bailed. He stopped by the table and gestured for me to slide in. "Its ok, you can sit down. I just wanted to make sure you were ok.". His voice was feep and calm. His face showed no emotion that I could read, and as the room has stopped spinning now, I was beginning to feel more myself and my defensive side kicks into gear. "I'm fine as you can see.". He let's out a deep, low laugh and again encourages me to sit. "I have no doubt that you are fine, but I can tell you're a little out of your depth here. Especially for a first timer.". How would he know it was my first time here? Jess told me she comes here all the time. I could have been here with her before, do I really seem that out of place? The smirk reappeared and I felt myself blush. It was devilish and mischievous and made him look even more handsome if it was possible.

I slid into the booth on the opposite side to him. He let out a soft chuckle then smiled. "So, your friend left you I see?". Wait, what? How did he know Jess had ditched me? Does he know her? Maybe she's met him here before? As if I had said it all out aloud, "I noticed you both earlier at the bar and saw you return from the garden bar without her. I can only assume she found some....fun....I have seen her here before, but not you." Fun? What fun? What was he talking about? I must have shown my confusion as he began to chuckle loudly and said "My dear, there is lots of fun to be had in a place like this. You should see when there is a special event on....it's extraordinary." I felt my phone buzz in my bag, and as I grab it out, I see a text from Jess. "Hey, sorry, in a cab, going to have some fun, I'll call you tomorrow. Xx J". That bitch! She truly ditched me again and after all the begging and pleading for me to come out and promising she wouldn't leave me stranded somewhere on my own like last time.....ARGHHHH! "She's gone, isn't she?" I nodded to him as I began to slide out from the booth, straightening up my shirt and putting on my jacket. "Well...ummm....thanks for the random chat....I guess.". I grabbed my phone out to begin to order a cab. I'm not staying here by myself. Without me even noticing, he had his hand on mine and was pushing my phone down. "No. No cab. My driver will take you wherever you need to go." Wow, was not expecting that but also didn't want to feel indebted to a stranger I have just met. "It's ok, I don't live far and sorry but I don't know you and don't feel comfortable with that." Not pressing the issue, he nodded his head and I began to walk away. As I got to the door of the club, I turned back to see if he was still there. He stood there, by the booth, in the exact place I left him. His emerald green eyes beaming brightly through the dark club right back at me. Feeling as though they were almost calling me to come back and time was standing still. It was strange, I didn't want me walk away, I did enjoy his company for the few brief moments I was with him and hey a free ride home would have been nice, but I'm stubborn like that and always mess up perfectly good opportunities even when I know better and alas here we are again.

As I exit the club, the crisp night air hits me hard and I'm chilled to the bone. I forgot this part of the night, being sober does that to you. You always feel the cold more when you've sobered up but I wasn't too phased. It was a beautiful night outside and although the thumping of the bass from the club behind me was all I could hear, all I could think of was how perfect the night sky was. How crystal clear the air was and how the smell of the damp grass and crisp breeze filled my lungs. There were a lot of loud and drunken people outside the club, lining up for cabs. I could be here till tomorrow morning....not something I would enjoy, so after a moment of getting my bearings, I worked it out to be only a 45 minute walk home. And on a beautiful night like this, why not. I would be sober by the time I got home and ready to start a new day tomorrow.

I walked at a steady pace along the footpath next to the grass and the small canal the followed alongside. The air was a bit cooler now and I pulled my collar up to keep the wind off my neck. Although my hair was down, it wasn't such a great covering for keeping the cold out. I tucked my hands in my jacket pockets and continued to walk. The streets were empty, minus the parked cars and buzzing coming from the fluttering street lights. I hadn't walked home this way before but knew where I was and which way to go. But again, that sense of someone watching me began to sneak up on me and consumed my thoughts. I had always been afraid of the dark as a child, and occasionally still am, but I pass it off as childish nonsense and quickened my pace slightly. That was until I heard footsteps behind me...

They were a fair distance back from me, but loud enough that they filled my mind with the darkest thoughts possible. As I hastened my pace, so did the footsteps sped up to match me. My heart began racing and it felt as if it was going to run out of my own body. I turned around to look behind me but nothing was there. I continued to quicken my pace, now not only hearing mine and the footsteps behind me, but also now a 3rd set of footsteps. These sounded deep and powerful and scared me to the core. I felt like my legs took off and my body was dragging behind me. The footsteps following got moving too, when all of a sudden a deep growl echoed through the street. My heart stopped. What the hell was that? What was behind me and what made that sound? That's it. I'm done for. I begin diving into my purse for my phone, trying to dial Jess' number which rings out and then I begin to dial for a cab, when I notice that the footsteps have stopped. I turn around to inspect street behind me. A street lamp flutters and there is only darkness. However.....I can see movement in the darkness and my heart kicks off into overdrive. I need to run, I need to escape and get away. I wasn't going to go out like this, on a dark street, and only about 20 minutes from my apartment. All of a sudden, a black car screeches passed and slams its breaks on. The driver then calls out through the window, "Please get in Miss. I will take you home. It's not safe here. " Not in a place to argue, with something or someone following me, I jump in the back seat and lock the door behind me. The driver pulls away quickly and I turn back to view the darkness behind me. That's when I saw them. 3 shadows began to emerge.