An Angel Amidst The Pumpkins
“Ezra!” The shopkeeper, Andy, greets as I step into the store. “Back again for pumpkins this year?”
“You know it.” I respond, “The kids at the orphanage are waiting.”
“You carve things for them every year.” Andy leads me to the pumpkin patch out back. “You sure you can afford that in your 3rd year of college?”
I shrug, ’Their happiness makes it worth it.”
The shopkeeper smiles, “You’re too kind, man. Take as many as you’d like.”
I nod, stepping into a pumpkin field ready for picking. I hear the door close, leaving me alone with the harvests.
I wander around, grabbing a cart on the way, trying to find some good sized pumpkins that the children would love. Every year I’d do this, no matter how broke I am, just to see smiles on the children’s faces.
It’s a beautiful sight.
After about 10 minutes, I have 5 pumpkins waiting to be carved.
As I start heaving the cart back the way I came from, I see a half-eaten pumpkin roll out from behind a tree, pulp spilling out.
A girl crawling on all fours follows, grabbing the pumpkin and stopping it from rolling away.
My eyes widen as I take her filthy appearance in. Her entire body is covered in dirt, her hair grimy and smeared with mud.
She looks around and spots me, freezing up as my glance meets her eyes. They are striking blue like the ocean, shining even in the muck.
Is she ok?I think. She looks like she needs help.
I drop the handle of the cart. “Hey, are you ok?”
I stare at her as she nods and scoops up the rest of the pulp hungrily, shoving it in her mouth.
It’s clear she’s starving.
“Why are you covered in mud?” I inquire.
She licks her fingers and speaks, her voice sounding soft like an angel’s. “I didn’t want to be spotted stealing pumpkins.”
“I’m sure I can get Andy to give you some for free.” I reply, “Why were you stealing in the first place?”
Her stomach grumbles in response. “I was hungry...” she murmurs.
“Oh.” I respond, concerned. She looks like she’s around my age, yet she’s starving and smeared with mud. And eating pumpkins for dinner. “You live near here?”
She shrugs nonchalantly, standing up, “I don’t have one.”
“Sorry?” I wasn’t sure I heard that right.
“I don’t have a place to live.” She repeats, shoving her hands in her pockets. “I got kicked out.” Her stomach rumbles loudly again.
I stay silent as I process what she said. She patiently waits for my response, licking the remains of the pumpkin pulp from her bright, pink lips.
I can’t just leave her. A college girl in the streets of Chicago without any food or money?
“If you don’t think it’s weird, you can come to my apartment for a while until we figure this out.” I suggest. “I can get you some food too. Not pumpkins.”
The girl nods. “Okay. That’s cool.”
I’m taken aback by her nonchalant attitude. Didn’t I just invite her over to my apartment? Didn’t she think that was weird? “You sure?”
“Yep, let’s go.” She walks over to the cart and picks up the handle.
“No! I got it, don’t worry.” I take the handle back from her. “You just follow me and don’t push yourself.” She looks like she’d collapse at any time.
“Alright.” She shoves her hands back into her pockets and follows me as I start heaving the cart back. Andy shoots me a questioning glance as we enter, and I mouth “she’s with me.”
He nods, satisfied with the response and doesn’t press further as he rings me up.
“Thanks, Andy.” I load the pumpkins onto the cart and walk out. The girl follows close behind me. “See ya!”
“Sayonara!” I hear him say from behind me.
“My apartment’s a bit small.” I warn as we make our way to where I live.
“That’s fine.” The girl replies simply.
“Oh, I haven’t even asked your name!” I exclaim, “What is it?”
The girl flinches, “Ashley.”
“Oh sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.” Did I really speak that loudly?
“No it isn’t you...” Ashley looks away from me, “My previous house wasn’t so hospitable.”
“Oh.” I wonder what she means. What has this girl been through? “Here we are.” I swing the door open, holding it for Ashley. She looks at me, surprised, but doesn’t say anything as she steps in. I close the door after her.
The familiar, musty smell of the apartment complex fills my nose as I walk up the creaky stairs to my door, Ashley in tow. I open the lock with aclick.
The door swings open, revealing my box shaped apartment. A single bed lays in the corner, and beside it rests a small desk and chair.
Other than that, my room is basically empty.
Perks of being a broke college student in a big city.
I wait for Ashley to go in before me. “Make yourself at home, I’ll just go back downstairs and grab those pump-”
I stop mid-sentence as Ashley grabs my shirt collar and pulls me towards her, kissing me deeply. The scent of fresh grass fills my nose as her soft, delicate lips roughly push against mine.
Huh?I try to speak, but instead take a sharp breath in as one of her thighs squeezes against my crotch.Oh god... her leg is so...
Warmth spreads through my body as Ashley’s chest presses tightly against mine.
I try my best to keep my balance as she pushes me towards the bed.
The backs of my knees painfully hit the frame, making me fall down onto the mattress.
I feel her body press down on mine as she continues to kiss me passionately, parting my lips with her own and running her tongue into my mouth.
Her teeth touch mine, and I shiver and tightly clench the sheets as she invades my mouth.
I feel her hips shifting on my crotch as she sets her knees on either side of my waist.
I gasp loudly as she finally pulls away and moves down to my neck. Her cleavage is clearly visible to me.God, they’re so big.
I want to let go of the beast that was rampaging inside me. To do her so fucking hard-
Wait. What am I saying?!
I try to catch my breath, breathing loudly. “What are you...?”
I feel warm as her smooth lips touch vulnerable spots on my neck I didn’t know existed.
She’s so good...
My mind is spiraling out of control. It can’t even comprehend what is happening.
Ashley reaches for my shirt and starts unbuttoning it, and I finally snap out of my daze. I stop her hand.
She quits kissing my neck and looks up at me, confused. “What are you doing?”
“What am I doing?!” I exclaim, still catching my breath from her ruthless kissing. “What areyoudoing?”
She starts at my loud voice. Again with the flinching. “But you told me you’d give me food...” she says quietly.
“Yeah. I did.” I shiver as I realize her hand was still resting on my naked chest. “But what areyoudoing?”
“Isn’t this what you expect in return?” Ashley cocks her head to the side, strands of her brown hair falling onto her eyes. She blows them out of her face.
The beast in me slams against my stomach. I feel a pang of heat in my heart.
“No, of course not!” I try my best to resist it. “Why would I?”
“But...” Her hand traces the curve of my chest as she moves closer to me. I feel hot as her leg falls in between mine, her thigh coming to rest on my crotch.Oh please... not again.“Don’t I turn you on? Don’t worry, I’m 20.” Her light blue eyes stare deep into mine, her lips slightly twitching. A faint blush covers her fair cheeks.
Even covered in dirt, she looked like an angel.
If I looked any longer, I’d lay her down and take her.
Hard.
And I won’t be able to stop myself.
“No!” I look away from her sharp gaze, my face red. “I mean... yes. But this isn’t right. Please get off.”
Ashley pushes off of me, puzzled. “All the other guys said they wanted it.”
“What other guys are you talking about?” I demand, “Ashley, what have you been through?”
It was her turn to look away. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m very worried.”
“Why are you so nice?” Ashley looks annoyed, “You’re not like the others.”
“I don’t become nice if I give you food.” I soften my tone, “I just want to help, Ashley.”
My voice causes her to relax a bit, and she sighs heavily. “My father was... abusive. So I ran away. And sheltered with guys that took something other than money as payment.”
I stay silent for a moment. “That’s... horrific.”
Ashley shrugs, “It only makes sense. They gave me food and shelter, so I had to give them something in return. It’s just how the world works.”
“No.” I press a hand to my temple. “Why’d the guy before kick you out?”
“He said he was bored.”
I take a deep breath in. This girl... she is being taken advantage of by the world.
“I want you to stay here as long as you need.” I say finally, “And don’t leave until you want to. I don’t want any payment in return.”
I don’t care about the money it’d take to accommodate her. I can’t let this continue on.
Ashley’s eyes widen, “But... why? What do you get out of this?”
“I don’t need to get anything out of it.” I look up at her, “What happened to you is not good, Ashley. No one should suffer as much as you did. I don’t need a reason to help another human being.”
She opens her mouth, but then closes it. She nods quietly. “Alright.”
I sigh and get up from the bed, buttoning up my shirt. “You can take a shower. I’ll get you some food meanwhile.”
She nods again, awkwardly walking away towards the bathroom. I hear the shower turn on as I walk out of the apartment.
When Ashley gets back, I hand her two grilled cheeses and watch her inhale them.
I laugh as I give her another one, “You’ve got an appetite.”
She smiles sheepishly and bites in. I stand and walk over to the light switch as she finishes up.
“I’ll sleep on the floor.” I propose, “You can take the-”
“No!” Ashley interjects. She looks down at her feet. “I’m... scared of the dark. Please sleep next to me. I won’t try anything, I promise.”
“I...” My will falters as Ashley looks at me pleadingly. “...alright.”
She smiles widely as I turn off the lights and lay on the bed, scooting over to the edge to give her space.
I tense as her arm wraps around my body, and I feel her breathing drumming through me. “Ashley...”
“Please, I’m just scared.” Ashley whispers back, “I usually... never sleep alone.”
“Alright.” I reply quickly, not wanting to bring back bad memories for her.
“You’re the first one.” she says quietly, her breath tickling my neck as she buries her head in my back.
“Huh?”
“You’re the first one to make me smile. For as long as I can remember.” Ashley pulls me close to her, snuggling her cheek on my shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Yeah.” I rest my hand on hers. “Get some sleep.”
Eventually her breathing becomes even, and I turn around to face her.
Strands of her brown hair rest on her forehead, her chest rising and falling evenly. Her bright lips shine in the moonlight, and as does the rest of her face, her expression peaceful.
She truly is an angel.
