Stranger
The bitter
cold wind nipped at my exposed skin as I waved at my best friend, Thalia from
the steps of the school. Her spikey short hair stuck up even more, failing
around in short black strands. Her striking blue eyes sparkled as she ran,
holding her black leather jacket tighter around her small torso to keep her
body warm.
Thalia has
always been there for me. She was there when my father died when I was 10. She
was there for me when I had to leave home to escape my mother’s vicious words.
She was there when he left. She was
my sister as far as I was concerned.
I wrapped my
long black coat tighter around my body, trying to keep out the chill. My hands
had grey mittens, but they weren’t doing any good as they were freezing.
I passed the
bustling part of the city. Cars and taxis were honking at each other, creating
a cacophony. The sun had gone down about an hour ago leaving New York City to
do what it does best; light up the sky.
Broadway was
advertising a new musical and I thought of buying Thalia and I some tickets
when my phone rang. I took it out of my purse and the screen lit up saying it
was my mom calling.
I ignored
it, but hurried up. Last time I was late she nearly scalped me. I shuddered at
the thought of her fingers yanking my hair and yelling that I was worthless and
pathetic. I had sworn to myself that night that I was going to leave and never
come back, but I couldn’t bring myself to and ended up sleeping at Thalia’s for
a night.
It was
already dark and I had a class early in the morning the next day so I decided
to take a short cut. New York City was like a giant maze to me. Ever since I
was little I would always find these short cuts that always lead me where I
wanted to go. So this time instead of walking that next block or so I turned
right into an ally way that would take me straight to the road I usually took
to get home.
My blond
curls whipped around like wild snakes in the breeze. My scarf flew off my neck
and I noticed I wasn’t alone anymore. I turned and heard male voices talking
loud behind me. I turned and watched them warily as three guys joked and shoved
each other playfully. Each one was wearing a dark hoodie and jeans. One of them
looked up and locked eyes with me. I half smiled and ducked my head, breaking
eye contact.
I walked
faster through the alley and heard their pace quickening as well. I was
starting to think of ways to lose them when one of the men started to talk to
me.
“Hey
Beautiful! Where you off to?” a gruff voice said.
I ignored
them and kept walking.
“Oh you’re
going to be like that, uh? Hey Luke! What we going to do?” he said.
I heard
laughter, but this time it didn’t sound so playful… it sounded sinister. I took
deep breaths to try and calm myself down, I needed to think. I wasn’t that far
away from the end of the alley, if I ran fast enough I would make it to at
least a street light. So that is exactly what I did, I ran.
The laughter
turned into shouting behind me. I heard the thumping of their feet as they
chased me. I turned the corner and kept running. THERE WAS NO STREET LIGHT I
yelled in my head. I screamed as loud as I could for somebody to help me, but
nothing.
I stopped
and hid behind another corner. I put my hands on my knees and gasped for air. I
saw them rounding the corner and I started sprinting all over again.
“Annabeth!
Stop running and come and see your best friend!” he yelled.
I stopped
cold in my tracks as I recognized the voice. I knew that voice better than my
own parents’. Flashbacks hit me like a brick.
There we
were, a little blond haired, blue eyed boy and I sitting under a tree. We
laughed and climbed it, thinking there were no worries in the world.
Another
came; the day we first kissed. I was fourteen and we were at a school dance. He
dragged me outside in the snow and kissed me under the mistletoe.
The last one
was of the day he was hauled off to jail for attempted murder, he killed his
mom. The police took him out of his house kicking and screaming when he was 16.
I knew he did it, he had told me how much better his life would be without his
sickly mother.
He graphed
out ways he would do it and burned the evidence. The police had him in for six
years, but that was just for petty crimes. He was never caught for that murder.
“Luke?” I
said an utter look of horror I bet was expressed on my face.
He smiled
his bright blue eyes glittered. He had a new scar, it started from the top of
his right eyebrow and went down to the middle of his cheek, right over his eye.
The new mark rippled as he smiled wider at my expression.
“The one and
only, baby. Come and give me some sugar.” He said laughing, opening his arms.
His friends smiling wickedly at his side.
I backed up
another step and the smile melted off his face. He dropped his arms and turned
slightly before he lunged at me. I screamed and struggled, trying to get out of
his iron grip.
He dragged
me back into another abandoned alley and pinned me up against the brick wall. I
cringed away when he leaned his head into my neck, breathing in my scent.
“Luke…Luke
please…stop.” I pleaded. He ignored me and kissed my neck until he softly bit
my earlobe.
“Luke…why
are you doing this?” I asked,
He lifted
his head and glared at me.
“If you had
just kept your mouth shut. You blabbed to someone and I was caught. You think
stealing will get you six years in
jail? Sorry missy, but I can’t let you go anywhere. You saw me and you are a
liability.” He spat.
“You escaped!?” I yelled. He silenced me
with a flick of a knife. He brought it out of his pocket and to my face. He
made a small line, cutting skin as he pushed the blade down my cheek. I cried
out in pain and tried to move away, but he pinned me right back where I
started. I could feel the blood dripping down my cheek.
He laughed
as I cried. My tears falling down in small streams. I thought of all the things
we did together as kids and my sadness turned into anger when I remembered the
day we found his mom.
She was
lying in the bathtub, the water was stained red. She was old and a little bit
crazy, but everyone loved her. To see her like that brought up bile.
I glared at
Luke with such hatred that even he backed up. I took my opportunity and kneed
him right where it hurt. He groaned and dropped his knife. I scooped it up and
kept running. I had to get away…anywhere but there. I heard his friends running
up behind me and I kept on screaming for someone to help me. I looked around
for an escape and I saw one; a fire escape.
I pulled the
ladder down and scaled it as quick as I could. I sat on the very top of
someone’s balcony and gasped regaining my breath once again.
I saw Luke’s
goons looking around some trash cans. Luke came running and he started yelling
at his friends to find me at whatever costs. In the shadows I saw another
hooded figure walk out. The only thing I could think of was another one?! But this one yelled
something unintelligible and the other three spun around to face him.
Luke yelled
something like “Where is she?”
The other
guy said something, but I couldn’t hear with all the noise the guys and the
city were making. I started to climb down slowly to try and get a better look.
I made it to
some trash cans and hid behind there. The mystery man laughed and Luke threw
the first punch. The dude dodged it easily and threw one himself, aiming at
Luke’s jaw.
Luke
stumbled back, confused on what had just happened. He ordered his friends to
help him and they charged at “Robin Hood.” Each one ran to him from different
sides and he just spun around kicking both of them sending them flying
backwards.
He walked up
to them and I covered my eyes hearing the grunts and smacks that came from the
group of boys on the ground. When their intense beating was over he threw them
another time and yelled at them.
“If you ever
come near her again I will personally see you bastards cut into pieces and fed
to the sewer rats.” He yelled.
Luke glared
at him and got up and ran away saying “This isn’t over.”
When they
were gone I watched the hooded man stand there in the eerie light of the street
lamp. He was breathing heavily and I slowly made my way out of my hiding spot.
I coughed a
little to make my presence noticed and it worked. He turned around slowly and I
could barely see his face, the light shadowing it further.
He stood
still and I made my way to him, warning him with my eyes. I put my hands on his
chest and with one hand I slid the hood off his head. The first thing I saw was
green. Those green eyes that I knew so well. The green eyes that I could get
lost in forever.
I gasped a
little as I saw his messy black hair fall on his face. It was him…it was really
him. I stuttered a bit before he smiled lightly.
“Percy
Jackson?” I said…….right before I slapped him.
