The Arma

Texas

She quickened her pace as it was getting colder. Every breath formed chains of smoke outside her hoodie. Hugging herself tightly, Sara decided to take the shortcut behind the beer bar which ended up in her block. The yellow neon light of the beer café was visible from quite a distance. As she came closer to the bar, a strange feeling started growing inside of her. She walked faster until it was only her footsteps that she could hear, only her boots declared presence, far away from the bustling city roads, down the alley. There were dumps all around and she felt quite nauseated. But the air became heavier and within the deepest corners of her heart, she felt the buzzing sensation of threat. Her mind cautioned her of another silent pedestrian behind and she could feel the evolving surge of energy inside her.

“Oh no, not again,” she turned her face to a six feet man with heavy looking broad shoulders. Dressed in a black overcoat and a face adorned with such ferocity that could burn a hole through her even in the dark, he looked like a confident predator. “Listen, I really don’t think this is a good idea. You should just probably leave me alone”, she breathed.

“Oh and why is that?” he said in a deep English accent. “You know I have been searching for you for such a long time and I am really tired of these little hide and seek games love. You’ve just got to answer some questions. Why is that so hard?”

“Yeah no kidding. You come with four or more armed men to just ask me a few questions? I know exactly what your questions are or even better, why you need me for them.”

His eyes seemed like they narrowed even more as he glared at her with a devilish grin, “Yeah? Well if you know everything then it wouldn’t be so tough for you to cone with me and help a person in need would it?” He leaned in even closer as he whispered into her ear, “You see, I know your little secret Miss Sara. It’s just a little help; you can do it with your eyes closed. Now, come on, you can’t be that cold-hearted?”

Sara breathed a heavy sigh as she replied, “I can’t just go around doing things that people want in name of help, that too for a selfish cause. Do you even know the consequences I have to bear due to these little helps? There’s so much more to me than you know of.”

“Sara, love, we are not getting married. I absolutely do not need to know everything about you. I have one freaking old man problem and I need you to know from his memories where exactly he left me his screwed up belongings. If you’re not willing to do it voluntarily, then don’t mind me applying force.” The man motioned with his two fingers and four men came and stood like towering figures in the mist. They all had the near same heights and looked like 4D photocopies of each other. The fog in the alley was growing thicker with the late night and vision was becoming unclear. None of them could see each other but every breath was noticeable and the lion was counting seconds before attacking the lamb with all power. There was a tinge of yellow light in the alley and the fog made the entire scene look like a death sequence.

“You know Kyle,” Sara raised her voice through the thick fog, “I would’ve brought my camera if I had known that your bunch of hipsters looked this good in an alley like this. And I still don’t think it is a good idea for you to do this.”

He let out a small chuckle as he motioned his men to take her down. “I am very sure love.”

There were quick movements from under the thick sheet of fog and a loud bang followed by a dog’s whimper that had been trying to sneak into the scene. The dim yellow light turned into burning colors of red and then faded out. The four men lay like innate objects devoid of life. There was no trace of violence anywhere, but the dead bodies spoke thousands.

“Kyle, I really do not want to create an apocalyptic murder scene here. These people are dead, how many more numbers do you wanna add to them? I can’t control what’s inside of me. Of someone forces me, they always end up like this. At this rate, there would piled up dead bodies. So please. Please just let me go. Find another help.”

There was a long moment of silence accompanied by the chirping crickets and the occasional whimpering of the dog. Kyle’s face was drained of color and is it hadn’t been for his standing position, anyone would have thought that he was dead. He stared blankly at Sara, unable to move, frozen in fear.

“I think it’s settled then,” Sara said at last “You will leave me alone from now on I am assuming. And Kyle?” He stared at her with a blank expression. “You are responsible for the death of these men. They didn’t need to die. Don’t worry about the corpses though; they’ll go into ashes after some moments. It has already started”. She pointed at the half ash turned bodies. “And do not; absolutely do not try to follow me ever again. I do not know myself what I am capable of, what’s inside of me.”

Her heels clicked off as she walked away, piercing through the food, whistling a slow tempo. Kyle looked at the pile of ashes and sat down with a thud, this fingers combing through his hair.