The Enigma's Romance

Val stopped his cab by instinct, and jumped out of it, before the driver could ask why... As quickly as he came out, he was already on his toes running more with his witts than his feet, he'd forgotten about everything including the fact that his laptop and phones were left in the cab with a stranger... The only thing on his mind was the voice "help me!"

A voice in his head..

Val turned into the alley, and ran his fist into the first guy, before the guy could hit the ground he was already on the third guy, throwing fast jabs at him. The other two whom he was yet to confront just stood there in shock and fear.

He got up, not a word, pulled up the scared and half naked lady, and walked away with her to a conner, the guys still watching..

“Are you ok?”He asked.

“Breathe! Breathe!!You're fine… Just Breathe!

“You don't have to talk, I'll take you home...

Val's voice was calm and smooth... After a while she looked up at him, the fear in her eyes almost gone completely. Her fingers had stopped shaking too... The malevolent guys behind her rescuer were still in shock, they were all standing now, two had their hands on their jaws, and the other two whom he didn't touch seemed more dumbfounded than the rest.

She was wondering why they were still there, were they planning to attack again? Or was it the shock that they'd all experienced, herself included, that kept them from fleeing after their evident defeat.

“Let's go!” Val said.

Interrupting her thoughts and snapping her back to reality.

And with that, he put his jacket over her shoulders, and covered her chest, an effort to hide the torn shirt that she was now left with. He could get a shirt from one of the guys, he thought to himself, but, what to do, that'd make them never forget him, and knowing what he knows of them, they'd keep an eye on him. Well, unless he'd be willing to lynch them right here, which he wasn't willing to do, and that would only make the scared girl more scared... And make him the greater monster.

It was her lips that he saw while still in the cab, as she was dragged into the alley...

He saw that movement of lips, of someone hopeless, saying; "help me!", his insticts had gotten the best of him...

He saw flashes of his past...

He saw pictures of the injustices he'd had to witness again and again, until he finally became the man he was, well before all this fake life...

Hiding his true identity... Living quietly, living in his supposed peace, laying low... Being simple, and convincing himself it was normal. This was the normal life everyone else spoke off. The life his...

“Are you ok?” she asked.

And then he snapped back. “Yeah! Let's go.

And so they walked away, the guys only watching...

As they left the alley, he heard one of them say to the others in their dialect, “let's move to the central district".

That was enough to confirm the rumors, that his college area was going to see some drama today.

Val brought her back to the road, but knowing she was not properly covered, he made as though they were only cuddling as they walked. When in reality, it was the best way he could keep her in confidence, and keep her covered.

He was glad he found the cabbie still waiting for him, he was ready to accept the probable misfortune of finding the cab gone, meaning he'd have lost his gadgets.

“So you left me for a girl?” the cabbie said with sarcasm.

“How gutsy of you, you're either very bold or very naive... I for one thought you saw a ghost or something…” Added the cabbie.

“It's neither of both!” Val responded.

“Turn in by the closest mall, I need to get something."

He wanted buying her something she could wear.

“So long you're paying, I've got no issue with that.” The cabbie said.

The only thing on Val's mind were still the inaudible words of the girl he'd just rescued "help me!" He'd been well too familiar with those words, that he could read them from just any lips.

“Thank you! Th-thannnk you... I haven't thanked you yet.” The girl said.

“I dunno why, dunno why you did what you did, but I know you saved me from something I'd never had recovered from.

"I don't think I'd ever have found the strength..."

This was the second time she spoke since they'd met.

The old him would've asked… would've tried to find out why, but not now… not after all those years... All what he's seen... Where he'd been...

He only responded with a smile, and then fell back to his thoughts.

"I hope those guys let it go", he thought to himself.

And then he shook it off, knowing he didn't go too far, although the third guy seemed badly hurt...

But now they were coming to his college area, and he had not decided on what to do yet...

The idea was to lay low, he knew this feeling, his intuition was hardly ever wrong on these things, and he knew it meant trouble was close and he had to decide, fast!

After the wears he bought her, he dropped her home, and went his way.

Trying to shake off what he had just experienced, so that at least he could have a normal day.

He was in college, studying a software course, like any normal person.

He was twenty eight, his records were clean, grades were average, he didn't cause for too much attention.

That was the plan, and it was working so well, so far...

He had new friends, and others he hanged out with, scarcely though. But at least it had been three quiet years, and he'd enjoyed peace, whatever that meant to the normal guy anyway. But that was about to change, and he knew it. Whatever was about to happen, he wasn't sure if he was fully prepared for.