SUSANNA DEWELL didn't love this new air at all.
Her family's relocation really didn't impress her one bit..To her,Moses lake was no match for Baltimore, her former home. She loved it back in Baltimore. She didn't understand why her dad had decided to move them again. Just when she'd made one friend.
One friend! Well, normally she never made any.
At the age of 17,they had already lived in seven states!
Seven! Who would even believe that?
New York, check.Carlifonia, check.LA, check.Texas, check. Etcetera
And she always had same problem she adorably hated; introducing herself in eight different schools. Eight, given that she'd hit the principal's kid back in Chicago all the way to coma. (The kid was a jerk, anyway) She also hated reporting mid semester. It didn't quite please her to be the only new kid in school.
And now that she'd just hit eighteen, three months with the tittle and almost more than half a year to finish high school, they had already moved out three times! Now she had to the two things she hated thrice.
Susanna had always wondered why her father always moved out frequently.Probably, the influence of his new wife, or job transfers- which he never had. Or probably he felt like he was being haunted by his divorced wife, who wasn't dead actually. Who knew? It was his little secret she badly wanted to know.
It was her first evening in Washington DC,after her family relocated from Baltimore. She could not understand why curiosity had taken the better part of her and implored her to venture and explore the dark streets of Moses Lake.
Curiosity killed the cat,they said.But now she thought otherwise; curiosity killed Susanna.
But she found it better than just stay back and listen to her stepsister's annoying squeals to finally find a bedroom of her own. It was a relief, by the way. Back in Baltimore, the two had seriously fought for a vacant room, and Susanna had been severely punished for that by her step mum.
As the night slowly began to creep in,she hastened her steps,not even with an inkling on where they were heading to. Somehow,she couldn't base where she'd come from. The stupid streets all looked the same.
Besides, something that scared her farther, the streets were almost empty. Why would a whole street disappear as early as seven? She thought. The thought didn't seem that nice. Maybe there was something else they didn't write on the street walls. Something peculiar.
The dark alleys she walked past were surely a no go zone for anyone who claimed to be a living human especially an adolescent girl who had no idea where she was heading to. In addition to that,she had heard countless stories of what men did to girls like her, how they tore off their clothes and...she did not want to think about it.
She touched herself on her thighs and started to wonder silently; What if I tell those men that would attack me that I'm on my period? Crap. Who would believe such?
Worse still, they would even be happier at such kind of an opportunity. God said fill the earth,they would claim,He did not mention any conditions.
But then the streets seemed to be empty with no soul in sight. Maybe she wouldn't get hurt after all.She sighed in desperation as she wondered what luck the night had in store for her.
What luck? She began to doubt this as it started drizzling heavily. Why me? She thought desperately as she hastened her steps further in an attempt to escape from the escalating rain. Her yellow T-shirt became soaked. Soon, her blonde hair was also soaked. No, not her hair. She loved it more than her heart. She had to seek shelter. There had to be somewhere she could shelter, but where?
Skimming desperately with her piercing green eyes, Susanna spotted a dark corridor, just the perfect place to seek shelter from the devastating rain which increased drastically by the second.
However, the place seemed a little bit dangerous and she was unaware of what lay behind the shadows.
Whatever!
After much capitulation, she put behind her all negativity and immersed herself into the long alley. She quickly rushed into the area and heaved a sigh of relief.
Oh God, she prayed, let this night end well. Using her badly soaked T-shirt, she wiped her face and tried to dry her hair by her hands.
She randomly let her eyes scan the area for any sign of danger. There was none. Perfect.But again she felt the sudden feeling that there was something or someone watching her quietly, just waiting for the opportune time to attack . She wasn't sure what the time was, in her hurry to avoid her stepsister she had forgotten her watch. And she didn't have a phone. She never had one.Great. Just great.
Her mind wandered off to her father, her brother,her step mom and step sister. She was sure that her step mom and stepsister weren't bothered by her missing.
Oh, she thought, they had never bothered about me... Why would they now? Probably they would even be happy at such an instance.
Susanna began to slowly wonder what the newspapers the next day would report; A 17 year old girl whose family relocated from Baltimore has this morning been found raped and stranged to death in an alley in the Streets of Moses Lake,Washington DC . Residents are advised to stay indoors at night to avoid a similar accident occuring.
Susanna silently shuddered at the thought of being used as an example and a warning to other people.
Was that my destiny? She wondered. Of course not dummy, she scolded herself. She had to think of the easiest way to get home, she had to find her way at all costs. She shuddered as a cold breeze swept past her open arms.Oh fuck me, why didn't I bring along a jacket? She thought.
The rain seemed to be reducing. Quite an advantage for her. Maybe she could just find her way home and never pull off such a stunt again.
The loud sound of something metallic falling down jolted her out of her hopeful thoughts. Her heart almost skipped a beat as she immediately turned to the direction of the sound.
From the darkness, she could make out the silhouette of three men walking menacingly towards her. With the sudden burst of adrenaline rush, Susanna did not think twice before she jumped out of the alley and back into the rainy streets.
She was sure this was the best decision she had made that day, no one could tell her otherwise.
Behind her, she could hear heavy footsteps of the men charging towards her, accompanied by successive grunts that seemed to charge them onwards.
Run, Susanna,run!
But She was getting tired quickly and her speed dangerously reducing, giving the men a critical advantage.
She began to curse herself why she always skipped PE classes at school. But then this was not the moment for what she ought to have done, it was a moment to try and rejuvenate herself and improve her speed. However, this proved impossible.
Oh God, she cried, unable to pray at the moment.
Suddenly, she felt a rough arm get hold of her left shoulder followed by a deep groan. She tried to wade it off but instead lost her balance and fell with a thud on the ground, panting hard and out of breath. Susanna felt her whole world crumble in just a second.
Crap.
This was really her destiny.
Above her, she felt the men glower like clouds. She could almost feel their sneers poke her body as she lay helpless on the wet ground. The rain had almost subsided. She sighed and shuddered in terror.She felt as though running was the poorest decision she had ever made. But what could she have done?
The thought of rape instantly made its was to her mind again. It was just about to manifest itself before her eyes. What she had always dreaded was about to happen to her.
She gasped silently, already imagining the pain she was about to go through.
Relax, she tried to console herself, you're not the first girl to go through such.
But how could she relax in such a dreadful situation?
"Such a troublesome one, huh?" One of the men said, his voice as hoarse as though his throat had been scrapped. Even as high as he was, Susanna could depict the terrible odor emanating from his mouth. It was a mixture of cheap alcohol and unbrushed teeth.
"Sure, George," Said another,his breath hardly different from the first , " But at last we got our meal."
Meal? Susanna wondered in horror. She was going to be a meal to these men? What were they? Cannibals?
Her line of thinking was dismissed when one of them began to unbuckle his belt. " I'll go first," He said as he dropped down his buggy jeans upto his knees.
It's happening, Susanna could not believe she was about to get raped by three men.THREE MEN! She closed her eyes at the scene that was about to unfold. She wanted it to be a dream, or better still, wake up from it. She whimpered.
"But George," Complained another man, "You always go first, why don't you let us go first this time? She's the first catch of the night anyway."
The guy, George grunted exasperatedly at his two friends, " You will still have her, won't you?"
The other guy didn't seem to buy this at all. It seemed he wanted to be the one to deflower her first, and not his fellow accomplice, George.
"I want to go first today,". He insisted. The first guy-George furiously lifted his pants and turned to his two allies with a harsh, angry tone," Listen, Xavier McKinney, I lead the team and since I do, I always get the first share, always! Get that into that head of yours, will you? "
The men did not have the chance to react or even answer the question when suddenly a car with bright headlights appeared in front of them.
The car halted In front of them. The men covered their eyes with their elbows. The headlights were too bright. From what Susanna could depict as she lay on the ground, the car was definitely a posh one. Certainly not one from around. Even though she'd only been around for hours, she knew that no extremely rich people lived in Moses lake.
From the car then emerged an elegantly dressed guy about Susanna's age dressed in a grey tuxedo suit. He stood a distance away near his car and focused his attention on the men.
Susanna could not make out his face clearly from where she lay but she could tell he was quite a brave guy to stand the deadly sneers he received from the men.
" Leave the girl alone, " He said aloud to the amusement of her captors.
" Really? " One of the men laughed. The others joined in. Throaty laughs. Coughy laughs.
" What's your name, kid. " Another one asked.
" It's not important, " The guy said," Just leave her alone. "
" Or what?" A knife was drawn from a small scarbbard attached to a waist bag.
Damn it, Susanna thought.
This was now getting dangerous. What if her rescuer had no damn weapon? Shit,she didn't wanna think about it.
Surprisingly,the guy was not at all threatened. From a briefcase held in his right hand which Susanna hadn't noticed before, he held out something that Susanna thought was a gun.
Her heart skipped a beat of joy this time.
" I won't tell you again," His voice was deep and cold as he said this. It was a voice that could instill fear on the devil himself. He cocked the gun and aimed it at the men. She could see the men frown in annoyance. Clearly, they didn't have the best grounds for an advantageous fight.
Susanna smiled inwardly as the men quickly cowered away , uttering curse words at her savior.
She smiled further as the thought that she hadn't been raped scratched its way to her boggled mind. A strange sense of admiration for her savior fell upon her. It was new, something that she'd never experienced before. But was it really admiration?
" Are you okay? " She heard a soft voice above her. She directed her rheumy gaze above her. She met his eyes, radiantly shining and poking on her wet flesh. She couldn't see his face clearly even at this point but she couldn't ignore his dark, curly hair that stood proudly on his head. He was anything she'd never seen in her life.
Slowly,he bent down gripped both of her arms and lifted her up from the wet ground.
She let out a small shiver as she realised she'd almost been raped on wet ground. Of course it wouldn't have been any better if it was on dry ground, or a cosy bed.
" Oh My God, you're really cold, " He said as he helped her up.
" I am? " Susanna blindly asked. What a question, Susanna Dewell. She silently scolded herself.
The guy smiled,an amused smile," Of course you are, dear.What do you expect when you lie on wet ground on a stormy night?Wait here, let me get you something. "
He then ran off to his car and quickly came back with a Gucci jacket.
He slowly wrapped it around her shoulder.
" There. Much better? "
Susanna remained standing, speechless and staring at him as if she'd seen the ghost of Genghis Khan himself.
She could not find her words anymore. Why was she suddenly dumb? Oh God, what's happening?Am I falling for this guy? No she couldn't be falling for him,she had just met him.
Yes, you're falling for him,her inner self screamed at her.
Nonsense,she screamed back,how could she be falling for a guy she'd just met?
Her green eyes remained staring at his blue eyes with mixed emotions. She found it hard to avert them, though she tried really hard. She felt as though they stuck together in a way that sent electric shock waves down her body.
What was happening? Her blood pressure was spiking up high. She had certainly never felt this way before.
She couldn't be falling for a complete stranger, could she? Someone she just met for the first time?
" I think someone is looking for you, " She heard him say softly.
" No, " She said, unaware of any other answer to give him.
" I mean behind you, " He clarified smiling.
God, that smile.
She turned and met two torches aimed at them.
She immediately recognized them;it was her father and Brother, Adrian. Did they have to come now?
She turned to him," Thanks, "She muttered.
" Welcome,dear," He said and with another flashy smile, he disappeared back into his waiting car. She remained standing, mouth wide agape. She found it hard to believe that a boy had made her nervous for the first time in her life.
As Susanna walked to the waiting father and Brother, she developed a nostalgic feeling for what had happened moments ago. She couldn't forget how warmly he had handled her,how romantically he had...wait,was romantically the best word? On a closer scrutiny, it was.
She sniffed in the scent of the jacket which was the only remaining evidence of their meeting. Her heart skipped another beat.
She badly wanted to see him again,she wanted to feel his warm touch again,she wanted to...But where could she find him?
And the most unearthly question of all times, who the hell was he?