Away from others he sat. Alone...almost. It had been raining all morning. Well not quite a rain, more like a drizzle that couldn't quite build up to a rain. It gave it is best shot and hung in there for hours. Everything was wet rain or not. The dripping sounds surrounded him in a symphony of therapeutic sound. It was suiting and was not unwelcome. Knees folded to his chest, arms loosely wrapped around his legs, head lowered in the space beneath his chin, he sat on the soaked ground. He barely noticed the water clinging to his hair that had gone curly in the damp or that his cloths had gotten heavy, sticking to him the way wet clothes do. His breathing was steady and deep, expelling a vapourous cloud with every exhale. Eyes closed to the world around him he was lost in endless stream of images in his head. Images of all that had happened in the last two days. Every drop of water that fell to the earth from the branches around him echoed in his ears. With every echo, a new picture pulsed into existence behind his eyes. Somehow, he would have to find a way to make sense of it, or lose his hold on sanity all together. So he sat wrestling with his own mind, while the body of the man he took the life from, layed quietly in the grass not far from him.
One day earlier...
A prettier day there could not be. A slight breeze to cool the skin from the shining sun above, and not a cloud in sight. No better a day for a walk just for the sake of walking. And no better a person to share a walk with then this beautiful lady who, hand in hand, walked with him. This neighborhood was old and full of wonders. Trees peppered the road side that had to be a hundred years old if they were a day. Huge trunks and long branches, they gave the homes that lined the street a kind of feeling that all was well and safe in the world. Old houses built solid and sure with flower gardens and crafted wooden arches, like the ones you can rent for outdoor weddings. There was real character in the design of these old houses and It was a great pleasure just to stroll on through. It to made you feel good. He had known her for a short while but felt like he had known her his whole life. Love was a certainty, at least it was as far as he was concerned. By the look in her eyes, she felt the same. He hadn't said the words because he felt it wasn't something needed to be said. Besides, those words had the tendency to scare people off before they're ready to hear them. All in good time, he knew the score. Just about everyday they met somewhere during their lunch hour to walk some part of the city. It fast became his favorite time of day. They didn't talk much, holding hands and smiling to one another was saying all the right things. Why spoil it with talk of work or the world outside of them? That was something saved for less precious moments. At the end of the walk, he would hold both of her hands in his, kiss her softly on the lips, and thank her for the best moments of the day. She would always laugh as she kissed back telling him he was too easy to please and she would give him more to be thankful later if he thought he could handle it. "I can handle it" he would say back with a mischievous look and both would smile affectionately and kiss a final time before heading separate ways to finish their work days. It was a silly ritual but comfortable.
Work was good. It was steady and without overwhelming pressures. He always enjoyed working with his hands. He was good with them. He could build most anything, from wiring electrical panels, to framing a house, and everything between. His favorite thing was repairing engines. Small engines or large, they all made sense to him in a way few other things did. He landed a job fixing cars at a small garage a few months past and had earned the respect of the two older gentlemen who owned the business. Making good impressions wasn't a strong point for him as he had always been uncomfortable and shy when in unfamiliar settings. It was always a rocky start when new events would come along. If he was unsuccessful in dazzling people with his mechanical abilities, he was unsuccessful. The old fellows at the garage didn't care how charming a talker he was or was not, they only cared about getting the job done and getting it done right. A perfect match for all. The bonus was he could take his lunch whenever he wanted and no one said a word when gone longer then an hour. As long as he got the work done, it didn't matter. The gears of fate spun in favor for him. A good job and a promising relationship with a wonderful woman, life is good.
They had made plans for a late dinner together at a sushi place called Iron Chef. She was worked late on Tuesdays to keep up with the loose ends at the law office. Being a paralegal in a large firm was a fast paced job. She thrived on the rush when time-lines needed to be met and something important was on the line if she didn't get it done. She was good at getting it done. It didn't matter to her that she was an invisible part of the machine. There was no appeal to the glory of public recognition. She left that to the smooth talkers the negotiated the courts and other layers. She made sure she delivered the goods to arm formidable mouths and keep the firm on top. She loved her job and, until recently, she poured herself into it one hundred percent. She still maintained the same commitment to her job but found herself looking forward to her lunches away from work and her few hours of time in the evenings with him. Never being one of those flighty boy crazy women, she had little experience with men and even less with love. This fellow was different then any other man she had known. He was shy and awkward at times but sincere and real all the time. It was refreshing to know people still came that way. Dinner was at ten which gave her a little time to freshen up at home for him. The Iron Chef was special because it was where they met. Two alone people sitting in a mostly empty sushi house late at night, often three or four times a week. Same time, same place, it was only a matter of time before they talked to one another. From that point to now, they had made wonderful progress. He was easy to love and that is what she felt...love. It was a new and uncomplicated love but love all the same. She was happy they had met and excited to see him at ten, life was good.
With a few hours to kill, he hit the gym with elevated intensity. It had never been so important to him to try to look good for someone else. He liked when she touch his arms and squeeze them to feel the muscle beneath his shirt. He wanted to keep that interest up and that meant more time pushing steel at the gym. It was all good, he liked being at the gym anyway. Not a lot of talking or expectation from others. Outside of the occasional request for a spot, people minded their own business and put their noses to the grind stone. He wasn't so large as some of the guys who worked out around him, but what he had he earned honestly. No drugs or hormones helping him along, he did all right. He was strong, strong enough to take care of himself if he needed to. That was enough for him. A little more shape was what he wanted now. Something that would wow her when the time came for her to see him out of clothes. He wanted everything to be just right when that time came and he was in no hurry to make it happen before it was right for both of them. After the gym he would go home and shower. By then it would be time to hit the Iron Chef to meet his lady. Ten o'clock couldn't happen soon enough.
Ten came and went and eleven showed up on time but she still had not arrived. He sat sipping tea wondering what has happened to her. This was the first time she was late meeting him. He was more worried then upset. He decided to order to leave. No point sitting any longer. It would probably only make her feel worse knowing he sat waiting for more then an hour when she asks how long he waited. He knew she worked in a busy law firm and most likely couldn't get away. Hopefully that was what had happened and nothing bad occurred instead. He payed for his food and left. Living only a few blocks away, the heel toe express served him well. At home, he checked for any missed calls or messages but found none. telling himself for the last time that she was fine and it was only due to circumstance that she could not call him, he went to bed. It began to rain during the night and his sleep was restless with the sounds of the storm outside. Rainy days were the only days they didn't go for their afternoon walk. He didn't like rainy days for that reason alone.
Early the next moring,
He woke to a gloomy day. It had stopped raining but remained overcast and didn't look like it would clear up anytime soon. Still no word from her. It was getting harder not to be upset by that. It was better to be upset she hadn't taken the time to call him then to worry that something bad had happened to her. He dressed for work and threw a change of clothes in his duffel bag for the possibility of their afternoon walk. It was Wednesday today so they would meet along the lake in Victoria Park. That is if it isn't raining and if she shows up. He tried to keep positive. The morning went by slow and his mind kept drifting back to her. When lunch time finally arrived, it was lightly drizzling. Making the decision that he would go to the park anyway, in case she showed up despite the weather to tell him what had happened, he washed up and changed clothes and left. The park was empty of people. Sitting beneath the shelter of a gazebo, he stared off over the lake at some ducks that were flapping around in the water. Beautiful day today...if you're a duck he mused. She was a no show again. Throwing in the towel he left the shelter of the gazebo to walk a while by himself. Up until now, he had shied away from calling her. He didn't want to be one of those guys who jumped the gun and start calling as though something was wrong when it was a simple matter of life's unpredictable obstacles thrown at her feet. He would give her a call but call her home line and leave a message. She didn't need the distraction of him while she was at work. He would just call and say hi and ask if she was okay. Nothing more. Busy mulling over his phone plan, he didn't notice the man step out from behind a tree. Nor did he hear him approach from behind. It wasn't until he was grabbed from behind that he became aware he wasn’t alone in the park.
His instincts were fast and he pulled out of a lock that could have choked him unconscious if his attacker had managed to succeed in its application. He twisted as he broke the hold and, in mid spin, rammed his shoulder into the body of the assailant. Having knocked him off balance, he did he next most natural thing a man does after being surprised and attacked, he ran. It was a flat out sprint away from danger. His mind stuck in a loop screaming at him over and over to get away. Once he became aware enough to notice there was no pursuit, he collapsed to the ground panting and gasping for air. He cover quite a lot of ground in a short time and was ready to die from his exertion never mind succumbing to any attacker. Never before in his life had he ever been attacked like that. His mind couldn't get around it. He decided he would call the police and report what just happened. They may not catch him but at the very least, the would scare the creep away from attacking anyone else. First, he had to catch his breath and slow his heart down before it blew up in his chest. A few minuets went by before he had the strength to stand again. Legs still wobbly and stomach upset from the adrenaline dump in his system, he sought to find his bearings. He had ran blindly and as it turned out, he couldn't have chosen a worse place to run to. Instead of running towards houses and roads, he ran into a marshy forest that grew near the rear of the park. If the attacker would have followed him, he would of found him unable to fight and in the most secluded place in the park. Quietly he cursed himself a fool. Moving cautiously, he heading back out of the marsh and into the park where he came. No sign of anyone. Despite the brave talk he had with himself in his head, his stomach twisted with fear. A decision to skirt the perimeter of the park took him a long way out of his way but gave him the shelter to hide in if he needed it. His heart continued to race and he seriously was concerned he may have a heart attack. Then he heard a woman scream. That scream froze his heart in mid beat. He thought he knew that voice. She came to the park after all. Horrified at that thought, fear lost its hold and his legs found new strength. He bolted towards the sound of the scream.
She was late. It was sort of raining but she needed to go to the park in case he showed up. Having stood him up last night was bad enough and she felt terrible about it. She didn't want to risk standing him up two days in a row. One of the senior lawyers had stayed late last night to work on a high pressure case. There was only the two of them there when she heard a crashing sound from his office. She rushed in and found him sprawled across the floor and he wasn't breathing. It was absolutely terrifying. She called 911 and immediately stated performing CPR on him. It took fourteen minuets for help to arrive. Those fourteen minuets were hell. She was exhausted from the effort of keeping him alive. In every first aid class she had ever taken, they always say how tiring it is to do CPR. They are so right. She went with him to the hospital and stayed most of the night. She left this morning after dawn when the lawyers wife finally came to the hospital. She was in poor health as well so it was hard for her to be there. Her heart went out to both of them. She would have stayed but fatigue was getting the best of her. Insisting she would come back later in the afternoon to help where she could, she went home and fell asleep immediately. When she woke, she woke with a start. A quick glance at the clock and she knew she was pressed for time. She did call the garage to see if he was still there but was told he had gone out. That brought her to the park. They usually started at the gazebo so she went straight there. He was not anywhere to be seen. Her heart fell a little when she didn't find him there waiting. She would go to the garage. She knew where it was but hadn't been there before. She hoped he wouldn't be angry though she understood if he was. No show, no call, he probably thought she lost interest in him. She needed to fix that straight away. That decided she moved to get back to her car. That is when she was attacked by the hidden man in the park. She screamed loud and bit at the hands that grabbed hold of her face and neck. The man was strong and she felt like a child fighting and adult for all the good her struggling was doing. She bit down hard on a finger, when the hand came away from her mouth and she could her the attacker swearing in pain, she yelled out help louder then before. She actually managed to slip halfway free before he grabbed on to her again. Make noise, keep making noise was all she could think. Yelling for all she was worth hoping someone would hear she didn't see the knife that came out of his belt. In an effort to shut her up so he wouldn't get caught, the assailant stabbed her in the back one, two, three times. Shock hit her immediately. It back felt cold and burny at the same time. She felt his hands release their hold on her so she began to run. Her legs were loose feeling and she felt dizzy. Driven by fear and not fully understanding what he just did to her, she began to cry as she increased her effort to move uncooperative legs to get away. Her legs stop working all together and she fell in a heap to the wet ground. Moaning and crying, tears and snot streaming from her face. Not knowing where the attacker was, she continued to try to get away. Crawling through the grass, leaving a trail of blood she she grew weaker and weaker. Her stomach felt like a stone and she was cold. Breathing became so hard and she began to choke on her cries. Laying half curled in the grass, she fought to live and failed. Too much damage inside. She died in the drizzle on the ground in the park not thirty feet from the normally busy gazebo.
He burst out of the bush he was in towards the scream. A second scream came and it gave him wings. That son of a bitch was trying to get her. He rounded a bend with a small grouping of trees before he could see the gazebo which was about a hundred yards in front of him. He could see a man and woman struggling near the gazebo. He heard another scream and saw the man shaking his hand around wildly. The woman kept screaming and fought like hell to get away. She looked as though she almost was successful when he grabbed her close again. He was near enough to see their faces and his fears were confirmed, it was her. His heart sank deep in his body as his legs pumped faster. Only twenty feet separated him from them and he was closing in fast...but not fast enough. The knife was out and it moved in painfully slow motion again and again into her back. The attacker let go of her and she tried to run away. That is when he collided with the bastard like a train. The assailant hit the ground hard with him on top. He got his knees under him and started to pound the attackers head with his fists. His arms moved with fury and delivered a brutal beating to the neck and skull. His hands tore open at the knuckles as he continued to beat on the attacker. The attacker never stood a chance, just as she never stood a chance when he attacked her. Some might call that just rewards. It was blind hate let lose to run wild. The beating lasted for several minuets until he could no longer swing his arms. He looked over to where he last saw her running and saw her in a heap, unmoving on the ground. He saw the blood-trail that had poured from her body while she attempted her escape. He knew she was dead. A howl erupted from the deepest part of him as he arched back, chin to sky, fists so tight his blood squirted from torn knuckles. As his scream died, he collapsed into the attackers back. Life felt like it would float away from him. In an instant of rage he grabbed hold of the head of the man who killed his new-found love and wrench it sideways as hard as he could. There was a satisfying snapping sound and the bastards head moved loosely on his shoulders. The rage left an empty shell and he stood over the dead man. Aimlessly he walked a short way before falling to his backside in the grass. Knees folded to his chest, arms loosely wrapped around his legs, head
lowered in the space beneath his chin, he sat on the soaked ground. there he sat alone...well almost alone. And waited for someone to find them.