His Perfect Destruction

Everly

    Just open your eyes and see that life is beautiful. What happens when the beauty is hard to find? The world can be ugly, dirty, scary. The people can be even worse, I should know. One night about five years ago, my parents and I were living in a big city. My father had moved us there for his new job, and to get my mom away from the rumors in the last town. We lived in a loft downtown. We were never much of a family, nothing like the perfect families on tv.

    Dad got home late and mom was mad, as she usually was. She started yelling, he argued back at her, so I left. It was still early so some of the shops were still open. I stopped in a bookstore a block away from home and wandered the aisles. I love books, reading, escaping. They are my only refuge from the constant screaming and fighting. I will read anything that captivates me, anything that makes my world fall away.

    When I left the bookstore I headed for home, dragging my feet. I didn't want to go back. I didn't get far before I found some trouble. Three troubles. Each one drunker than the next. I hadn't been paying attention to where I was going, someone grabbed me around the waist from behind, hard. His arm like a vise around me, making my breath catch in my throat.

    “Hey there, girly, come party with us.” He covered my mouth with his dirty hand before I could scream and licked the side of my face. He dragged me backwards into the alley, I remember he smelled like alcohol, stale smoke and sweat. My stomach still turns when I think about it. The only thing scarier than being grabbed by a stranger is not being able to call for help. My heart raced as my scream died in my throat. Two more men stumbled out of the shadows. I started kicking and thrashing trying to break his hold. He took his hand from my mouth to get a better hold on me, a scream escaped my throat. My effort was met with a punch to my stomach and another to my face. Everything went black, I couldn't breathe. When I woke up they were all laughing.

    “Please. Don't do this.” They hit me, over and over. I cried, lying beaten and bloody on the ground at their feet. Was this it? Would this really be my last night on earth?

    I wonder if they are still fighting.

    “Please stop.” I sobbed, tasting blood in my mouth. “Please….stop.” I begged, and all I got was more of a beating. My innocence died that night. Everything came in flashes after that. The things I do remember will forever be burned in my memory, their faces, the smell.

    His eyes.

    He saved me. The man with the blue-gray eyes. I heard his voice in the dark, a knife at my throat. This was the end. How would I be remembered? Would I be remembered? And then I was warm and clean in my room. He was there next to my bed, watching me. I felt safe with him.

    “You saved me.” I said. His face was in shadow, all except his eyes. They were beautiful, perfect.

    “I couldn't let you die, could I? Here drink this, I can't make you forget what happened but I can make it look like nothing did.” He said. He handed me a glass of something that smelled horrible, metallic, like pennies. I drank it without question.

    “That's my girl. What is your name?”

    “Everly Rowe.” I answered. And then he said the weirdest thing in the world.

    “Sleep, my angel, and I shall avenge thee.” He kissed my forehead and then he was gone. I never saw him again. When I woke the next morning there wasn't a trace of the beating I got the night before. I thought maybe I had dreamt the whole thing. My parents never said anything, they didn't even know I was gone.

    A few days later my father turned on the news and I knew. It was real, everything.

    Three days ago a man was found dead in an alley, his neck broken. The next day another man was found dead, his throat cut by a knife.

    Just last night a third man was found. Police think this is the work of a vigilante killer, tied together by a message left on each body.

    “I have avenged thee, my angel. I will be close and I will protect thee.”

    The police have no leads right now as to who this Vigilante might be, or who the “angel” is that he has supposedly avenged. Any information you might have, please call….

    The pretty blonde news anchor kept talking but I didn't hear a word she said. All I could think about were his eyes and the sound of his voice in the dark. I didn't dream it. Everything happened and there was nobody I could tell, not a single person. Who would believe me anyway? I didn't even believe me. He is watching, maybe he will come back for me. Take me away from all of this. And maybe, just maybe, I am a talking duck.

    “Its her birthday next week, Charles, you need to be here.”

    “It's just a business trip, Ann, I will be back.” My father said. It wasn't a business trip, we all knew that.

    “It's fine Dad, I don't want to do anything anyway.” I said from the kitchen table, where they thought I couldn't hear them.

    “No, we are having dinner. Your favorite. Not negotiable.” My mother said back. She turned to my father and whispered, “Your ass better be back here in your seat at the table or I will divorce you.”

    She wouldn't actually leave him. She always threatens to but never does. Way to follow through, mom. My phone rang, saved by the bell.

    “Everly Jamison Rowe, no phones at the table!” Mom said.

    “Its Marilyn, Mom, she is outside. I gotta go!” I said standing up. I grabbed my bag and jacket from the floor and took off down the hall before she could say anything else.

    “Stop fighting!” I yelled as I slammed the door behind me.

I don't think that I am beautiful, I'm too thin with long dark hair and green eyes. I have a round face with high cheekbones and dimples when I smile, I don't smile much though. I'm short, too, only five feet three inches tall. Sometimes I wish she really would leave him. Just to get it over with, the horse is dead. Walk away. September here in the small town of Ashford is chilly with a side of sunny. I put my jacket on and started walking up the block towards Mare’s car. Marilyn is tall, blonde and beautiful. Her hair is always perfect as is her make-up. I can't compete with her when it comes to guys but that's ok because I don't really want to. I'm not into any of the guys in town anyway.

    “Hello, Gorgeous!” Marilyn said, handing me coffee. I gave her a small smile.

    “Thanks, Mare.”

    “Come on, give me a real smile!” Mare said wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I bared my teeth at her.

    “Ha ha.” She said. I love Marilyn. She keeps me grounded.

    “So….Don't kill me.” And then she says something like that.

    “What did you do?” I asked, getting in the front seat.

    “We are going to the bookstore because I have a surprise for you.” The bookstore. I used to love bookstores. She pulled out onto the street heading towards downtown.

    “Mare, You know how I feel about bookstores.” I said.

    “Yes, but this one has a hot new guy in it!” She squealed, I groaned.

    “Mare, come on! Why? I am fine!” Of course I am.

    “Yes because the definition of fine is, silent and sad.” She said.

    “Ouch.” That stung. More so because she was right.

    “I'm sorry, its just that I am worried about you. You need to be happy and you aren't.” She glanced at me then watched the road. Parking downtown sucks, it's all parallel parking. Marilyn pulled into the public parking garage, we would walk the last block to the store. As soon as she put the car in park I got out.

    “I am fine. You may not think so, but I am surviving this world just fine.” I said. I took a long drink of coffee and kept my eyes down.

    “Yeah? Then why aren't you eating?” Mare said quietly. I walked away, towards the bookstore. We walked in silence all the way to the door. Mare knows when to stop, when to let it go till another day. I love her for that too.

    Determined to make myself as small as possible in this place, I walked to the back of the store and sat in one of the massive armchairs. I curled my feet up under my butt and pulled my book from my bag. The book fell open to the last page I had read when I put it on my lap. I don't know how or why, but my books always did that. Even brand new ones. Just like any avid reader I lose myself in the words, the pictures painted in my mind by a perfect stranger.

    “Never thought I would see a pretty girl reading The Art of War in a town this small.” I jumped as a deep voice came around the back of my chair.

    “It is my second time going through it.” I said turning to see who had scared me. Holy Hannah if he wasn't gorgeous. Chocolatey brown hair that just brushed his shoulders, a strong chin, brilliant smile. His eyes...Blue-gray. Just like his.

    “I am impressed. Beauty and brains.” He said. It isn't Him. No way.

    “And I believe that you need to have your eyes checked.” I said with a smile. Smile?

    “Why do you say that?” He sat down in the next chair. He had tattoos all over his arms, maybe everywhere, I could see some ink peeking out of his collar.

    “Cause I am not beautiful, so either you are blind or you are a liar.” I went back to my book with a smirk. He reached over my shoulder and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. I flinched away and raised my shoulder.

    “Sorry.” He pulled his hand back. “My name is Murphy, and I am not blind.” He said getting to his feet.

    “Or a liar.” He said over his shoulder as he walked away. He turned and gave me the most amazing smile I had ever seen. My heart raced and I thought it would beat right out of my chest.

    “So?” Marilyn said as she flopped down on the back of my chair making me jump. Again. What the hell is wrong with me? She had been lurking behind the bookcase full of paranormal romance. None too well if I do say so myself.

    “So what?” I asked absentmindedly. She rolled her eyes and let out a groan.

    “Hot guy. Talking to you. Flirting. So, what do you think?” She said with exasperation. She was pushy and I loved her, but she isn't subtle. He was hot, and those eyes.

    “You’re right.” I said and her face lit up. “He was a guy, and he was talking. Can we go now?”

    “Smart ass. Yeah we can go.”She said with a smile. “He has been asking about you, ya know.”

    She started walking away. Wait, what? I hastily shoved my book in my bag and took off after her. Why on earth would a guy ask about me? Much less a guy that looked like he ate nails for breakfast?

    “Mare! What do you mean?” She just smiled as she walked out of the door, with me on her heels.