Black moon.

We walked into our favorite bar The Black Moon, a shabby little dive bar that had s**t drinks, but good music and people from everywhere, college students looking for a break from midterms, gaggles of girls dressed in tight skirts and high heels, men looking for someone to fill the void of their most recent heart break. The walls were a navy blue so the strobe lights hitting them gave the almost eiry glow of a night with out the moon. Hence the name Alex waltzed in like returning home like everyone there was there for her and I behind her taking in the careless dance moves of 100 drunk people packed in so tight, and no one cared. Its was a beautiful thought being able to move so freely without worries nothing holding you back. Alex took one look at my face and said “Whiskey for you, maybe a couple of those and youll be dancing like them.” she nodded her head towards the three tall blondes grinding on eachother and giggleing at the men around them trying their hardest to get in on their dance. “You wish, I dont dance. I sulk and enjoy watching other people look stupid” she chuckled, tipped her glass of what I assumed was a double shot of taquila, her drink of choice, and slid mine over to me “Drink it right now or I'll have to drink it for you”. We talked and watched the others dance and laugh until we finished two more of our drinks and we were both feeling bold enough to make our way to the dance floor. Alex did a little spin her long straight hair moved in sync with her, grabbed my hand and began to dance, neither of us have any rhythm but It didn't matter. We'd have to stop every once in a while in fits of laughter because someone on the dance floor fell, or one of us did. It felt so good to be like the rest of them for a moment, I wasnt thinking about all the turmoil happening inside. I was having way too much fun, forgetting. If only for Just this small moment. “I'm going to get another shot do you want one?” she was standing right next to me and still felt the need to yell, my wonderfly drunk Italian, what else should I expect “ya get me the same as you” “Woooooh, who are you and wheres my sluky dark ivy!?” She said with a deeper curiosity in her eyes then either of us were willing to address tonight. I thought for a moment, “locked in a closet and put away for the night, I dragged you out remember” she shook her head, part confused part not wanting look a gift horse in the mouth, and went to the bar to get two shots of tequila... and the bartenders phone number. I headed for our table, and the chills hit me, at first I thought I was going to throw up and then looked up and realized that this wasn't drunken need to puke but instinct...fear. matts eyes connected with mine, as a wave of venom flowed through me, I reached into my purse and wrapped my fingers around the brass nuckles I kept there, assesed my exits and where Alex was. But didnt miss the fact that he was completley smashed, he stood, well, slumped against the bar his usual clean shaven face had grown to a splotchy shadow his Sandy blond hair unruly his clothes wrinkled. His eyes moved passed me and mine followed his. He didn't recognize me he was too drunk, he was only taking in the scene. I exhailed in releif and slid my back to him into our booth as Alex made her way back wearing a smile of triumph, I guess she got that number. “O.M.G Josh is so hot look at him....” her voice faded and my blissful buz was gone “I need some air, Ill be back, dont do anything stupid please, Josh wont be so cute when hes kicking us out of here” I hid my shaking hands behind my back and did my best fake a smile and headed for the back door. It was important that I not tell Alex, she didn't handle information well, and a scene would most definitely be made. Only making things worse then they already were. Outside I leaned against the brick wall taking deep breathes in attempt to hold in sobs, I grabbed handfuls of my unruly curls to put my hair up because even in the cool spring night, I was sweating. Whether it was the alcohol or the panic taking root rising from my stomach and weighing heavy on my chest. I dont know. I Needed to keep it together long enough to figure out how to get my very drunk best friend who loves to make a good show of leaving any place, out of this bar unnoticed by him. Across the patio which consisted of about 15 feet of heat lamps and gravel, and then a fence to some poor fool's house (who lives behind a bar?). A man came up to me holding up a pack or marlboro reds, he had a kind smile and amber eyes filled with understanding, he said no words just nodded and handed me a light after I accepted his offer. When I gave no thanks too wrapped up in the darkest places of my mind, he walked back to the group of 20 somethings he was out there with. I didnt usually smoke but I also didnt usually run off to the other side of the country just to "think" and come back to drag my best friend to a shady bar, or see my attacker/ex fiance in that shady bar. I in-hailed and coughed and rolled my eyes at myself for being such a baby. I spent the next ten minuetes choking on a cigarette and coming up with excuses to get Alex out with out telling her why. I didnt want her to make a scene, I didnt want to have to stand in a room of people with the truth sitting a bar walk away from me. We're in public, he's not going to hurt me here, he can't. I noticed how heavy I was breathing, and I'm sure I didn't look so calm, I needed to get a way from prying eyes, so I walked around the corner into the ally with graffiti on the walls and trash littering the ground. The building next door was an old textile mill, with boarded up windows out front, but the rest of it was a long brick structure, one steel door in the back. The ally was long completely dark and empty. I pulled out my phone to text alex [sorry to end our night out so soon but puking in the ally, can you come get me, and lets go home] I took a breath hoping she'd see it soon. I needed to get myself under control, I left him. He can't hurt me here, focus on something else. I began taking in the graffiti on the walls. It always baffeled me that street art was so unappritiated, not only did these artist do this in the dark, but with so much risk and so little gratification. It takes famous artists years to make lines on a canvas, I didnt believe that to be art, this is art, poetry even, granted you had to look past the profanities and gang signs painted out of sheer angst to 'break the mold' do something bad, or mark their territory, to see the polotical cartoon or mural painted there. In this ally one of my favorite murals Stood, I'd been admiring it since Alex and I started coming here 3 years ago. The black moon being our dive bar of choice. It was untouched no one had marked over it, maybe because it was so intricate and beautiful. It took up a good amount of space on the side of the old store front, the first thing you see when You look at it is dark dead trees and a river flowing through them, you could see every balde of grass every twig on the trees a dark and depressing background setting for the massive tree in the center, full of life, A white Oak with deep red leaves its roots wraped around the other trees you saw some sticking out of the river and many had grown across it making an intracate braided bridge. This tree dominated the painting, as if it has always been there took claim to the building. It was surreal and dark and everytime I saw it I wanted to step inside the painting, feel its bark and take in its powerful essence. It always felt like it was calling me. “You always did love this one” I jumped and as my body registered his voice, a chill went down my spine. I reached for my purse then cursed myself for leaving it inside. He took a step toward me and I took one back. “You b***h” he spit “I have been so good to you, and you left, not a word not a note, but here we are." His head c****d and a menacing smile spread across his face like an idea had stuck him "Maybe I'll have you again...here.” his tounge slid across his lips, like a snake. I considered my options. He was faster, he was stronger, and I was standing against a brick wall next to a bar with music playing so loud if I called for help no one was going to hear me. This wasnt going to happen again, Im not going to let it. He'll have to kill me. I'll make him have to kill me. I glanced at the exit to the alleyway, 0r at least catch me and then kill me. My face leveled with the same melevolence as his. I stood in silence defiance overtaking my fear, and he stumbled towards me still drunk no doubt. He smelt as if he hadnt showered in days. He took another step towards me and reached for my arm “Come on, b***h I'm going to have you one more time”. I swung my leg around behind his and pushed with every bit of strength I could. He fell to the ground on his ass with a solid thud and a cry of rage. Those Krav Mega classes paid off. The ally was long but I figured if I could make it to the front, under the street lights then I was safe. I took off running but not fast enough, in a matter of seconds, he was off the ground and had a handful of my hair. I didnt even have time to wonder how he did that so fast. A deep chuckle rose from his chest, “Nice try, bitch.” He used his hold on the back of my head to turn my face to him. I spit in his face and refused to cry out from the pain of his grip in my hair. He was still laughing and dragging me deeper into the shadows of the ally. This was going to happen he was going to r**e me, again. Right in the ally. All I could do was hope that I died or somone comes along. I looked into his eyes hoping to find a shred of the man I once loved and who loved me. Hoping I could find a shred of his humanity. All I was met with was pitch black eyes, strange for a man with blue eyes, maybe the reality of what is about to happen is making me black out or halucinate. He'd torn to collar of my shirt using his arm to hold my throat against the brick wall, fand was ripping down the strap of my bra, and I was still refusing to break eye contact with him. Which seemed to piss him off because he grabbed my chin and turned my head away “Don't f*****g look at me you worthless dirty b***h” he held me so hard I thought he might break bones as he began to un zip his pants, I wasnt going to cry, no way would he get that out of me. I struggled against his grip but he was too strong, a lot stronger then I remembered. Suddenly I was flying to the otherside of the allyway where my head connected with the brick wall. I let out the cry I had been refusing Matt, as I felt my skull c***k and blood trickled down my head. My vision was blurring from impact, I was stuck in a tunnel fighting consciousness. I heard matt yelling out “The f**k are you doing!” a grunt as something solid connected with him and I let out a manic laugh. Someone found me. “That b***h is mine, I'll kill you, I'll kill you both!” I heard him cough as the wind was knocked out of him. I turned my self onto my side and felt the magnatude of the damage him, and the brick wall had done. I forced my eyes open, to look at my rescuer and apperently avenger. And of all the things that had literally struck me tonight, the sight of this man hit me the hardest. If I was standing I would have been knocked on my ass. He stood a foot taller then Matt did with broad shoulders and what seemed to be arms of steal. I laughed at myself again, I'm dying and admiring a man's arms...Even in the dark his eyes were so clearly green they put emerald's to shame, The brightness of his eyes was one of a kind like it was a color made just for him. His raven black hair wavy but somehow still perfectly in place extenuating his strong jawline. He stood over me, his tanned skin complimented those eyes, perfectly. They were the last thing I saw before I blacked out. Those eyes staring down at me full of fear and worry....and love?...