Category : Stories

Sub Category : YoungAdult




(Trigger warning)

It deals with a sensitive subject.




Feelings. The wild road trip of emotions welled up inside me. Standing under a single streetlight at one a.m. in tears wasn’t how I imagined my night going. I felt the cool dampness of the air weigh heavily on my skin. My hair and body was soaked from standing in the rain that stopped a few minutes before. The rain droplets on my face mixed in with the tears that were there. I sniffed at the memory.

How could he do this to me?

I lifted my hand and clasped my torn shirt at the shoulder. I could feel the bruises forming on my body from where he held me down. I felt everything and nothing at the same time. The ghost of his hands lingered on my chest.

I thought he was my friend.

My plan was to raise a taxi but I couldn’t bring myself to hail one. I was too afraid that the driver would do the same thing. I thought about walking home, but my place was several miles from there and I would run into trouble with my body partly exposed. So, I just stood there. He was back inside. Everyone was too drunk to hear my screams and really didn’t notice when I left.

I pulled out my phone. Who would I call? My mother would ask me why I wasn’t back at the dorm studying for my big exam I had later in the week. My father would just blame me. I thought about it.

I was kind of dressed slutty.

I was drinking.

I flirted with him.

Maybe I did deserve it. If I would have stayed home, this wouldn’t have happened to me. If I went to the police, they would ask me what I was doing there. After all, the man who did this belong to a long line of wealth and success. It would be his word against mine and I have seen where that goes.

“Are you okay?”

I slowly turned my head to the side. A figure in tight black jeans and a black hoodie stood right beside me. I was shocked. I didn’t even hear them walk up. Startled and full of fear, I cautiously asked, “Where did you come from? You weren’t there a second ago.”

The hooded person looked straight ahead. “Don’t worry where I came from, Chelsea. I am here. That is all that matters.”

I was stunned. They knew my name. I didn’t even know that person existed until tonight. I could feel the terror and dread filling my heart. “Do I know you?”

I looked down at their hands. They were covered with black leather gloves. The fingers seem a little longer that the average length.

“No, But I do know you.”

I swallowed the vomit that was shooting up my throat. How does he know me? Was he stalking me? Was he a friend of the asshole at the party?

“I’m not a stalker.”

I did a double take. He read my mind! How?

“I can do a lot of things you wouldn’t believe. Don’t ask me to show you. That’s not why I am here.”

Feeling a little less on edge, for some reason, I played along.

“Do you have a name?”

“Just call me Vector.” He turned his head. All I could see was shadows, except for his eyes. They were fiery red with a slight glow. Curiosity replace my fear. “What are you?”

“What’s his name?”

“Name? What name?” I was confused for a moment until I realized who Vector was talking about.

“Why do you want his name? It’s done and over with. I made a mistake.”

His eyes burned brighter. I could hear his breathing quicken. My eyes fell to his gloved hands which were then clenched into fists. Suddenly, he spoke. His voice sounding more aggressive than when he first was talking to me.

“You did nothing wrong. I’m sure this wasn’t his first time, but it will be his last.”

He put his hand on my shoulders. They were hard and strange in feeling, even through the gloves. Like almost like his skin wasn’t human. His eyes locked with mine.

“I was my fault. I wasn’t watching you. You’re hurt because of me.”

I stepped back. “What do you mean ‘watching me’? What are you? What is going on? Did he put you up to this?”

His eyes mellowed. Taking his hands off my shoulder, he slowly reached for his gloved hand and took the it off. He had brown, almost reptilian skin. On the tips of his long skinny finger were claws. He raised his hand to my face. I stiffened and closed my eyes, expecting him to attack me. Just then, I felt his fingers grazing my cheek. Wiping away my tears, his voice softened.

“I cannot tell you what I am. Just know I belong in your nightmares. If I had a soul, it would be blacker than my outfit. I have watched you grow into a beautiful human being and I will not let whoever did this destroy the goodness I see in your soul. After today, you will not see me again, unless it is another situation like this.”

I opened my eyes to see that his were no long flaming red but a warm baby blue. I lifted my hand and covered his. He cocked his head as we just stood there, still as could be, connecting.

He closed his eyes. After a few moments, he dropped his hand and put the glove back on. Taking a deep breath, he asked again.

“What is his name?”

Without hesitation, I replied, “Ferran Johnson.”

With a single nod, he began to walk from the street to the house. The party was still going. He stopped. “Take a taxi home. They will not hurt you. It is too unsafe for you out here. I promise this will never happen to you ever again.”

I nodded then called out as he resumed walking. “You do not belong in my nightmares. You’re not as evil as you think you are.”

He stopped on the porch and turned around. I could see his baby blue eyes staring back at me. “No, I’m much worse.”

He turned around again. I spoke one last time.

“Thank you.”

He inclined his head as he opened the door. In moments, I could hear blood curdling screams coming from the frat party.

Looking down the street, I raised my hand to hail a cab. That was the day I realized the monsters were protecting me. I haven’t had anything like that happen to me again, but I knew for certain, the moment it did…

He would be there.