The Alley Part I

Joe watched Henry storm out of the bar.

Ron, one of Joe's regulars got up from one of the tables and approached the bar counter as Joe cleaned off a glass with a handkerchief.

"Hey Joe, what's the ruckus?," said Ron as a tuft of red hair fell over one of his eyes.

Joe put an elbow on the table, relaxed and gazed at the door Henry had left through.

"Well, you know how Henry gets when he is worked up. I knew I'd have to put an end to it before he started to smash things like last time. He is my pal, but, I can't afford to fix the bar because of his tantrums."

"Ahhh right, but that fellow was a bit odd. What was that about? He sounded like a woman and was tellin' Henry to 'shut up' out of the blue."

"You know how people are. Some people just got a nick on their shoulder. Everything that guy did seemed awkward. He orders orange juice in a bar, when he could have gotten it for much cheaper at a gas station. Then he makes a threat? Either way, it is over now. We will probably never see that odd ball again."

Ron leaned against the bar table and turned around.

"Henry was probably worked up from his lady friend giving him a hard time again. He means well. He is just a bit hot headed," said Ron.

"Hot headed AND he tells shitty jokes," muttered Joe as he wiped off another glass.

-- Ø --

Jade walked on the street carefully making sure that no one was following her. She saw a building with it's lights on and decided it would be a good place to find a phone. Above the door to the building was a sign that read, "Joe's Pub".

Jade walked into the pub and saw that it was flourishing with life. A red headed man sat at the bar table talking to the bartender. She walked up to the counter and felt eyes on the back of her head. The bartender looked up and then quickly glared at the red head and gave him a smirk.

Jade opened her mouth to speak but was cut off.

"Hey kitten, we don't often get pretty girls like you coming in here. How about I get you a drink? My name is Ron, by the way," the red haired man said.

Jade looked at him and in her mind, she saw flashes of the thugs that had cornered her earlier. She flinched, but, forced herself to relax.

"Sure, how about a hot chocolate and a phone call?," Jade said glancing at the bartender.

"Sorry princess, we don't have any hot chocolate in stock. Is everything alright? Your hair seems to say that you've had a wild night. Partying too much?," the bartender said.

Jade looked up at the large burly man that was the bartender. She wondered if she should tell him about the guys that had come after her.

"Ahhh… you know, I …," Jade muttered.

A heavy arm swung down on Jade's shoulder startling her. She tensed up surprised.

"Johan?," said Jade hesitantly, turning her head slowly.

"I'll get you the phone, hold on a moment," the bartender said turning.

"That's alright bud, this here is my cousin. We will be leaving now."

Jade's eyes widened in fear. She knew the voice very well. It belonged to one of the men that had been chasing her.

-- Ø --

Johan walked along the alley way aimlessly.

Silence haunted the night and clouds blocked out much of the moon light making the dark even darker. For countless minutes Johan walked in complete darkness. Anxiety and uneasiness clawed away inside of him making it hard to breath.

[What am I going to do? The cops probably think I killed my parents,] thought Johan. [Even if they don't, I'll probably have to go live in an orphanage. My parents are dead ... DEAD ...]

The moon's light began to break through the clouds making it easier for Johan to see. He stopped short. His heart skipped a beat and his head went numb as the light made things more visible, and the alley fog cleared. In the center of the alley, he saw a ragged deranged man beating a bloody corpse with his fists viciously.

Again.

And again.

And again … without stopping ...

The man's eyes were wild and unfocused.

Johan stepped back surprised.

A flash of blinding light temporarily blinded Johan and when it disappeared, there stood a woman in a white gown behind the raggedly dressed man. Her long flowing blond hair settled gently on her shoulders. Her blue eyes twinkled as she looked Johan's way. Johan stared back in a daze. She smiled at Johan softly then looked at the ragged man. She put her hand gently on the man's shoulder, as he continued beating the corpse. The man turned blankly and looked at the woman with a dazed look. He then slowly smiled and broke out laughing manically.

This did not faze the woman instead she smiled back and said, "Hello handsome, are you alright?"

The man paled, stopped laughing and crumpled to the floor.

The woman stepped back abruptly. A cloud passed over the moon causing the alley to go completely dark and Johan heard a gruesome scream. The clouds cleared and moon light broke through the clouds.

The blond haired woman was now on her knees covering a gaping bloody hole in her stomach, with a pained, despairing expression on her face.

"W-hat!?," the woman gasped in pain, with a terrified and surprise expression on her face.

Behind where the woman had been standing, stood a skinny naked ten foot tall humanoid creature, with blood dripping off of its hands. It had sharp teeth and no nose. It lips were contorted into an overjoyed smile and its pale hairless white skin radiated in the night. It's eyes glowed a sharp grey and its golden hair reflected the moonlight. It looked proud and beautiful, yet its mere presence was chilling.

The creature bent down and caressed the woman's hair. She cried out in pain, collapsing on her side.

An electrified air blast emitted from the beast and hit Johan. He experienced overwhelming feelings of pain, fear and a force pushing him back. Johan gnashed his teeth and tightened the muscles all over his body.

Slowly the creature turned it's cold gaze and towards Johan. Johan felt a searing pain wrack his body and fought to stand.

[Run,] a voice whispered in the wind.

Johan ignored the voice and stood his ground. Looking at the women on the floor, he knew that if she didn't get help soon, she'd die.

"Leave!," boomed Johan, "Leave, and let me help that women. She needs help. I don't know what you are, but I will not leave you to do whatever you want!"

The beast started to cackle loudly and another wave of electrified wind blew out from it, this time it was too strong, and Johan was lifted off of his feet and thrown backwards into the alley like a rag doll. The pain throughout his body increased suddenly threatening to cripple him. Landing on his side in the alley, Johan saw Jade in a ball on the floor, she was shaking and pale. Johan's vision began to blur and he closed them trying to clear it.

Struggling, Johan forced his eyes open, and found himself staring into the warm brown eyes of the puppy who had stolen his glasses.

"It's you… bastard dog," Johan growled painfully, "You—". He felt himself getting lost in the dog's eyes, they changed from brown to liquid silver in an instant. Johan's eyes blurred and dark clouds crept into his vision, followed by complete darkness.

"I'm dying … ," thought Johan. "Is this it? Parents dead … misunderstood as a murderer ... Buchimenscka was right, I'm going to die as nothing but a loser having accomplished nothing and having lost everything …. damnit God! Why!? WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME!"