Our Love Is a War

I yawned, my eyes drooping as I mindlessly watched television back in my living room. Mona just dropped me off and I got a text from Matthew saying he wanted me to go with him to pick something up. I was tired, but he wanted me to go. I heard keys jingle, then the door popped open. I turned off the television and got up and stretched.

“Let’s go.” he’s voice cracked, and then he was gone. I buttoned up the leather jacket Matthew got me back in my junior year and closed the door behind me. Matthew didn’t wait for me so I ran to catch up with him, December’s wind licking my face.

“Where are we going?” I asked. Matthew just looked forward, ignoring me as we rounded the corner taking the backstreet. I sighed. He probably got a deal somewhere; A reason why we’re taking the backstreet. I heard crickets sing and the trees whisper as wind rounded about. I shivered, reaching out to grab Matthew’s hand. Just as I was about to hold it, he shoved his hands in his pocket.

Oh. I thought sadly, tears forming at my eyes. That really hurt. I put my hands in my jacket pockets as well, looking at Matthew’s worn out converse. There was a pink star on the black material; Something I drew during the first time we ever hung out together. Back when we were happy together.

I followed Matthew into a store I’ve never seen before, but recognized at the same time. It had a big window in the front, and people were sitting down inside. Matthew pushed the glass door, warm hitting us. I shivered in response. Mathew walked up to a vacant counter, and hit the bell once, the sound ringing through the lemon colored room. A heard a few people shift in there seats as I averted my eyes to my shoes. I heard voices, then footsteps approach. I looked through my black hair and saw a man, roughly 35 who is as tall as me and muscular. He had tattoo’s running down both of his arms and a tear drop underneath one eye and a buzz cut to top it all off.

Matthew nodded at the guy, and he nodded back - disappearing into the doorway he came from. I stood beside my boyfriend uncomfortably, feeling unwanted stares.

“Can we go now?” I whispered to him. He shushed me as the guy came back with a brown paper bag and sent it on the counter. Then the guy left, saying that he’ll be right back. I looked at the paper bag, it seemed normal. Matthew grabbed it and shoved it in his jacket and took off running. I was stunned at what he just did. By the time I heard footsteps approach, he was out the door. Scared, I followed him. I ran after him, darting across the street while dodging cars and jumping over objects.

“Matthew!” I yelled franticly. I was never much of a runner and the fact that I hated cold weather made running in the cold something I really didn’t want to do.“ Matthew!” he was ahead of me now, crisscrossing around the trees of the park. Twigs and leaves crunched beneath my feet as I ran behind him. I heard angry shouts and taunts come from behind me, the voice of that guy from the building and other angry voices. Wind burned my eyes, making my vision blur for a few seconds. Huffing and puffing, I stopped and hid behind a tree, covering my mouth and sitting silently on the ground. The guys had passed, and I watched them disappear into the trees ahead. I sighed and got up, praying that Matthew will be okay. I’d give my life for his.

I walked away from the little forest in the park on to the winding path beside the concrete wall, separating the streets from the park. Pebbles shifted below me and dust blew where the wind goes and the night went on in an eerie silence. That whole time I was walking, thoughts consumed me.

Is Matthew okay?
What did he steal?
Did he make it out alive?
I hope he made it out alive.

I wisped my hair away from my eyes, looking straight ahead. The entrance of the park peeked over the horizon - I was almost home free. So I picked up my pace, walking faster. So fast, I stumbled over a branch that fell and slammed hard into the ground.

“Ow.” I muttered. Something from behind grabbed me from my collar and picked me up. Fear rushed through my as worse-case scenarios rummaged around my head. The next thing I knew, rope bounded my hands and something hard hit me from behind. I laid limp against someone muscular, vision spinning. I couldn’t make out anything as cloth covered my vision.

“We’ll teach him to steal from Ronnie.” that same voice from the building said huskily. Frankly, that’s all I got before I was punched in the gut, knocking me out.

I hoped and prayed that Matthew got away safely.