*Updated with grammar corrections – big thanks to DarkMousyRulezAll*

N.B. Before you read another word, you really need to watch the brilliant short film: Nancy, Sid & Sergio Directed by Craig Pickles (2011) on which this story is based, or it will make very little sense to you.

3 Mistakes

I don't know why I decided to take the scenic route via the small park that day, but that was my first mistake. The weather was glorious, with a beautiful blue sky up above me. The sun was warming my skin in way that makes you feel glad to be alive.

Whilst taking in the pretty scene of flowers and children laughing, my eyes caught sight of a man about 100 feet ahead. His pitch black silhouette jarred with the bright colours of the park. He was staring straight at me, shoulders square, his legs slightly apart. A quick check behind me confirmed that he could only be looking at me. I turned back around and gasped as I noticed he was closer, much closer. His posture was exactly the same as before. He was so close now that I could see more detail, he was dark haired and very, very handsome. He noticed me looking at him and began to walk slowly towards me, his face, serious at first began to break into a smile, and finishing up as a full beam by the time he stopped in front of me.

I looked up at him, he had neatly trimmed facial hear, just enough to be called a beard, his long hair was tucked behind his ears and his eyes were mesmerizing, that shade of brown that turns into molten gold when the sun hits it.

"Beautiful day isn't it?" he said and I jumped, having been lost in my thoughts when he spoke.

"Uh, yeah it's great," it was all I could muster with him so near. It was funny because he was in a black, long sleeved causal t-shirt and black baggy jeans, not really high summer attire but he looked remarkably unaffected by the heat.

The man moved closer still, to the point where I had to crane my head up to keep meeting his eyes. It was too much, it was fully apparent to me that, should this man want to hurt me, I would stand no chance of outrunning or out fighting him. I stumbled back a little. My second mistake, what I should have done, was leave the park as quickly as possible, but hindsight is a wonderfully useless thing. The man held up his hands in a sign of placation and chuckled.

"Ha, I'm…I'm really sorry, my mate is always telling me off for not respecting personal space. He tells me off about a lot of things, he's a bit high and mighty like that. He pointedly moved back keeping his arms raised. "My name is Sergio." He stretched his hand out towards me and I took it. His grip was strong but that wasn't what made suddenly freeze in fear. There was a sensation that coursed through my arm and all over my body. You could call it static electricity, but it felt like something much more powerful. I brushed it off as my body's ability to fall apart in the presence of a stunning looking man.

"I'm Grace." I replied.

"Grace." He repeated my name slowly like it was a delicious morsel he was about to devour. "Are you walking this way Grace?" He pointed in the direction of the park exit I was heading for.

"Yes." I said, then mentally kicked myself.

"May I walk with you then?" he asked, his beautiful smile shining as bright as the glaring sun.

"Ok." I said, and kicked myself once more.

We started to walk, his pace was extremely slow though, and I wondered if we would ever make it the short distance out of the park at that speed.

He asked me about work, home and everything in between, he had a way of extracting all of my woes. I told him about problems I never even knew existed until they came out of my mouth. It felt like we were talking for hours, yet we hadn't made it out of the park.

"I'm going to ask you something Grace, it may seem strange but just go with me Ok?" He said, rather cryptically. Seeing me nod he continued. "I want to make a deal with you…you just need to agree or disagree when I ask you this question." He looked at me expectantly, and on seeing my expression he chuckled again. "It's OK, no need to be alarmed", he stroked my arm gently and smiled as I relaxed into his touch. I still can't explain it, but the moment he touched me all my fear just ebbed away and I trusted this tall stranger completely. He stopped and faced me. His expression fell from carefree to deadly serious.

"I need help with… a project I am working on...my life's work actually and you would be prefect. We could help each other." He searched my eyes, earnestly, switching from left to right. "I think this project can help you…with work, with your home problems, but you have to say you agree to come with me now. We can sort out the other stuff later. Will you help me Grace?"

As stupid as it sounds it made perfect sense to me at the time. In my mind he was the answer to everything. The more he talked about his project the more it seemed to solve all of my problems, so I agreed. It was just a yes after all, and as he said, we could sort out the details later. At the very moment I said "yes" a single cloud obscured the sun. Sergio smiled a toothless grin.

"Sergio, you're early." Said a man who seemed to come from nowhere. He was slightly older than Sergio and looked annoyed.

"Grace, this is Sid, Sid, this is Grace." Sergio chimed. He inclined his head towards his friend. "Since you won last time I thought I would try harder." Sergio said, his full grin showing perfect teeth back again. "You should know by now that I don't always play by the rules though."

"It wasn't a game." Sid countered, his voiced raised.

"Oh I beg to differ, and this time, there's nothing you can do about it."

Sergio put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to him. I didn't actually want to be pulled and tried to stop the motion, but it was impossible. Sid turned on his heel and stormed away shouting over his shoulder.

"I'm not watching this Sergio, you bastard!"

The fear began to creep back into my bones. I pushed away from Sergio and he looked down at me, amused.

"Humans, you're too easy." he sneered. Quicker than my eyes could register, he grabbed my throat with his hand. I clawed at his arm, at the same time, wildly scanning the area with my eyes, looking for someone to take notice. But in the park, although full of people going about their daily lives, no one spotted the strange sight.

I couldn't speak and after a futile struggle my air was finally completely closed off, he had lifted me off the ground and only my toes skimmed the grass as I kicked and desperately fought for life. Soon, everything went black.

My third and final mistake had a fatal consequence.

Sergio smiled, he had won another soul for his army.