This story has been almost a decade in the making. I could give you a list of reasons why it's taken so long to get the story updated but I'm not up for making excuses. What I can promise is that this story will be finished by January 30th 2015. I have written, and re-written. Edited and re-edited, and this, I think will be the finished product. To all of those who have stayed with me and all of those who have commented I say thank you. It is because of you that this story is what it is. I did this all for you readers. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Prologue
It was over. Four years to the day that she had braved the hallowed halls of The University of Arizona. Finally, after hundreds of finely tuned analytical research papers and essays, countless hours on clinical evaluations, and many sleepless nights slaving away over medical textbooks Arianna Elder could now officially count herself a certified LPN. She glanced at the clock as she got up from her desk. It was 5:27 pm. Charlotte and Andy would be swinging by her house at 8 to pick her up for their celebratory bar hop night. Her entire body radiated excitement and anticipation as, with one final scan of her exam, she packed her backpack and maneuvered up the isle of desks to the front of the room, where a beaming Mrs. Gleeson held out her hand expectantly for Ari's finished work.
"It has been a pleasure teaching you Miss Elder. I wish you all the best for the future," the kindly professor said, taking the exam and placing it atop the pile of completed tests. Arianna loved Professor Gleeson. The 60-something woman with greying hair and kind eyes had always been fair and helpful in the upper level courses Ari had taken with her. It was rare nowadays to find a teacher who cared so much for her students' success. She would truly be missed, though the endless on slot of homework and projects would not be. Ari walked around the desk, leaning in to hug her mentor one last time, using every ounce of her will to hold back the tears that threatened. After a moment she pulled away and smiled.
"Thank you for everything Professor Gleeson". With that she shouldered her bag and left the classroom. Most people her age would be thrilled to be done with school, but then again, she wasn't most people. Her years at UA were tough, but totally worth it. She had grown a lot in the last four years. She had made lifelong friends. Charlotte, a Psych major, and Andy, a Computer Science major, had stumbled into a conversation she had been having with a few others during an environmental club meeting. Charlottes sarcasm laced opinion on the tar sands' lasting effects on the local inhabitance of the Canadian marsh lands had almost forced Coke Zero out of Ari's nose, and Andy's assertion that the US government could shove their oil pipeline somewhere the air quality was questionable had endeared him to her almost instantly. They had become really close in the following years, and it killed Ari to know that soon Charlotte would be transferring to The University of Washington for their Master's program in Psychiatry, while Andy moved back to New Mexico with his parents to start up his computer repair business. Everything was changing so quickly, and it was all Ari could do just to hold on.
She crossed the quad and trekked to the parking lot, where she climbed into her beat up old Dodge Neon. She fiddled with the radio for a moment after starting up the car, pausing when she heard the end theme to The Breakfast Club on the station broadcasting the 80's, 90's and today's greatest hits. How utterly cliché, she thought to herself, but she let it ride. 35 minutes later she pulled up into the driveway of her parents' home. The front door was thrown wide open as she turned off the car, and she glanced over to see her 18 year old sister Mia hauling ass across the lawn towards her. She met Mia half way and embraced her, jumping up and down and yelling like a preteen at Justin Bieber concert. "How does it feel being all educated and crap?" her sister asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. Arianna smiled down at her.
"I have no idea what you are referring to dear sister. I have always been the brain in the family".
"Then I guess that makes me the beauty. Sorry sis. You can't have it all," her sister retorted, a silly grin plastered on her face.
"Yeah, yeah, keep dreaming Mimi". Ari draped her arm over her sisters' shoulders and steered her back into the house. "So where are the parental units"? Mia made a face.
"The old man is working late and mom when to the store to pick up groceries. She said something about how her fabulous daughter deserved a celebration dinner fit for a graduate". Mia rolled her eyes. "I swear. Sometimes I think I'm invisible. They might as well put me in the utility closet!" she whined, feigning jealousy. Ari snorted, mussing up her sisters' dark brown pixie cut. She and her sister shared many of the same features. Same dark hair, same celadon green eyes, but Arianna had a slightly curvier build, whereas Mia retained the toned build of an athlete. Still, she wasn't joking that she had gotten the looks. Arianna was beautiful in her own right, but Mia's freckled, heart shaped face and full pouty lips gave her an exotic kind of beauty that Ari had always envied. Their mother was of Irish Heritage, but their father, born in Ghana, had immigrated to America with his mother and brother when he was 5. The end result was an olive toned, freckle-faced Mia, and a cappuccino skinned Arianna, whose waist length hair cascaded down her back in soft, lose ringlets.
"Shush it Harry Potter. If mom wanted to give me a dinner fit for a college grad, ramen noodles and a beer would have done just fine, and anyway I can't stay long. I'm going out". The look on Mia's face turned from one of mock jealously to that of mock trepidation.
"You mean you are giving up dinner in this five star establishment...," she gestured around at the house as they came through the door. "…to go boozing around town with thing one and thing two"? Ari gave an amused sidelong look at her sister.
"Just tell mom to save it for graduation. God knows I don't need her whipping herself up into frenzy just because I'm done with finals. It's not over until the diploma is in my hand". Arianna strode into the kitchen, grabbing a Mountain Dew from the fridge.
"That stuff will make you sterile you know," said Mia, leaning against the counter.
"Good. The last thing we need is more Elders running around,"
"Speaking of baby making, your future husband called," said Mia, a thin, mischievous smile on her lips. Ari's face fell.
"Not again! I told him to quit calling here!"
"Yeah, that's what I told him, but he said you weren't answering your cell phone". Ari grimaced, pulling her phone from her back pocket. She had turned it off for her finals. Turning it back on, she was bombarded with the text and message bomb from hell. "You know, they do have such a thing as restraining orders in the state of Arizona," Mia said. Reluctantly, Aria read the text messages:
11:47am: "Hey"
11: 52am: "U there?"
12: 24pm: "We really need to talk"
12: 29pm: "I love you. Call me"
12:45pm: "Talk to me damn it!"
12: 58pm: "Quit being a bitch! Just give me 5 minutes!"
1:14pm: "It's obvious that you don't care about me anymore, so I might as well just kill myself"
1:23pm: "Are you that much of a fucking bitch that you don't even care if I die?!"
On and on it went, each text more belligerent than the previous one. Ari pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Aiden, Ari's ex-boyfriend, had been texting and calling her like this for two weeks now. Arianna was a very kind and accepting person, which is probably what drew him to her in the first place, but there relationship had been rocky, and he had proved far to possessive and unstable for her liking. A couple of weeks ago things had come to a head when Aiden had gone ballistic on her in public when he had found her having lunch with Andy. She had accompanied her fashion challenged friend shopping for commencement appropriate clothing, and they had stopped off at a Chinese restaurant afterwards to grab a bite to eat. Aiden had apparently spotted her car in the parking lot and had come to investigate. He had barged into the restaurant ranting like a psychopath, drawing looks of consternation from the patrons and staff. She had dragged him outside and broken up with him right then. He had taken it badly, but two days after the incident she hadn't heard from him and assumed he was over the whole thing, but that night the texts began—and they hadn't stopped. Ari leaned back against the refrigerator, staring up at the popcorn stucco design on the kitchen ceiling. "I guess I'm going to have to do something about this. I can't have him calling here upsetting mom and dad," she sighed, meeting Mia's gaze. "Wanna come with me to the police station tomorrow"? Mia gave a nod and moved around the kitchen counter to embrace her sister. "I love you, you know".
"I know. It's really the only reason I put up with you," said Mia sardonically.
"Put up with who—and how many times have I told you not to leave the front door open Mia? You'll let the bugs in"! Ari and Mia turned to see the grocery bag obscured figure in a blue peasant skirt that was their mother maneuvering her way through the doorway into the kitchen. Ari and Mia rushed over to help with the groceries, each sister taking two bags. Amidst the protests from their mother that she was perfectly capable of carrying in groceries on her own, Ari and Mia took the bags over to the kitchen counter and set them down. No sooner had Ari set down her bags before she was being pulled into her mothers' loving embrace. "My baby!" she exclaimed, tears threatening at the corners of her eyes.
"Mom, come on. It was just nursing school. Calm down," Ari protested.
"Just nursing school? You say that like any and everyone becomes a nurse!"
"Well, technically—," Her mother put a hand up to silence her.
"Stop underrating your achievements Arianna. You put in a lot of hard work to get where you are now, which is why I am making you all of your favorites tonight for dinner," her mother beamed, positively radiant with pride.
"About that—can it wait until graduation? I kind of have plans tonight". Her mother's face fell slightly.
"But—,"
"Mom, Charlotte and Andy are leaving next week. I want to spend one more night out with them before they have to start packing. I may not see them for a long time, and anyway I haven't technically graduated yet," she reasoned. Her mother looked thoughtful for a moment, then with a small sigh of resignation she nodded.
"I suppose we can postpone your dinner a few more days. What time are they coming around"? Ari grinned, bringing her mother into another hug.
"They are supposed to pick me up at my place around 8". Mrs. Elder looked over at the clock that hung above the kitchen doorway. It was 6:43pm.
"Then you had better get going," she said, patting Ari on the back. Ari gave her mom a quick peck on the cheek before pulling Mia into a head lock, mussing her hair again.
"Mom!" Mia whined.
"Arianna, don't manhandle your sister like that. It's not very nice" Ari released Mia, who stuck her tongue out like a child.
"Get out of here already!" Mia cried, pushing at Ari's back.
"Ok! Ok!" She walked out of the kitchen, Mia and her mother in toe.
"Be safe!" her mother called as Ari opened the front door.
"Always mom. Love you," Arianna replied. She shut the front door and headed back out into the evening.
Arianna looked at the clock as she grabbed up her keys and wallet. 8:12pm. Outside Charlotte was pounding out Morse code on her car horn. Ari took one last look in the hall mirror. She hadn't had enough time to do anything with her hair, so she had brushed it up into a high ponytail, letting one or two strands fall loosely, framing her face. She had donned her favorite pair of acid wash jeans and a low cut tunic blouse that showed just enough cleavage to be tasteful. She locked up her apartment and bolted down the stairs. Andy leaned against the front passenger side door, arms crossed casually. His face broke into a radiant grin as he spotted her and opened up the back passenger door of Charlottes 2009 Chevy Cobalt. "Your chariot awaits Milady," he said with a flourish and a bow, fostering a false and frankly overdone, posh British accent.
"Going a little overboard, aren't we?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Oh, nothing but the best for our princess,"
"Can it Andy," came Charlotte's voice from the driver's seat. Andy shrugged, opened his door, and got in, Ari close behind, taking the back seat.
"Hey Charlotte, any news from Washington"? Charlotte gave an exasperated sigh.
"I've narrowed it down to two apartments. One is about $100 above my budget, but it's like five blocks from campus. The other one is below my budget but it's out in the suburbs. I'd have to get up an extra hour and a half just to get to class on time!"
"…and we all know how much you need your beauty rest," joked Arianna. In the rear view mirror Arianna saw a wry smile form on Charlottes' face.
"Enough about serious crap, onward!," cried Andy imperiously. "For Lord and land!"
"You can be so epic sometimes Andy". Andy beamed back at her as the car began to move forward. Charlotte plugged her iPod into the console and seconds later they were racing across town, Imagine Dragons blaring as they rolled the windows down, reveling in the cool night air and their freedom from courses and classes. They hit up The Surly Wench Tavern first. The place was already crowded with patrons, many of whom were UA students celebrating the semesters close. They found an empty table near the back of the bar and Andy ordered a round of beers for the three of them. They drank and reminisced for some time, joking openly with one another and making plans for the future. Arianna sighed in contentment as she gazed around at the dimly lit tavern and its inhabitance, her fears and worries melting away in a haze of post-grad bliss. Around 10 they left The Surly Wench, opting to drive the half block to the Sky Bar. By the grace of God one parking spot remained open and they rushed into it, giggling like kids as they piled back out of the car. They entered the closely packed bar, taking a seat at the counter. Ari got the bartenders attention and when he strode over she leaned in close, having to practically yell to be heard over the music and chatter.
"I'll have a Long Island Iced Tea please!"
"I need to see some ID beautiful!" the bartender called back over the din. Ari blushed, and then smiled wanly as she reached for her back pocket. Why was she the only one who ever got carded for anything? Her smile faltered as her hand failed to find the telltale budge of her wallet.
"Hold on a sec!" she said, motioning for him to help his other customers, he nodded, and moved on with a small wink in her direction. Her eyes widened momentarily at the man's gesture. Was he flirting with her? She didn't know how to react. She eyed the guy for a moment as he popped open a Dos equis bottle for a male patron. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties. His dark hair contrasted well with the tanned skin of his arms. He wasn't exactly ripped, but the tone and definition of his biceps told her that he took very good care of himself. In comparison, her 173 lbs. and utter lack of definition made her feel self-conscious. She was soft all over. Her generous 5'8 stature evened out the edges and made for a nice overall ratio, but her lack of self-confidence put every glance she got from men under suspicion. She pulled her eyes away from the bartender and checked the rest of her pants pockets and, in typical female fashion, her bra. Nothing. With a sigh she turned to Charlotte. "Can I borrow your car keys? I think I left my wallet in the car". Charlotte looked at Ari with her 'seriously?' expression for a moment before digging in her pocket for her keys. She tossed them at Ari, who caught them before she slid off of her bar stool and strode towards the door.
On the street restaurants and clubs were humming with activity. Lights blaze on and inside buildings, and the Arizona night was buzzing with car horns, laughter, and music pouring from every open door. It made Ari's head swim. She walked around the side of the building and breathed a sigh of relief. The parking lot was poorly lit and the building seemed to mute the cacophony of sound coming from the street. A group of patrons stood around near the side of the building, the glowing cherries of cigarettes like fireflies in the parking lots dim light. Wordlessly she made her way through the rows of cars until she came to Charlottes Chevy. She thought she could just see the outline of her wallet in the back seat. She unlocked the car and leaned over the seat, reaching for the troublesome cardholder.
"You didn't answer my texts" a low, familiar voice said behind her. Arianna's blood turned to ice as fear raced up her spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She had barely begun to twist her head in the direction of his voice when pain exploded into the back of her head, stunning the scream from her throat. Her knees buckled and she hit the ground hard, dazed, but not out. Not yet. Black spots danced in her vision, but that didn't stop her from crying out as Aiden climbed atop her. From the corner of her eye she caught a metallic gleam. A knife—he had a knife. Her fight or flight instincts kicked into high gear and it took him a minute and a good punch or two to subdue her. She went limp, present but in complete and utter shock, as he held the knife to her throat, his free hand unbuttoning her jeans. He struggled to get them and her panties to her knees, grunting with the effort, but he managed the feat, moving then to the clasp of his own jeans. Her vision clouded with tears as Ari realized what he planned to do and she turned her head. Concentrating on the pebbled asphalt. She couldn't hold back a pained shriek as he forced himself into her, shattering her innocence in one swift, violent motion. It ended quickly. He gave a strained cry as he found release, the knife biting deeper into her throat. She felt a warm trickle of liquid crawl down the side of her neck. "Why did you have to be a bitch! You should have just talked to me! You made me do this!" he breathed harshly as he pulled the knife away. Her lips quivered with the effort of speaking as she responded.
"…go to hell…," she spat weakly, her gaze turning to meet his. His anger faltered then, replaced by fear. She could see him weighing his options. He knew she wasn't a victim— that if she lived he would spend the rest of his days behind bars. She watched as he dropped the knife. Hope fluttered within her for a fleeting moment—and then she felt the barrel of a gun as it pressed itself to her temple. All was silence—then darkness.