Hi. So this is my new story. I'm trying a first-person view of the plot, from different people's views in each chapter. All the characters which I did not create are owned by their rightful owners. Please rate and review; it really gives me the will to carry on writing these.
Benjamin
They were walking together. So sophisticated. They looked the perfect couple. She had bright auburn hair cropped down to her neck. Her blue dress down to her ankles. Her eyes an emerald green, shimmering in the starlight. He had short brown hair. His tuxedo so smart and clean. His blue eyes, dazzling.
Together, they looked perfect. Two human beings made in a factory to the best of the workers abilities. They walked steadily, arm in arm. They were smiling and talking which seemed an unusual sight. At a glance, they seemed the couple that would forget each other at parties, talk to others but not themselves, but they were completely different. Why? They were in love, that's the shortened answer.
And everybody knew it. Everybody aspired to them. Everybody wanted to be in love like them, find someone perfect for them. They all knew how they'd met. What they did. They were an item, in short. People didn't follow them around or attend parties just because they were, you were just honoured if you could see them, converse with them.
They weren't even celebrities. But they had done a lot for the world. Saved it quite a few times and everybody was thankful for it. The couple knew this. They knew people loved them, idolised them, admired them. Every party they attended, people would smile. She was normally given flowers, a rose or tulip. Her favourites. And another great thing was how he didn't get jealous, he didn't ask people to stop giving her things, being over polite with her. He just smiled on, almost proud of his girl and the attention she received.
The couple were James and Natalya. James Bond and Natalya Simonova to be exact. If you were 'in the know' as some people put it, you'd recognise it was them from the very first paragraph. Ordinary folk had no idea who they were. But we were not ordinary folk. We were people of a higher archy. We were richer than most and had more extravagant jobs that we liked to wave around in public. Most of us had titles. Some of us even blessed by the queen.
But that party was the first time I met the couple. I wasn't alone, many of us were eager to see them. Shake their hand, kiss their cheek. That party certainly changed my life. For better or for worse I do not know. But it changed. I can tell you that much.
The night had a gentle breeze. The moon and stars were out, it was overall a beautiful night. I was standing over by the ledge, outside the French windows opening into the dining room. I saw deep into the house. You couldn't really call it a house; it was too big. More like a mansion. The windows were carved ornately out of stone and wood. The garden was magnificent, spreading for acres. It was a perfect location for a business party, although most of the night would be spent gossiping instead of discussing costs and numbers. I was waiting with Jimmy. I didn't know him that well, and deep down we probably despised each other, but he was company and I appreciated it. I breathed heavily as I hoped for the awkward silence to end but Jimmy's words slipped into the air around me.
"Do you think he'll turn up?" I turned to look at him directly, completely dumb struck to who he was referring to.
"Who?" I felt like an ass, I could never get anything right; I was slow and found it hard to catch up.
"Bession of course. I mean, it'd be the perfect place for him to kill of all his enemies. I'm surprised the poor old chap hosting this thing didn't call it off, or at least bring some more reliable security." He nodded over to a man who looked like a bouncer, secretly slipping away into a dream.
"You'd expect so, I mean, he'd be an idiot not to rise to the occasion, let's say." I looked around me, searching for anyone of a suspicious nature. I was scared, truth be told. Jimmy was right, Bession could come any second.
"He could all just shoot us through the brains, it'd be that ea-" Jimmy stopped mid-sentence as he straightened his posture and smiled at someone behind me. I turned on my heel to see James and Natalya, beaming at me. We would have carried on the conversation if it were just James, but Natalya was present and a gentleman does not speak of such vulgar predictions in front of a lady. I reached out to shake James's hand and gently kissed Natalya's palm.
"Mr Bond, Miss Simonova, what a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance." I smiled back, even though I knew it was these two who would most likely put my life in danger tonight. They were important. And Bession would want them out the way. Especially Natalya. If she wasn't here, it'd break James. They knew this of course. Even stepping outside their apartment was a risk for them. But then again, so was staying inside of it. There had been plenty of rumours of how their rooms had been broken into. Bombs planted, gas pipes purposely burst, cookers left on, even automatic machine guns that would fire if it noticed a thermal radiation. Of course it was all talk, but one would never know until one asked.
"Benjamin Crawly I presume?" James's voice was throaty and deep. Almost like velvet. I nodded in reply. "It's a wonderful night tonight." James tilted his head towards the gardens and followed a night fly with his eyes.
"Isn't it just, they were saying that there was going to be a meteor shower tonight. Clear as a sheet of glass they said. Probably get a good view from here." I drew my attention back to the couple. Natalya to be perfectly honest. She was Russian. She worked for the government creating an E.M.P. weapons device called GoldenEye. That was until the government betrayed her and she was nearly murdered. People say that's where her and James met, on the mission. She was a lone survivor and James just couldn't help but 'interrogate' her, as some people put it. She truly was a marvel though. Wouldn't take mess from anyone. She was smart too. Smart, beautiful and independent, truly a deadly trio of characteristics. Her blue dress fitted her well, showing off her assets in a way she would enjoy. Her earrings were little doves, hanging from a thin silver chain.
"May I say, Miss Simonova, that you look exquisite tonight." I noticed her blush as her hands raised to her cheeks.
"Thank you." She mumbled, obviously pleased with the praising attention she was receiving. James sneaked an arm around her waist as he gave her a reassuring cuddle. You couldn't help but smile at the couple's admiration for each other. A match made in heaven.
Jimmy's voice was the one I heard next. I craned my neck to see his face implanted with a cheeky grin. "I second that opinion." He agreed, whilst kissing Natalya's hand and then continuing to shake James's.
Natalya said thank you, as she had done for me and smiled a delightful smile. James was a lucky man, and I knew both me and Jimmy and probably every other man present would love to be him. Just fantasising about holding her slender body in my arms gave me shivers.
My dreams were interrupted when she started to make conversation with us. I was quite surprised. Judging from her reactions to our compliments, I wondered if ultimately, she was shy, although the thought had shocked me.
"So, you work for Mr Douglas?" She had asked it so innocently, trying to fit in with us men, but we laughed as a reply. We all did, James included. She looked startled and worried. Worried that she'd brought up something difficult or got her facts completely wrong. She looked up at James for help and he wiped his eyes ready to reply.
"No honey, Benjamin and Jimmy are just good friends of him."
"But boy as hell would we hate to work for him!" Jimmy exclaimed as he burst into another fit of laughter. Natalya joined in too, but her laugh was strained and fake. She smiled gratefully towards me and turned towards James.
"I think I'm going to find Penny and Michael. You should come too and introduce yourself." She started to walk past us and quickly turned on her heel. "It was nice speaking with you both." She gave another smile and walked off, hoping James would follow. He looked at us, clueless, and sighed as he started to sidle away through the crowd.
"Please excuse me gentlemen." We saw him reach Natalya and give her a quick kiss on the lips. Jimmy and I waited until they were completely out of range before starting our conversation again.
"You know what I want to do?" I questioned. "I want to be the one kissing her." I sighed as the thought occurred to me as impossible. I turned to Jimmy for him to share his thoughts.
"You know what I want to do? Screw her. Right here. I'd just throw her on this ledge, pull down her knickers, push up her dress and screw her. Not to seem rude but I'd give her a right pounding too. I wouldn't care who was watching." I gave him a wide eyed glare. Even though I probably wanted to do the same, I would never say it in public. "It'd be like heaven, that's my guess. And I don't care where I have my share of heaven, just as long as I have it."
I was speechless for the next few minutes. I opened my mouth to speak. How dare he talk about a woman that way in such an open place? "I would have thought you'd treated Miss Simonova with respect. Now you're just fantasising about sex with her. It's gross and immature. You're so glad James didn't hear it."
"Hear what?" It was James, making his way back over to us, a smile implanted on his face. Obviously oblivious to our conversation. We stared at him with wide eyes, dumb struck.
"Er. Erm. Er." We both gasped for an excuse. James glared at us confused, starting to come to a realisation. I opened my mouth to give up, he'd find us out for sure if we lied, but Jimmy's voice rang out.
"That I'm bisexually curious. I was scared that because you were so attractive that you'd thing I was attracted to you. Which isn't true. I'm not." I turned to him and raised my eyebrow. I turned back to James.
"Yes. That was our exact conversation." I was crossing my fingers, hoping James would believe us.
All James did was sigh and laugh. He turned to Jimmy and laughed some more, we tried to join in but we couldn't. It was all too awkward.
"Men, I heard the whole conversation. It's okay if you are attracted to Natalya, I don't blame you, but please try and abstain from 'screwing her on this ledge and give her a right pounding'. But good try at lying. I'm a spy, I'll catch you out."
We spiralled to face each other. Busted, but let off. James was certainly an imitating character.
"Awfully sorry James. Just, couldn't help it." Jimmy for once actually apologised, and looked like he meant it too. I for one was shocked. James smiled in return but his face turned serious. He reached from his belt a silver pistol - Walter PPK if I knew James.
"But if I catch you talking about my Natalya in that way again, I'll use this." He waved the gun discretely.
We were shocked, and thought he was serious. I froze and stared at the gun, waiting for it to explode in my face but James started laughing and I looked up to stare.
"I was kidding. I wouldn't shoot you." I looked at Jimmy who has turned to face me and burst out laughing. God, how does Natalya put up with him?
Our laughter was interrupted by the sound of a gun shot and screams. I glanced at James's gun. It hadn't been fired. Someone else had fired theirs.
More screams filled the air coming from the back of the house. A surge of people ran past us, bellowing and shouting. They all clambered into their high-priced cars and drove off to safety.
James armed his gun swiftly and started to walk off towards the trouble. There was hardly anyone left, they'd all spread out to the drive or to the gardens. Should I run? I was torn. Jimmy had parted us, beckoning me. I began to walk towards him when I heard a scream behind me.
"Benny, are you coming? I'm not waiting!"
I turned around to see James and Natalya together. Natalya lying on the floor wounded, James crouching beside her, checking her pulse.
"I'm going!" Jimmy shouted. I then made a decision, the wrong one. I ran away from them, towards Jimmy, but something stopped me. I overheard the couples conversation. It could have been their last. I stopped in my tracks to listen.
"Where did he hit you? What happened honey?"
"He… didn't hit… me."
"But your leg is bleeding…"
"I fell over and they wouldn't help me up, they just walked over me. James I thought I was going to die. You have to go and stop him."
"I can't just leave you here. You're more important to me than anything."
"I'm not as important as your job."
I realised what I had to do. I ran towards them, fast as I could. When I finally reached them, I spoke with and exasperated tone.
"I'll take her James." I started to lift Natalya's arms, swinging one over my shoulder in order to support her. "Can you walk?"
"Yes." She nodded sharply, holding back the shooting pains running through her nerves. James stared deep into her eyes and kissed her forehead. A goodbye kiss.
"Go." His voice was stern.
"No." But so was Natalya's.
"GO!" He was shouting now. An order, command, we had to oblige. I pulled Natalya away from him and we started to limp away from James, towards the exit.
"I don't want that to be the last time I see him Benjamin. I truly do not." She cried. I looked at her. What could I say?
"I promise it won't be." I lied. I couldn't give her false hope, but I did, and I regretted it. We carried on moving towards our car when several more gun shots ran through the crisp, night air. We spun round, alarmed, only to see the whole house explode and burst into flames.
"JAMES!" Natalya screamed. She dropped on the floor, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks. She tightened her grip on my hand as she curled up into a ball on the floor. I was pressured for time, we had to leave. And quickly.
"Come on Natalya, we have to go now." I, myself was getting watery eyed. She seemed so devoted to him. She wanted him so much, and their last words weren't exactly the kindest. Natalya didn't move. She sobbed into her lap, her cries for James mumbled.
"Natalya, please, we have to go now, else -" My words were cut off when I heard an all too familiar voice call out to us.
"Would you two please run?"
"JAMES!" Natalya rose, steadying herself on my shoulder. He ran towards us, I expected him to run past us, grabbing Natalya's hand and drag her to the car park but he didn't. He ran in front of Natalya and picked her up into a hug. She gritted her teeth as her leg brushed against his. He swung her round and grabbed her legs. Natalya tucked her head in James's neck as she softly kissed his skin.
"You will always be more important than my job." He whispered in her ear whilst gently smiling and kissing her forehead.
I smiled at them. Reunited in a beautiful embrace. But the romance was short lived as we soon heard bullets bouncing off the railings near us. We were a target, and this time we really needed to run. James was the first to sprint, Natalya cradled in his arms. I shortly followed, ducking every second to dodge the shower of bullets raining down on us.
"Run Benjamin!" It was Natalya's voice this time, it made me run faster. I don't know why. Maybe I wanted to please her, maybe I thought I still had a chance with her. This beautiful woman.
I finally reached the corner and turned, my breath racing, my heart pounding. I had never been in that much danger before. James was standing next to me, clutching Natalya at his chest. He chucked some keys at me and nodded over to a lone car on the drive. I winked back and began to race to the car, aware of the pursuing villains. I opened the car and shoved the key in the ignition. I glanced back to James, now racing towards me, Natalya cuddled tight up to him. Whilst sidling into the back seat of the posh Aston Martin, James came up to the door and passed Natalya to me.
I glanced at her leg, saturated in blood. I moved her leg over my body and tucked her head into my neck. Her tears of pain trickled down her cheeks, soaking my shirt.
"Benjamin?" James said to me as he closed the door and held Natalya's hand. "Thank you." I smiled in reply. They were nice people. I opened my mouth to say something equally becoming when a bullet came and hit the wind screen. I jumped as the loud crack of glass spread further, but to my surprise it didn't shatter.
"Bullet proof glass." I whispered to myself. James began to steer his way out of the car park and headed to the hospital.
I felt Natalya's breath slow down and her tears had stopped to a bear minimum. I held her close, hoping James wouldn't turn a sharp corner and her leg would smash into something and damage it further. I checked her pulse, normal. I tilted her head back and wiped strands of hair out from her eyes. She was sleeping, peacefully as well. I couldn't help but smile at her as she slept in my arms.
"She's asleep James. Just drifted off." I announced. "So peaceful." I beamed. Suddenly, another deathly crack came from the back of me. I turned to see the gunner, trying to shoot the back of the car, but to no avail. We went round a corner and lost him, he had no car and wouldn't keep up with us on foot. I sighed a sigh of relief. I was in a safer position, and Natalya had slept right through it. I lay her down so that her leg was resting on my lap and her head was propped up against the car door. Not exactly comfortable, but I needed her in that position.
"James. I'm going to have to snap it back. Save it from getting infected." My voice was wobbly. What would he say?
"Make it as painless as possible." His voice was worried. It sounded like he was about to be sick. He never wanted any of this to happen. I lightly touched Natalya's leg as a hand clutched my wrist. Natalya's. She was staring at me, wide eyed.
"What… what are you doing… Benjamin?" She stuttered, her breathing becoming heavy and infrequent.
"I need to… I need to snap it… put it… back." She was making me so nervous. What if I got it wrong? What if it wasn't painless? I closed my eyes and my grip on her leg tightened, ready to twist. I heard her hiss through her mouth.
"I won't do anything without James." She was adamant. Not to be argued with. Without saying anything, James put the car into auto-drive and turned around in his seat, clutching Natalya's hand.
"I'm here darling." He kissed her forehead and held her head near him, ready to muffle the screams. I didn't bother counting down. I just stared at the two and twisted. Slowly and silently, my eyes wide open with shock. James quickly pushed Natalya's head into his chest as she opened her mouth to scream, tears pouring down her rosy cheeks, her delicate makeup smudged across her eyes. Her hands came up to his neck as they clawed away at what they could find. She struggled, tossed and turned as I twisted her leg. I had to wait until I heard the click. I admit now that the experience was far from painless. She began to sweat uncontrollably as her body shivered.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I whimpered. Her hands reached mine as she tried to pull me away from her leg. I was nearly there, I could feel how close we were to the end. James grabbed her head and pushed it into his chest even further, potentially suffocating her of oxygen. Her screams began to fall silent, her trembles less frequent. And all of a sudden, we heard a loud click. James pushed Natalya away from him a soon as possible and lay her head on the seat, making sure she was breathing. I ripped my jacket and wrapped it around her leg, putting pressure on the wound. Her eyes were screwed shut, her hand firmly holding James's.
"Is it done?" She mumbled.
"Yes. All done." I declared. Natalya opened her eyes and inspected her surroundings. She propped herself up against the car door and sighed. James moved closer to her and tilted her head towards him, calmly stroking her hair and kissing her head.
"It's all okay now." He whispered. I looked out the window to see the sign for the hospital.
"We're here." I announced. James turned back and drove in, parking the car by A&E and rushing out. He opened the car door by Natalya. She fell back slightly as her support vanished, but James caught her, and dragged her limp body out from the car. He scooped up her legs and raced in through the front doors. I parked the car in a space where we wouldn't disrupt the frantic doctors or disturb the ambulances.
I finally walked through the doors myself and talked to the receptionist.
"Hi. I was wondering if you would tell me where Natalya Simonova is?" He nodded politely in reply and pointed over to a cubicle on the left. I smiled and walked off in that direction, aware of my ripped dinner jacket and my blood stained shirt.
People were staring. A lot of people. They all stood and stared. I reached out for the cubicle curtain, but then felt better of it. I ran my finger over the edge of the fabric before calling out to them.
"Is it okay if I come in?" I spoke clearly with a new found confidence. I shocked myself, I was so courageous. I heard a mumble of yes's and walked through. Natalya was in the bed, her leg lying straight with a nurse frantically rushing over it, cleaning it and bandaging it. James was sitting by Natalya's side, clutching her hand. He smiled at me whilst I entered.
"How are things?" I asked, secretly hoping I wouldn't get swarmed with scientific vocabulary.
"Fine, my legs better than we thought. It was just a small dislocation. Because you snapped it back before it was too late, my leg is practically healed. Except for the scratches and bruises of course, but I shouldn't take too long to recover from those." Natalya beamed at me. I was so happy for her, that she hadn't been hurt badly, even if it was painful.
"You always were a drama queen." James sneered. The two laughed together. It was cute. Adorable you might say.
"Now, even though your leg is better, I strongly recommend you do not run on it yet. Give it a week at least. If you can walk on it, fine, if not, we can give you some crutches." The nurses voice droned on. I suddenly felt annoyed at her for interrupting the couple. I had to keep my nerve though. It was a stupid reason to get angry over.
"I don't think I want to run anyway. Thank you." the nurse smiled back and walked out the cubicle.
"Feel free to discharge yourself." Was all we heard from her.
"Right then, we're off. Leg sorted. I'm tired. I'm sure you're tired and I'm sure Benjamin is tired too." James helped Natalya off the bed by holding her arm as she twirled and slipped off. He gave her a quick peck on the lips as she walked towards me.
"Thank you." She whispered as she cuddled up to me in a hug. I patted her back and huddled up to her.
"No problem." I smiled. James came and took Natalya's hand as he led her out of the cubicle. Slowly but steady, I heard him say. It was true, they were going at a snail's pace. I followed behind them. Natalya got handed some crutches as she walked out the door, and began to move a little fast, but still at a disadvantage. We moved into the car, weary of our now vulnerable position and drove off to James's house.
I'd been told that he lived in a modern bungalow, with a large cellar where he does his work. I didn't know how I was to get home, but as Natalya turned to me and smiled, I knew I never wanted to.