"Hmmmm, hmmm, humhumhum, bumbumbebumdebumdebum, la la la, la la lala lalala lala lala la la la la." I hummed a sweet little melody throughout the bar.

"Hey sweetheart, why don't you come over here and do a little more than hum for me?" One of the drunk guys jeered at me. I grimaced.

"Joe, if you don't find your drunk ass a ride home right now, I will kick it there, understand?"

These guys didn't respond to anything but threats, booze, and swearing.

"Fine,fine sweetcheeks, but you know you're just playing hard to get!" He yelled as he stumbled drunkly out the door.

"How do you do it Bells? You fend off these drunk men like they're just flies in the wind!" Jake stood behind me smiling proudly.

I just grinned back stupidly at my best friend. He'd save me from a drunk and abusive Charlie.

And then he'd taken me in and given me the job as bartender.

"I don't know Jake, maybe it's cuz I know if they go too far I have you to back me up."
Safety didn't even do justice to how Jake made me feel.

I always just felt so warm and peaceful.

"Well Bells, I'm closing up, let's get goin."

He offered his huge hand I laid my small one in his palm.

"Let's."

Like every night the cold Chicago crisp air bit at our feet as we dashed through the streets.

Lights everywhere lit up golden, red, pink, and orange. They all blurred together with patches of blue mixed in.

"Bells you better hurry up, we're not gonna make it back to the apartment by one o'clock and old Grady next door's gonna have our heads if he wakes up!"

I snorted softly as I thought of the old fart next door. He was just so fat and grumpy that it was hard not to crack up when you pictured him.

"Don't you start laughing Bells! I don't care if you're not scared of him, I'll never get to sleep if he starts up his rant!"

I stopped for Jake as we crossed the alleyway to get to our apartment.

I heard the crash of garbage cans in the distance and I felt blood oozing from my head.

"Aw Jake, did you make us run into some trash cans?"

The sickly smell of rust and salt was making me nauseas.

Suddenly everything went silent.

And when you live in Chicago you know something's wrong when there's silence.

Not even the hum of a truck could be heard.

"Then a sweet delicacy of a smell spread over me as I felt cold arms envelope my body.

The gesture seemed loving, but there was more to it.

I thrashed about, trying to escape.

"Don't run my little lamb."

And with that darkness overcame me as the smell of blood and honey made me black out.