Changing pasts, New Futures
Chapter 2
The night was quiet, the air was crisp and ripe with the fresh scents of the land. The ranches a few miles away sent the smell of horses and grains on the wind. The wind was light, teasing as it cascaded around me, lifting up loose strands of my hair and tossing it into my face. I sighed and tucked the stray pieces behind my ears as I breathed in the air.
I was heading to the park; it was too far from here. The guys knew where to find me when they were ready to go home. I knew they'd most likely be shit faced, well except maybe for Brett, what with his sister here. I shook the feeling of doom off my shoulders, and continued on my walk. I passed the iron gates leading to Haven Park. It was beautifully set up, though I felt it might have been a waste to set it up in this part of town. Though I never said anything out loud, the pure breed Texan's could get pretty nasty if you critiqued they're land.
I enjoyed going to the park at night. They had beautiful lights strung up along the trees and around bushes, colorful lights which gave the place a mystic feeling. There were fountains on every corner and a million different paths. Trees obscured the few of the streets that surround this huge plot of land. It was littered with different kinds of benches and tables. A small pond with real goldfish sat in the middle of the park, and there was a small stream that ran on the outer edges of the park that some of inexperienced men tended to fish. There was some bass in the lake, but nothing to serious to catch. For the real fishing we usually went to the other side of town, just on the outskirts to Hale County. That was where the big River was, it ran through the outskirts of the town, and on the weekends a lot of the men would go out to fish. I wasn't particular on the fishing aspect, or the hunting which the other guys seemed to enjoy. Annabelle use to joke that I didn't seem like I'd fit in this world what with not being a manly man in Texas. I wasn't a real Texan. I always laughed, and then I proved her right by talking with my British accent, and then she would turn back to do whatever she had been working on as I would clean off my cowboy boots.
I smiled at the memory. Annabelle was a godsend to his wounded heart. She knew all about her, and even now I couldn't think of her name or the pain would consume me. I missed her so much, the smell of her hair, I missed her hugs and those smiles she always gave me, and her nagging. There was nothing about her I didn't like, no flaw or weakness that ever made me see her as less than the Goddess she was to me, but then that night. It was the worst night of my life. To see that blissful look on her face as he kissed her and held her, it tore me up inside. He took her from me, but I couldn't be mad at him, he had admitted to me years before how he felt about her, but I thought that maybe she'd still choose me. I was wrong. I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face to erase those memories. I didn't want to spoil this walk, it was time to move on, and I couldn't pine after a woman who never was interested in me. I couldn't believe I could read those signs so wrong, but then again, back then I was a hopeless mess when it came to women. A wry smile stretched my lips; I wasn't so hopeless with women now, or reading their signs. Maybe it was because of Brett and Dustin, and even Chad. They opened my eyes to the world of women, and watching them, I had learned the subtle tricks to wooing a lady. I never wanted to though; it didn't stop certain women from trying to capture my attention.
It was different down here though, in Texas. I was just another rancher out looking for a good time, off my shift, hard worked and thirsty for a little something stronger then water. The girls here aren't expecting me to buy them expensive gifts, pay for their every want and need, maybe just a drink or too, and then to have a good time. I knew telling the guys I've never slept with anyone before would make me the butt end of their jokes for a long while, and to have them push me into uncomfortable situations. It had been hard for me to even look at another woman without my heart hurting. Annabelle understood, and confided in me one night. Long before she got together with Randy, she had been dating this real jerk of a guy. She was 16; he was 18 at the time. In the beginning of the relationship, he had been charming, sweeping her off her feet. After a while though, she had moved in with him and things started to change, he became short tempered with her easily, controlling. He got jealous easily, and he started to get violent with her. He used to smack her around a lot, but one night, she had decided enough was enough. She packed up her stuff, and was planning on staying with a friend for a while till she could get back on her feet. He caught her just before she could escape and was furious with her. He hit punched her in the face, kicked her in the ribs, then proceeded to rape her, causing her to bleed before he picked up and threw her into the wall, causing her to hit her so hard she got a concussion. He then tossed her outside and left her there like a pile of garbage.
It wasn't till an hour later when someone drove by and found her there, laying in her own bile and blood. He took pity on her and drove her to the hospital, paying her hospital. She never knew who he was, but a week later her friend came to the hospital to pick her up and take her home. She never saw the jerk again, and she had to go into intensive therapy to get over what had happened to her. She hadn't been able to face sex or being touched by anyone for 2 years till Randy ran into her one day at the cafe she had been waitressing at since she had moved in with her friend. The rest is history as they say.
Annabelle was an inspiration to him to continue living his life, and living it the best way he could. At first it just meant getting though the work week, and then the weekend with his buddies pestering him about girls. Finally once he got use to it all it became routine and now he couldn't see himself going back to his old life. Magic didn't exist here, at least not in the same pretense as it did in his old life. Magic here in Texas was the sun rise coming over the horizon, or the liberating feeling of the world passing you buy as you rode a magnificent creature. The daily labor of routine and the easily bantering of the guys surrounding him, that was magic to him, because for once in his life, he felt normal.
As I continued my walk around the park, I could faintly hear the music floating through the air from the bar. I turned a corner and realized I wasn't the only one enjoying the park. There was a couple in the corner, squinting my eyes I noticed the girl didn't seem to be able to stand on her own and the man was supporting her. I made to go over to them to help out when I saw the guy toss her to the ground. Surprised I didn't move for a second, my brain fuzz from thinking about the past and the little alcohol I had drank. The man was undoing his pants; the women just laid there, her head lulled to the side. She was unconscious, maybe passed out from too much alcohol or drugs. The guy had his pants undone and was now kneeling over the girl. He yanked up the girls dress to expose her underwear. My brain finally kicked in and I rushed over just as the guy had the girls' underwear down to her ankles. I grabbed the guy by the shoulder, and using all my strength I yanked him backwards. He went flying, his back hitting the tree just behind us; he slowly slid down it, his face contorted in pain. "What the hell?" He breathed out, wincing from the movement; I might have broken one of his ribs tossing him into the tree like that.
I bent over the girl, checking her pulse. She was still alive. I lifted her eyelids to check her pupils as much as I could with the moon and the few sprinkling of lamps out on the path as my only light source. I could see a slight reaction and breathed a sigh of relief, no serious damage. I gently pulled her underwear back up her legs and then pulled her dress back down. I turned around to find the tree where the guy had been leaning on was empty. I quickly looked around me, but there was no one else there. Sighing I bent down and picked up the unconscious women and cradled her in my arms. She was lighter than I expected. I slowly walked back the way I came, So I could get out of the park as swiftly as possible. In a few minutes I had made it across the street and was in front of the bar. Dustin, Brett and Chad were just exiting, planning on hunting me down to get me to drive them home. There were all drunk and Amanda was nowhere in sight. I glanced down at the girl in my arms, she was pretty. Blond hair with red streaks, she had the tan complexion of a natural Texan. She was slight in form, almost willowy. I looked helplessly at the guys, and they shrugged not sure what to do. I could tell they didn't even know how I came into this situation. I sighed. Pointed to the truck gesturing with my head for them to wait for me, I had the keys after all.
I walked back into the bar, and looked for the bar tender. Finding him on the side wiping down a table, I realized the place was closing up which meant it must be around 2 in the morning. "Hey" I called.
The bartender looked up "Hey, Sorry we're closed" I nodded but moved further into the room.
"I know and I'm really sorry about this. I found this girl in the park, completely passed out, and about to be raped by some prick. I was able to get him away from her, but I can't get her to wake up in order for her to tell me where she lives so I could take her home. Do you know here?" The bartender walked over to look down at the girl and his face drew taught.
"Yah I know her. I'll take her" I held on fast though. I didn't know why, but the look in his eyes worried me. He glanced at me and saw my hesitancy. There was a flash of respect and gratitude in his eyes for my protectiveness. "She's my cousin; She was down for a visit. I'm sorry if it's caused you any problems. I've got her from here. I'll make sure she gets home safe." Sighing I nodded and handed her over to him. Then with one last glance at him I turned and left.
I found the guys waiting for me in the truck, drowsy and getting ready to pass out. I shook my head, climbed into the driver's seat, started the truck, and headed for home. I was ready for the night to be over.