Hunter Street

Hunter Street was empty on this brisk Sunday evening— apart from two souls, a man and a woman, walking toward each other.

           It was 6 PM, just as the sun was setting— painting the sky with its glorious mural as it fell out of sight. He gazed up, excited by the sunset. ‘It’s perfect!’ He thought, as his eyes shifted from the sky to the landscape of autumnal leaves covering the ground where they walked. A gust of wind seemed like his perfect excuse to reach into the pocket of his wool coat unassumingly. As he did, the fingers of his right hand clasped around what was inside, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice. He rubbed his finger back and forth along the soft, navy blue velvet of the tiny box. A chill raced down his spine. His heart raced in anxiety and anticipation. A small smile settled across his face. He continued to walk forward toward the girl. He was so excited to get to her, so he picked up the pace. As he did, he studied her. His eyes traced up and down her body, from the rips in her jeans to the soft curls in her hair. He locked eyes with her, his smile only growing as he took note of her wide eyes. ‘Yes, she’s so excited. I can’t wait.’

**********

           It was 6 PM, just as the sun was setting— abandoning her as the night chased it from the sky; betraying her to the darkness. She glanced up, worried as the safety of the light quickly fleeted. ‘Perfect,’ she thought, as she rolled her eyes and walked through the pile of leaves strewn about the sidewalk. A gust of wind seemed like her perfect excuse to reach into the pocket of her black jacket unassumingly. As she did, her fingers tensed around what was inside, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice. Her thumb slid back and forth along the safety clasp of the pepper spray on her keychain. A chill raced down her spine. Her eyebrows furrowed in anxiety and anticipation. She continued to walk forward toward the guy. She dreaded reaching him, but she couldn’t cross the street. As she walked, she noticed his eyes on him. She watched as he surveyed her body. She made the mistake of gazing into his eyes, and hers grew in fear at the familiar menacing madness that lay within his. ‘I need to get out of here.’

           The only sound was the rustle of the leaves in the wind and the stomp of the heels of her boots against the pavement. As they exhaled into the silence, their breath pooled in front of them, then slowly drifted off into the night. They both walked silently toward one another, each with their hands gripping the objects in their pockets. He stopped a foot away from her. She wanted to continue walking. But her body halted: paralyzed in fear. Her grip tightened around her only defense. As did his left hand. “Beautiful night, isn’t it?” She gave a weak nod. He continued to talk. It was their first face-to-face conversation. He knew it needed to go well. “I’ve been watching you.”

           “I know.”

           “You’re beautiful.”

           “Thank you.”

           “I need you to do something for me.”

           “What is it?” Her heart raced as he stepped in closer. She shuddered as she gazed nearly straight up at him.

           “Marry me.” It was at this point when he swiftly pulled out his left hand. She was staring down the barrel of his silver gun. Its colors mocked the shining stars in the night sky. Her hand tensed around the pepper spray, but she knew it was too late. Any movement and she was gone.

           “Please... put down the gun.”

           “MARRY ME.” His voice echoed down the silent street. She hoped someone heard. But the words just rang in the silence, echoing as the leaves continued to dance in the wind. His voice was more stern this time. It was not a question. She cowered as his body began to shake with anger. 

           “Please...” Her voice cracked, and her vision blurred as the tears began to pool in her eyes. He pulled out his other hand, revealing the navy-blue box. She looked down as he fumbled to open the box while continuing to hold her at gunpoint. Her eyes widened, as an idea popped into her head.

**********

           “I’ve been watching you.” This was it. His first words to her.

           “I know.”

           “You’re beautiful.”

           “Thank you.”

           “I need you to do something for me.”

           “What is it?” He took a few steps closer: finally, so close to the girl that he loved so. He smiled as she looked up at him.

           “Marry me.” It was at this point when he contemplated which hand to pull out of his pocket. As he saw the hesitation in her eyes, he decided on the left. This was it. His final option. There was no room for choice. No room for error.

           “Please... put down the gun.” But he couldn’t do that.

           “MARRY ME.” His body began to shake. This was it. No more time for options. He finally had her.

           “Please...” Her voice cracked, but he didn’t notice. He needed to do something. He pulled out his other hand and fumbled with the box until he propped it open with his thumb. Her eyes widened. ‘Yes. She loves it.’

           “Well?” She held out her left hand, still leaving the right hand in her pocket. “Put it on.” They both looked down. The small diamond shone in the moonlight. She wondered where he got it.

**********

           “Well?” She held out her left hand, and he set his gaze upon her ring finger, stunned, yet excited by her compliance. “Put it on.” They both looked down. He could only imagine how the small diamond he stole would look upon her finger. Though only a few seconds passed, it felt like an eternity. ‘I finally got her. This is it.’

           Quickly, he fumbled to try and pull the ring from its resting place. But it was firmly nestled in the box. He looked down at it, questioning if putting this ring ion her finger was worth putting his gun away. He looked from the ring to her freshly manicured hand, then into her eyes. He found his answer in the unwavering confidence that lay behind them. ‘She loves me.’ He pocketed his gun, slipped the ring from its holder, and bent to get on one knee. He held her hand, but just as he began to slip the ring on her finger, he screamed out in agony.

**********

           He fumbled to try and pull the ring from its resting place. But, as she had hoped, it was firmly nestled in the box. She watched as he looked at her-- determined to maintain some semblance of the facade she hoped would protect her. Though her heart was pounding, she stared at him with icy eyes, trying to keep her extended arm from shaking. Her fingers, once again, tensed around the last line of defense that lay in her pocket. As he pocketed his gun and prepared for his marriage proposal, she sighed a quick breath of relief. She looked down at him as he bent to get on one knee, wondering if she should continue to pretend or perhaps just run. But when his cold fingers clutched her extended hand, a chill raced down her spine. Without any more hesitation, she pulled out the pepper spray.

           As she launched her defense, he lost his balance-- collapsing to the ground. But he didn’t let go of her hand. Instead, she fell with him, as pain shot up her arm from where he pulled her down using the ring that he managed to finish slipping on her finger. She couldn’t bring herself to look at it, but she could feel the blood trickling from where the ring dug into her finger. Instead, she flailed her arms in a desperate scuttle to get free of his firm grasp around her wrist. But his grip only tightened. Soon, she couldn’t tell if the blood pumping to her flushed cheeks was from her valiant fighting or from his nasty punches. She needed to stop but merely panted and continued in her pursuits. That is until shots were fired.

**********

           She pulled out the pepper spray. He screamed in agony, lost his balance, and collapsed onto the ground. But she was his, and he refused to let go of his fiancée. After all, he did put the ring on her finger. As he fell, she fell to the ground with him. He could only think of one reason why: ‘she regrets the pepper spray and is bending down to help me.’ His mindset, however, quickly changed as she began to flail her arms at him. His confusion quickly turned to anger. ‘That was no way to treat your future husband.’ His grasp around her wrist tightened. ‘She must be punished for her behavior.’ He swung his arm-- aiming at her face. They continued on like this. He was so determined to capture what he thought was his, that he didn’t notice the clatter of the gun falling out of his pocket. Then, shots were fired.

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           And, just like that, Hunter Street was silent once more— apart from the rustle of the leaves and the tiny clatter of the diamond ring that rolled into the gutter. A pool of blood collected as the man and the woman on hunter street lay atop one another. All that was left of their story was a gun, a small tube of pepper spray, and a small, blue box. The world would never discover the years of lurking, peering, and following that it took for them to end up here, on this street. But the world would miss her.