Friends

This story includes violence, alcohol, and mild memory lost... read at your own risk

PUNCH; Most people don’t start their stories with an action but I thought it was more than appropriate for this little story. Picture this, six men in their early 20, one of the men are up against a wall he has light skin, black hair, and amber eyes, this is Tyson (the first main character of our story).

Tyson had started studying abroad to escape his terrible past – you would want to too if you were him - but it seemed bad things just followed him. Another student named Kyle just despised Tyson and he – Tyson - didn’t even know why. Kyle had corned Tyson and had his men jump him, he grabbed Tyson's black hair into his fist. “Drink it”, Kyle demanded, shoving a bottle of alcohol in Tyson’s face.

“You’re still mad I refused to drink with you”, Tyson said, his face was bruised from getting punched so many times, “How petty”, he spit

Kyle’s eyes lit up with rage and he shoved the bottle into Tyson’s mouth, the alcohol tasted bitter and it was warm. Tyson started choking; he gulped what was in his mouth and shoved Kyle so hard he flew backward. Kyle wasn’t much of a problem Tyson could easily beat him up but he had four other guys. Tyson fought them as much as he could until… a bottle of alcohol hit him in the head, Tyson couldn’t feel much pain but he saw the blood dripping from his head. He had already been dizzy from the alcohol but now he couldn’t even stand.

Kyle shoved his foot into Tyson's shoulder, “Now you know not to mess with me”, he stepped on Tyson and walked out of the alley, each of the other four guys did the same. Tyson dozed off just waiting till he saw or heard death. Death sounded like a woman – a very distraught woman, Death was saying something, “Sir, are you okay… sir, get up… please”, she said. Tyson was surprised number one he had never been called sir before and number two he thought he was dead.

“I can’t move”, Tyson moaned, the woman came closer to him, she had curly brown hair and caramel-colored skin, but Tyson couldn’t see her eyes through his bloody hair. The lady pulled Tyson to his feet, put one arm on his back, took his arm, and put it on her shoulder, and she was supporting him pretty well. “I called the ambulance but we have to make it to the Dollar General down the street”, the lady told Tyson, he was confused for a moment but then realized they were in the middle of nowhere and Dollar Generals are everywhere.

The lady laid Tyson down; the moon was bright tonight and he could see her face perfectly, she had green eyes that had seen a lot of tears but despite that, they looked happy and… familiar. “Who are you?”, Tyson muttered

“Diane”, she replied

“Do I know you?”, Tyson asked

“Shouldn’t you know the answer to that question”, Tyson was confused perhaps he didn’t know her but he didn’t have time to ask more questions because all he could hear were sirens. Everything happened fast and when Tyson blinked he was in the back of an ambulance, the moon shined on Diane as she walked away and she felt unbearably familiar.

A whole month had passed since Tyson’s incident and his life had gone back to normal, except for one thing he couldn’t get Diane out of his head. It was 12 o’clock at night but the moon shone ever so bright, someone might have thought it was day. Tyson was taking a walk - I don’t know why but he was – and he saw a woman, she had brown coily hair, fair skin, and dark green eyes. Tyson walked until he was a bit behind her but some internal instinct said turn around you know this woman. Tyson turned to look back and to his surprise, the woman was looking back at him too.

Most people don’t take walks at midnight – especially 20-year-old women but Diane wasn’t most people and the moon had called her tonight. Diane walked; she passed a pub, then a Dollar General, until she was by an old building, she could hear something – various groans. Most people probably would have turned around but Diane isn’t like most people. When she saw a man laying on the ground, fear and curiosity overwhelmed her, she quickly called the ambulance, where she was there wasn’t an exact address so she told them to meet her at the Dollar General she passed earlier. “Sir, are you okay… sir, get up”, she whispered, when he didn’t answer she added, “Please”.

“I can’t move”, the man told her, Diane crouched down without thinking, far enough so the man couldn’t reach her but she could get a clear view. She saw his amber eyes, and his pale skin lit up in the moonlight. “I know you”, Diane whispered to herself, all her fear melted into determination to help this man, she supported most of his body weight so that all he had to do was move his feet.

“I called the ambulance but we have to make it to the Dollar General down the street”, Diane told the man, she wanted to see if he recognized her voice but it didn’t seem like it. They walked easily to the Dollar General but the ambulance hadn’t made it yet, Diane laid the man against the wall under a street light. “Who are you?”, Diane was sure that this man was Tyson, but she was also positive he still didn’t remember her

“Diane”, she told him, despite that not being what she wanted to say

“Do I know you?”, he asked

“Shouldn’t you know the answer to that question”, Diane had locked her past away but seeing Tyson was like opening the door. Thank goodness the ambulance pulled up because Diane could feel herself about to cry, that was the last encounter she’d have with her ex-best friend… or so she thought.

It was another night moon was so bright you might think it was day and it called to Diane as loud as it could. She was walking when she Tyson, he looked much better as she walked past Diane tried not to stare. Diane decided this was the last time she was going to look back, but when she turned around Tyson was staring right at her. Her face started to heat up; why did he turn around; did he remember her?

Tyson laughed, “I just wanted to say thanks”, trying to untense the mood

“No problem, anyone could’ve done it”, Diane tried to hide the disappointment in her voice but it was clear.

Tyson didn’t seem to notice though, “Anyone could’ve done it but not a lot of people would like 75% of the population would not carry a drunk stranger to Dollar General”

“Yeah”, Diane said then whispered, “You’re not really a stranger”

“What?”

“Oh nothing”

“Well… how can I repay you”

Diane raised her hand in defense, “There is no need, you don’t owe me anything”

Tyson chuckled, “I literally owe you my life, I technically can’t pay that back unless I save yours but I want to do something kind for you”

Diane shook her head; Tyson hadn’t changed not one bit, he was impulsive and kind just as he was a few years ago. “Soul Turner”, Diane exclaimed

“What?”

“It’s a café; you wanted to do something nice for me, we can go there Friday”

Tyson smiled, “I’ll be there… promise…oh and one more thing please don’t call me sir, my names Tyson”

Diane smiled as Tyson walked away, she hoped the next time they were under the moon together she wouldn’t be just some stranger in the night but a friend.