The genial rays of the setting Sun filtered through the canopy, illuminating Central Park in irregular splashes of golden rays with a tinge of green as it reflected off the surrounding verdancy. I took a deep breath of the humid air and could smell, among others, cedar and honeysuckle. I looked out and took in the majestic view of God's gift to Earth that showed a glimpse as to what Paradise could be. The fiery aureate orb floated above the horizon, sending out its last caress of warmth to everyone on Earth as it slowly made its descent into darkness. Arabesque whorls of reds, oranges and yellows played across the skies, intermingling among one another as though doing the final dance of the day. And in a flash of amber, the Sun sank below the horizon, plunging the world into immediate darkness, turning the sky into a rich blend of blues and black, illuminated only by the twinkling stars that celebrated the rise of the Moon into the night. "Amazing," I breathed.
The tight fitting black long sleeved shirt hugged onto my body like a second skin, heralding my abdominal muscles as the centre of attraction by highlighting each contour beautifully while still proclaiming my pectoral muscles in proud honor as my perked nipples pushed against the fabric. The sleeves wrapped around my arms gracefully as they captured every visible vein brilliantly in the moonlight. The black jeans I had on emphasized the succulent calf muscles I had, proving yet again that they were my pride and joy. Having smeared my caramel-skinned face with camouflage paint earlier, I jammed a black watch cap onto my head with my black leather gloved hands, tucking any stray strands of my spiky jet black hair in place as I transformed myself into a dark entity of the night. I caressed the bow I held in my hand lovingly and could feel the weight of my quiver of arrows on my back, giving me the firm reassurance as I treaded lightly on my black combat boots through the shadows of the trees. That night, I was on a hunt.
I extended my senses before me, heightening them to the best of their abilities as they guided me through the dark. My ears perked to the slightest sound, the whistle of the nighttime breeze tickling against my cheek, the chirp of cicadas as the Park came back to life with the awakening of its nocturnal inhabitants from their slumber. Feeling my muscles tense up, I grinned at the feel of my adrenaline-laced blood coursing through my veins, dilating my pupils to enhance my vision as I heard the steady rhythm of my heartbeat in my ears. With every step I took, I could feel the hardness within my jeans growing intensely and I willingly let out a soft moan as I felt it pulsate like an entity. Suddenly, I heard the snap of a twig. I smiled, right on time.
I ventured deeper and saw my kill. Dressed in a white sweatshirt and a pair of black running tights, he had his back towards me as he did some stretches, just as he had always been doing on his jog every Wednesday night, his head bobbing to the beat of the music blasting through his earpiece that snaked all the way to the back pocket of his tights as he contorted his body to various forms, his muscle contracting and relaxing at every pose he made. It was as though those muscles had a mind of their own and watching them come alive was breathtaking. I reached back to my quiver and took out an arrow, the head glinting in the moonlight like a freshly cut diamond as I prepared the bow. I took aim and closed my eyes, centering my being as I slowed my breathing to that of the steady rhythm of my heart, merging them into a concordant melody that seemed to evaporate all of the adrenaline away, leaving nothing but a calm inner peace that was soothing for the soul, hearing nothing but the distant voice of my heart. Lub dub... Lub dub... Lub dub... And in between beats, I opened my eyes and heard the resounding thwack of the bow as I released it.
I heard the satisfactory cry of agonizing pain as the arrow sliced through his forearm before embedding itself in the tree with a loud thud. He clutched onto the wound, trying to staunch the massive bloodflow that stained his pristine white sweatshirt a bright crimson, increasingly growing in size with every passing second. His face was a mask of panic and terror as the rich coppery smell of blood spread throughout the air. Don't worry, the only predator he had to fear was me. With horror-stricken eyes darting about, he tried to find me with desperation as he fashioned a rough bandage from strips of fabric from his sweatshirt that he tore with his teeth.
"Who are you?" he cried out, his voice quivering with fright, oblivious to the fact that he was near my hiding place. I stepped out, just enough for him to see my form while still hiding my visage in the shadows. He stumbled back a step, taken aback at the close proximity between us, as I readied my bow again.
I released it and heard the high-pitched whistle of its sail through the air. Alas, it embedded itself in the dirt with a crackle as it crushed the dry leaves. Disappointed, I looked up and saw him running deeper into the dark. Shame, had he stood there a moment longer, the arrow would have sliced cleanly through his Achilles tendon, to which I had been looking forward to watching it shoot up his leg. I could faintly hear his ragged breathing being carried by the wind as I watched his diminishing form. I smiled. They always run, but that was what made the hunt exhilarating. Buzzing with a sudden spike of adrenaline, I took off after him, bounding lightly on my feet as I felt my muscles working like a well-oiled machine. Within seconds, I realized that the surrounding vegetation had grown thicker, blocking off the moonlight, causing it to darken drastically. I smiled, Lady Luck was by my side, and the elements were to my advantage now. He just made the biggest mistake of his life.
I caught up to him with relative ease and saw him glance backwards. I watched the surprise dawn in his eyes as they widened at my sudden reappearance. I beamed a wintry smile back to him. He was mine. I sped up to him, sprinting alongside him as though we were friends and was training with each other, if only it were true. I shouldered him roughly, purposefully swinging my forearm towards his wound, attempting to throw him off, and heard him cry out in misery. He struck back at me, aiming for my face with a punch, but I managed to duck just in time, returning it with a sharp blow to his chest. He gasped out and stumbled to a halt, trying to regain his breath. I jogged to a stop beside him and without hesitation, kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying through the air before crashing into a tree. I calmly walked over to him and knelt before him. His head lolled about and I could see a scarlet river of blood flowing out of his nose. I held up his chin with a black leather gloved hand and saw his eyes fluttering, struggling to open. Instantly, I choked him as I lifted him off the ground, applying the slightest force over my thumb and forefinger to produce the greatest pressure.
True enough, he began struggling as the air hunger built up within him as he tried to pry my hand off his neck, but I was stronger and held on, enjoying his torment at my fingertips. I saw his body shutting down through his eyes, like an old television being switched off to a small bright point before disappearing forever, and flung him away like a lifeless ragdoll. He lay there motionless as I walked over. I flipped him over and saw that he was barely conscious, clenching firmly to the last straw of awareness as I sat on top of his chest, pinning his elbows down with my knees as I slapped his cheeks lightly. "Stay with me, I'm not done," I taunted him.
That seemed to jar him awake as he began struggling again, trying to push me off with every last bit of remaining energy he had to escape my grasp. I leaned more of my weight over him and just waited for his struggle to die down, for him to slowly accept his defeat, for him to submit to me, while smiling down onto him. "What do you want from me?" he cried aloud in desperation. I backhanded him, fast and without reluctance, finding pleasure in the glowing redness of his cheek as I felt my black leather gloved hand tingle from the impact. I realized the bulge in my jeans had swelled and he realized it too. In fact, I could have sworn I felt something stirring under me. Suddenly, my ears perked to the snap of a branch. We were no longer alone.
"HELP!" he immediately screamed. Instinctively, I covered his mouth with a black leather gloved hand to avoid detection, but with the prospect of a savior in his mind, I could see the newfound energy fuelling his entire being as he began to formulate a plan. Before he attempted anything, I hauled him up and dragged him behind a tree, towards the cover of shadows where we would not be seen. I stood with my back against the tree while his was against my chest, my black leather gloved hand still clamped over his mouth as I placed my head beside his.
"Shhh..." I whispered but he screamed into my black leather gloved hand, only to have it muffled. "Listen, asshole," I hissed and that seemed to garner his attention. "I can snap your head right here, right now. If you scream, I will kill you." He nodded, knowing his place.
