The quartet of women spilled out from the club onto the sidewalk, giggling and chattering. Pulsing music trickled from the open door until it closed behind them. Over by the curb, three men glanced over at the commotion, each one with a lit cigarette dangling from their lips. The four young ladies were dressed in similarly skimpy and flirty outfits, drawing appraising glances from the smokers, that attention unnoticed.
"Anybody want to go to the diner with Jenny and me?" Lisa asked.
"Nah," Emily said, shaking her head, "I'm going over to Greg's."
"Ooh," Jenny cooed, "a booty call, huh?"
"Someone's getting laid tonight," Natalie giggled, nudging Lisa playfully.
Emily grinned.
"Hell yeah. You girls have fun at the diner."
As she pulled out her phone, Lisa turned to Natalie.
"You coming with?"
"Nah, I'm going home. I have leftovers."
"You sure?" Jenny asked.
"Yeah, I'm good."
"Want to share my ride?" Emily asked. "Your place is on the way, you know."
"No thanks, I'll walk home."
"Why do you always insist on walking home from here?" Lisa asked.
"It's like, five minutes. And free."
"Fuck, I'll pay for it," Emily groaned. "Just ride with me."
"I appreciate the offer, but no thanks. It's nice out and the walk will clear my head."
"Yeah," Lisa grumbled, "you could also get jumped or something."
"That's never happened to me before."
"Doesn't mean it won't ever happen."
"True, but I take care. I'm safe about it."
"It's dark out, and you always go through that construction site, where nobody is around. It worries me."
Emily and Jenny nodded in agreement.
"Guys," Natalie said patiently, "we always have this conversation. You try to get me to share a ride with one of you, and I end up walking home anyway."
"And we will always have this conversation," Emily shot back, "until you stop being stupid."
"Okay, now that's just hurtful."
"Well, the truth hurts."
"Look," Jenny began, "we trust you. It's the people who might jump you we don't trust."
"And like I said, nobody has ever jumped me."
The trio sighed together in exasperation.
"Fine," Emily grunted, "have it your way."
"At least let us walk with you," Lisa suggested.
"No, no, I'm fine, really. I love that you guys care about me, but I've done this so many times. I'll be good."
They sighed again, relenting further.
"Okay, okay," Lisa said in defeat.
"But you better text us the second you get home," Jenny told her.
Natalie smirked.
"I'll probably forget. Be too busy stuffing my face."
"If you don't text us," Lisa shot back, "we'll come find you, bitch."
"Yeah, yeah. See you guys later."
Ignoring their disapproving looks, Natalie walked away, waving goodbye over her shoulder.
Her apartment was close by, but thanks to a shortcut she had discovered a few months ago, the trip was made in less time than usual.
There was a construction site on the way back to her place. It was always bustling during the day, but at night, after all the workers went home, it was deserted. Luckily for her, there were two holes in the fence, one on either side of the site. All she needed to do was slip through them carefully, and she could get home quicker.
A cool breeze caressed her skin as she walked along, tickling both the exposed parts and whatever was covered by her dress, the material too thin to provide much protection from the elements.
I look good in it though...
It had been a fun night, this weekly staple of the quartet, gathering for drinks at a neighborhood bar before heading to the club. The bar usually changed from week to week, as every time a different member of the group chose where they went. The club was the same, and by now the bouncers, bartenders, and other staff were familiar faces, even if the other clubgoers were less memorable. None of the men inspired much interest, even if she did usually deign to dance or even indulge in a shameless make-out session with some of them.
After a few blocks, she reached the fence. At one of the support posts, the chain-link was slowly peeling away, offering a slim space for entry. Natalie held her purse close, and eased her way through, taking care to avoid the sharp edges of the chain-link.
As usual, the site was silent and still. The only light came from the nearly full moon hanging high above.
Gravel crunched underneath her pumps as she trudged along. Unused equipment stood here and there. There was always the same mischievous idea in her tipsy mind whenever she passed by one of the vehicles left unattended, of somehow commandeering one of them to wreak havoc. The thought of the stunned workers showing up to the sight of the wrecked site never failed to make her giggle.
And then something slammed into her from behind.
That first impact knocked the air from her lungs and her purse from her grip. The second impact, her hitting the ground, momentarily stunned her. A weight settled atop her, that strange and sudden sensation breaking through the haze in her mind.
"What the fuck?"
The weight refused to budge. A dark chuckle sounded in her ear, and a moment later, a hand landed on her thigh. There was moment of confusion, wherein she was still stunned, unsure of what exactly was happening.
And then the hand slid upwards.
Her body began to struggle immediately, understanding before she did that she was in danger. She bucked underneath the weight, trying to throw it off, but it was too heavy, already securely atop her.