Aster balled up the crumpled brown paper towel and tossed it in the trash can. He swayed and caught himself before slumping into the wall. Sighing, he turned around and rested his back against the wall. He stared at the blurry walls in front of him. The black walls had been painted over with white paint in designs matching the rest of the interior of the club. Sugar skulls and demonic chili peppers grinned at him as he tried to gain his bearings. The den of noise within the club was barely muffled within the small stall. Head lolling to the side, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Shaggy lavender locks brushed his brows and ears, a mess of curls contrasting with the shaved sides. Glittering in the dull fluorescent light, his surgical steel piercings and black ink tattoos were at odds with his pale skin that peaked out from the loose black mesh tank he wore beneath a sun bleached black denim jacket covered with patches, pins, and various baubles he'd found.
Wiping his sweaty hands on his gray cut-off shorts, Aster turned his attention to his black vans and focused on taking deep breaths. He was not a large man, standing at only 5'9 and having a soft yet muscular frame meant he had a lower alcohol tolerance than the two behemoths he'd joined tonight for drinks. Now, after a variety of shots and a few hard ciders he was beginning to regret walking to the bar rather than getting a ride. Standing up straight, Aster made the decision to ask Lee if he'd let him tag along when his girlfriend showed up to take him home. Taking another deep breath, Aster walked out of the bathroom and was nearly pushed over by a group of men entering the club.
Struggling to maintain balance, Aster noticed a small black rectangle on the ground. Picking it up he realized that one of the men had dropped their wallet. Aster jostled through the throng of people to reach the group. He shouted over the music, flipping the wallet open and scanning the I.D. "Hey, Trenton? You dropped your wallet!"
Simultaneously, the group of three men turned and stared at Aster like he'd just greeted the pope by first name. The man to his left, a tall and excessively muscled blonde, took a step forward but was stopped by the man in the middle. The expression on his angular face was that of amusement. He strolled up to Aster and took the wallet from him. He said thank you but the words were swallowed up by the cacophony of music and conversation. The men then disappeared into the crowd, heading toward the back of the club. Aster thought nothing of their dark suits and red ties, tonight was goth night and many people dressed up to gain attention.
Scanning the crowd of people while he made his way around the bar, Aster began to feel worried when he didn't see his friends Lee and Sean anywhere. Aster pushed the hair out of his eyes and looked around again, finding a door that led to an outside patio. Breathing out a sigh of relief, he struggled to make his way through the dance floor.
By the time he made it out the door, Aster's nerves were frazzled. He sucked in the cool late spring air and pulled out a carton of natural menthol cigarettes. It was a terrible habit and he was meaning to quit. Making his way around the scattered groups of darklings, Aster looked for his friends but it was in vain. Shaking his head, he made his way toward the edge of the patio where a small path led behind an adjoining building. Aster lit his cigarette and took a deep drawl, willing himself to sober up so he could at least make it home. Nearby, a woman started coughing downwind of Aster. Frowning, he moved along the path so that he was now behind the cinderblock building.
Secluded between the large building and a chain-link fence that overlooked a large vacant lot, Aster began to feel his jittering nerves calm somewhat. The nicotine helped. Leaning back against the wall, Aster looked up at the overcast night sky. The only sign of the waxing moon was a faint glow behind dense gray. Aster put the cigarette to his lips then paused when he heard a loud thud and then a grunt. Standing up straight, Aster wobbled on his feet then made his way further down the path, away from the club and toward where he heard the noise. Before he could walk out from behind the building and into the alcove, he heard a series of grunts and then laughter. The hair on the back of Aster's neck stood up and he considered what to do.
Peeking out from behind the wall, Aster saw three men. One was on the ground with his back to a garbage bin, curled into a ball. The other two, Aster held back a gasp, he recognized them as the men who came in with the guy who lost his wallet. The blonde muscle-jock was standing back, a look of satisfaction on his face, while his comrade went in to kick the downed man yet again.
"Stop!" The man on the ground cried as he wrapped his arms around his torso to protect himself.
"Aw, shut up Jerry. It's no use. We gave you time, and you spat in the boss' face. You know what's gonna happen soon as he gets here, right?" The blonde man's voice could barely be heard due to the sound pouring out of the club. Even this far away, no one would hear anything. He strolled over to the man and his partner backed up. Leaning down, the blonde pressed his index finger against the man's head, cocked his thumb back and pretended to shoot. "Pop. There goes Jerry."
The man began to sob as the blonde man stood and had a hearty laugh with his friend. Aster pulled back from the edge of the wall and quickly put out his half-finished cigarette. Stumbling back a few steps, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Before he could unlock the screen, it fell to the ground as he was pinned from behind by a strong body larger than his own. He struggled against the hold, but his right hand was pinned behind his back and the other was being pushed into the rough cement blocks of the wall. Panicking, Aster wondered if it would be any use crying for help.
"See anything interesting?" The deep voice that resonated in Aster's ear held a chuckle. Aster tried to kick his foot back, but his feet were easily knocked apart and he was pressed harder against the wall. "Stay still."
With his arm hopelessly pinned between their bodies, the stranger removed his hold on Aster's right wrist and began to feel around his waistband and down his leg. When his hand began to stroke the inside of Aster's thigh, he once again tried to break the hold but it was hopeless. The man then groped over the denim vest before shifting to do the same to the other side of Aster's body. He tutted when he found the small gas station pocket knife in his left pocket. Suddenly the pressure on his body released and Aster swayed backward only to be pushed further down the path. With his phone abandoned on the ground and his only defense taken, Aster began to sober at the realization of his situation. Now in the open, the two henchmen's eyebrows rose as he was pushed into the alcove which was filled with dumpsters and the usual city litter.
"We had a little bat hanging around. Listening." Aster's suspicions were confirmed when he was pushed toward one of the henchmen and he saw the face of the stranger. Trenton. He smiled at Aster as he slid a pistol out of a shoulder holster and turned his attention to the man on the ground. Now, his deep voice held maliciousness. "Hello Jerry."
**
