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"This is the place." I turn to Barbi.
"I feel like there's something special about it?" She looks at me curiously.
"This is where my parents had their first date," I explain. "It's where they fell in love."
"That's so sweet. Let's go in." Barbi smiles and squeezes my hand.
The restaurant's dim lighting creates a warm and cozy atmosphere, enveloping us in an intimate cocoon. Soft music plays in the background, adding to the romantic ambiance. We sit down at a table by the window while the aroma of mouth-watering dishes wafts through the air, teasing our senses. We order a bottle of wine, and Barbi's lips part slightly. She lets out a contented sigh as she tastes the first sip. As we eat, we talk and laugh, sharing more stories from our youth.
I open up to Barbi in a way I never have with any other person.
We share stories, hopes, and dreams. We laugh and tease.
"Tonight's been amazing.” Barbi smiles at me. “The shows. Winning at roulette. That crazy party. The Elvis impersonator and that corny wedding.”
“What would you have done if it was real?”
“Wow, now that would’ve been weird—and awkward. Even karaoke was fun. Although, I don't know what to do with this." She holds up the fake wedding band we got at the Elvis wedding. "It's kind of funny, don't you think?"
She still has it? But then, I still have mine.
"Yeah, the whole group wedding was hilarious. And when the elderly couple joined and then the lesbian bikers?” I shake my head. It’s been an incredible night.
Tonight's been effortless with Barbi. The energy between us just flows. It's impossible to hide the smile on my face.
As I place a few bills on the table to pay the check, that niggling sense we’re being watched returns. We step outside and stand for a moment on the sidewalk while I scan our surroundings. Instinctively, I pull Barbi close.
Screeching tires shatter the silence assaulting our ears. The acrid scent of burning rubber mingles with the pungent exhaust, creating a cloud of noxious fumes that engulfs us. Suddenly, a black van swerves to a stop beside us.
In a blur of motion, five men in black ski masks leap out, their eyes fixed on us. Fueled by my protective instincts, I push Barbi behind me, positioning myself as a shield between her and impending danger. I stand my ground, my body tense and ready to fight off the imminent threat.
Time hangs in suspended animation as my mind races, analyzing the situation and calculating my next move. Every fiber of my being screams to protect Barbi at all costs.
I lunge at one of the men, the one trying to grab Barbi, but I’m outnumbered and separated from her by the others. She cries out as she’s lifted into the air, carried kicking and screaming into the back of the van.
I move quickly, dropping into a defensive stance. “Let her go!” I shout at the men. I can't take them all on at once, but I have to try. I won’t let them take her without a fight.
The men laugh, taunting me with accents that send a shiver down my spine. Despite the odds, I throw a punch at the nearest attacker, but he dodges and counters with a quick kick to my gut. I stagger back, gasping for breath, but I won’t give up.
They surround me, trying to unnerve me, but I don’t scare easily. One of them lunges at me, trying to grapple with me. I flip that bastard over my shoulder, and he lands on the cement sidewalk with a thud. I kick him in the gut to keep him down.
The fight turns brutal and chaotic, with bodies crashing and fists flying in every direction. The smell of sweat and blood coats my tongue with a foul coppery tang.
I use my skills to fend off the men, dodging and weaving as they try to take me down, but they’re too quick, too coordinated, and even with all my training, I’m outnumbered, and the odds are against me.
I land a few blows, but it’s not enough. They move in, their fists and feet raining down holy terror on me in a coordinated attack. Sharp pain makes me suck in a breath as one of them lands a punch to my solar plexus. I stumble as another lands a roundhouse kick to my back. They follow that with an uppercut to my jaw that leaves me reeling.
Spots fill my vision. The pain is excruciating as they pummel me with fists and feet. I try to fight back, but there are too many, skilled in offensive fighting, and I’m just one man.
As the fight intensifies, one of my attackers pulls out a taser. My heart sinks as I recognize the deadly weapon, but it’s too late to dodge. Searing pain shoots through me as the electric current courses through my body. I fall to the ground, my muscles locked in agony, helpless.
The men close in, grinning triumphantly as they prepare to take me away.
I try to get up, but the men are relentless. Two of them hold me down, while the others kick me. Blood fills my mouth, and my vision blurs, but I refuse to give up. I lash out with all I’ve got. My fists connect with the attackers faces. Bones crack. Teeth shatter.
Battered and bruised, I keep trying to get to my feet, but they taser me again. Another electric shock rips through me, causing me to convulse and gasp for air. They laugh at my convulsions, kicking me in the head and stomach until I'm too weak to move.
My mind is a blur of pain, and my consciousness tries to slip away. I’m losing the battle, but I can't let them win. I can't let them take Barbi. I push through the pain, fighting with every ounce of strength I have left, but my body gives out after a third taser strike.