Alisa Madison: No Turning Back Now

The city of Los Angeles was bursting with energy. It didn’t matter if the light was fading or the wind came up. Or the fact that it was late Sunday night. There was always people out. Catching up, meeting new people, working, partying…

The only person that didn’t notice was Ally.

Her thin hands quickly shaped the clay, molding its nooks and crevices with the slightest pressure of her fingers. On the surface, it looked simple. It was a vase. An empty vessel. And a slightly crooked one at that. But when it was done, when she was finished with the glaze and brushstrokes, it would be a work of art. Perfection is beauty but imperfections makes each ceramic unique if not even more beautiful and special.

Even though the shop had been closed for a few hours, Ally still continued to work. Only when she was alone like this did she relaxed. The only thing you can hear is the soft whirl of the pottery wheel and the light tap of her foot in a steady rhythm. Tap…Tap…Tap…The clay turned, waiting to be created into something beautiful. This was the beauty of art; that something ugly and worthless can slowly with time and work become an exquisite work of art.

“Are you still here?”

Without looking up, the corners of her lips curved into a smile. “I thought you said I can stay as long as I wanted. That’s why you gave me the key.”

“Yes, but I didn’t expect you to stay here 24/7.” Sara stood over her shoulder and tapped her watch. “Weren’t you supposed to pick your mom up from the airport?”

Her head snapped up at her reminder. “Oh, shit.” She frantically started wiping her hands on a towel. “I completely forgot. Is the bus gone?” Ever since she moved to Los Angeles, her mom’s been calling everyday to check on her. To reassure her, Ally invited her up for the weekend to show her around town. Although she never voiced her thoughts, she knew that her mom would pounce on anything to bring her back to Rolinda.

And picking her late from the airport would be a perfect excuse to show how LA’s made her irresponsible.

Sara shook her head and held out her keys. “It’s been gone. Why don’t you borrow my car? You can return it to me tomorrow.”

Holding out her hand, Sara dropped the keys on her palm. “But how will you get home?”

“I have a date coming to pick me up. After all, someone has to have a life around here.”

Slipping her jacket on, Ally picked up her bag and started toward the door. “Dutily noted. I’ll be sure to fill it with gas tomorrow!” Giving her boss one last wave, she pulled the black scrunchie out of her hair and shoved it into her pocket. Threading her fingers through the dark locks, she walked around to the back where Sara usually parked her car. If she hurried, she would be able to catch her mom just as she arrived. Hopefully the flight would have been delayed, giving her some time to stop by the restroom and fix her appearance. Even though her khaki shirt and white blouse was still immaculate, it didn’t hurt to make sure.

So intent on getting to the car, she didn’t notice the dark figure following her until it was too late. Just as Ally was about to unlock the door, a shiver rand down her back just as someone knocked into her from behind. Hitting the ground, her hands hit the pavement as the keys flew out of her hand to land underneath the car.

Before she could turn around or even react, Ally felt something sharp painfully pierce her right shoulder. Crying out in pain, she jerked away as hard as she could, feeling her shirt and skin tear open.

Quickly turning around, she bit back another scream as a hulking figure staggered toward her. Even though his features were covered by long hair, his teeth glittered in the moonlight with blood, her blood. When he lunged toward her again, she instinctively held her arms up to cover her face. Still stumbling back, Ally struggled to pull her wallet out of her pocket and threw it at him, hoping to distract him as she raced toward the car.

“Oh God, please…fuck!” She groaned in distress as she discovered it was locked. Where were the…what had she done with the damn keys? “Someone help me! Sara!”

He batted the puny missile out of the air and advanced toward her again in an alarmingly fast pace and knocked her to the ground.

Coughing in the dirt, Ally spotted something shiny beneath the car. As she quinted her eyes, she realized it was the keys. Thanking God that she was skinny, she quickly crawled beneath the car, barely feeling the nails that scratched her legs when he tried to pull her out. Grabbing her keys with her left hand, she frantically wiped at the tears on her face. Feeling a sting in her hand, Ally looked down and saw a small pointy tip of a blade. As she pried it open, she realized it was a small pocket knife that hung from Sara’s key chain.

Silence filled the air. She held her breath as she curled her legs to her chest, forming a tight ball. Her heart pounded in her ears she waited for him to pounce.

For a split second, it was as though everything moved in slow motion as a hand suddenly shot out to grab her. Acting instinctively, Ally lashed out with the blade. A loud inhuman shriek filled the air, causing her to drop the knife to cover her ears. After what felt like hours, it finally stopped as a loud crash sounded in the distance.

Waiting for a moment, she slowly stretched out as she looked in all directions but didn’t see any sign of that…creature. Feeling light headed, Ally was only able to crawl out from beneath the car a few feet before collapsing as the world faded into darkness.

#


“Ally…Ally.”

She turned her head toward the voice calling her name. Opening her eyes for a split second, Ally quickly shut it as the bright light nearly blinded her. She raised her hand, even though it ached to do so, and covered her eyes. Only then did she open them again.

“Ally, oh thank God.” Her mom gathered her in her arms, drenching her shoulder with tears.

“What’s…what’s going on? Where am I?”

Her mom wiped her forehead with a cloth. “You’re at Good Samaritan Hospital honey. You were mugged behind that pottery store. Luckily a passing stranger saw you lying on the ground and called the police. Sara called to tell me and I came straight here.”

“Mugged?” She shook her head. That couldn’t be right. That…that thing. Even though it looked like a beggar, Ally knew that it was no beggar. It was…she wasn’t sure what it was but she was sure it wasn’t even human. But that only raised the question…what was it?

Mom pressed a cup of water into her hand. “Drink this. The doctor will be back soon. Luckily the mugger must have gotten spooked by something or your injuries could have been much more than scrapes and bruises. The nurse said he must have had a dog with him as she found several bite marks on your arms.”

She drowned out her mother’s voice as her brown eyes dropped to her arms. There were bandages that covered up with she knew were deep teeth marks. She could still feel them sting, especially the one on her right shoulder.

“…too dangerous. I’ve already told Sara you’ll be coming home with me. Tomorrow we can call the airport and-”

Ally slowly pulled away from her before responding, “No Mom, I…I can’t. I don’t think I can go back.”

“But…why?”

Yes, why indeed?

Here she was, turning her back on her family, their offer to help and for what? For something she didn’t know or understand.

Even though she had no explanation for it, the words came out before she could stop it. “I’m staying here. This is where I belong.”

It wasn’t until she spoke those words did she realize that she meant what she said. Despite the fact that she was alone, or the fact that she didn’t know what to do with her life, or even the fact that she had gotten attacked by some sort of monster, Ally could feel that she did belong here. For some strange reason, this was where her heart was. This was home. At least for now.