The Holiday Buzz

Hi Everyone,
Posting a holiday tale this month.  Hope you enjoy it.

He needed a drink.

Bad.  Or as the grammar Nazis would say, badly.  Either way, Hugh had to get out of the stuffy motel and find something to quench his thirst—a thirst growing stronger with each passing millisecond. Food would be nice, too. He doubted he’d find anything, it being Christmas Eve and all. Still, he had to try.

The first blast of Artic air almost made him reverse direction. “Damn, it’s cold.”

He’d chosen Florida for the warmth. The temperature shouldn’t be forty degrees, even in December. He didn’t do well with cold, only staying inside mean spending the most wonderful night of the year alone. And with an empty belly.

Not an option. The lure of a warm drink spiked with something even hotter made him brave the frigid night. With any luck, he might even find someone to share his cocktail.

Head down to keep the blinding frost out of his eyes, he almost missed her. She was short, her head probably wouldn’t even reach his shoulders, but cute as a lady bug. Her gaze met his, and for a brief moment, he forgot the chill, even forgot why he’d ventured out into the bitter weather. Something primitive and alluring froze him in place, affecting all his appendages in a way the cold never could.

Her eyes were wide, as if she too experienced the jolt. Only she recovered quicker. Her head turned away as she backed toward the doorway behind her.

Hugh glanced at the door. The entrance to a bar. Hallelujah. 

He smiled, about to offer to buy the lady a drink, only he noticed her body shivered. Probably not from the weather—she’d just come from a warm place. Hell fire, she was afraid. Of him.

“You all right, miss?” he asked, hoping to set her mind at ease, probably not possible given the situation.

“I…I was just getting a bit of air.  Going back inside now.”

Hugh suspected she’d planned to leave, but didn’t want to risk being alone on the street after encountering him.  Did he really look that formidable? “Don’t blame you.  Can’t be too careful these days.”

She met his gaze again, assessing him. Maybe pointing out the obvious had made him less threatening.

“Interesting accent,” she replied, with a hint of a drawl. “Where’s it from?”

He grinned, convinced his little lady—and he’d already started to think of her as his—had overcome her fear. “Proper English, miss.  I’m Hugh.”

She opened the door, holding it for him. “I’m Belle.”

“Nice ring to it.”

“Ugh.” Despite her pretense of revulsion at his bad pun, she laughed. A sound that pleased him. “Just when I decided you might be all right.”

They found a table. She ordered coffee, he requested the nectar of mankind—beer. After the drinks arrived, he downed the first glass and laughed his butt off when she spilled her coffee.

“You’re making her nervous,” the waiter said, working hard to hide a smile. Which made Hugh laugh harder. And was a precursor of things to come.

After an awesome night, they left shortly after last call. “Can I walk you home?  I promise I’ll be a gentleman.”

She nodded.

“Maybe we can do this again,” he ventured.

“That would be nice,” she replied.

Hugh decided he liked the word, nice.  He put an arm around her, just to give her some of his body heat, of course.

Together they walked into the cold, cold night. Life was good.

Something slammed into them. Hard. A death blow.

Hugh knew he had mere seconds. He pulled Belle into his arms, feeling her breath on his neck—ragged and forced. She'd been hit too. They were both going to die.

He kissed her hard, feeling wonderful as his essence drifted from his earthly form. Truly a wonderful Christmas, despite the whole dead on the sidewalk  thing.

The last thing he heard as the world faded to black was a human voice: “Damn mosquitoes. Should be too cold for ‘em.”

Wishing everyone the special moments that make the holiday exceptional.  And hoping you're the windshield instead of the bug. :)

Happy, happy holidays!