A Night On the Town
by Eric Grizzle

Derek met Venice on the internet. A junior at the University of Washington, he often found solace from the academic world on a musical group's BBS, where he would spend long hours posting and replying to threads of all nature. She
caught his eye because of a similar interest in writing fiction. Wonderful, detailed works spilled from her lips effortless and danced across the glowing monitor. And she would accent her work with her signature picture of a beautiful, blond girl with sad eyes.

"I'm coming to visit relatives in Auburn for the holidays," she typed. The words seemed like a mirage and he paused, watching his cursor blink, waiting for a response.

"I'll be away from the UW but at my parent's house in Renton for the holidays. Would you like to meet? I can come pick you up." He held his breath for what seemed like an eternity.

"That would be great. Getting away from this Minnesota winter will be awesome. I'm freezing my ass off! LOL."

He pressed the Honda Accord up to 70, riding the carpool lane of I-5 north. She would be seeing the Seattle skyline shortly. The night sped by outside while familiar pounding music erupted from the car speakers. They had fallen
in like old high school buddies.

"This area is so beautiful. The people are so friendly and the trees! The trees are everywhere and so green." She beamed with genuine happiness. Derek smiled and checked the rearview mirror.

"It's so nice to finally see you in person, Venice. You are more than I imagined in real life." He looked at her seriously and she began to laugh. A smile broke out on his face. He couldn't help himself.

"Where are we going exactly?"

"Well, it is a little late to really do anything tonight, especially since it is so close to Christmas. I just want you to see a little of Seattle." They broke the crest of a gentle hill and the lights of the city caressed the interior of the car. He heard her gasp.

They entered the city limits a short time later and Derek slowed to take the exit that brought them around Safeco field, the new home of the Seattle Mariners. She delightfully took pictures of the gray stadium with the retractable roof. They drove past Pioneer Square and went down towards the Washington State Ferry Terminals on cold Puget Sound.

"This part of the city is beautiful. You have the ocean water of the Sound and then behind you, the city rises up. You'll see." The Accord drove along side the Alaskan Viaduct to the east and the piers and ferry terminals on the west.

"Hey, isn't that like the road that crashed during the last big San Francisco earthquake? The one that had the two levels and one fell down and crushed all the cars beneath?"

"What? The Viaduct? Yeah, I don't like to drive on it. But we'll park under it." Derek smiled evilly.

"Huh?"

"All the parking is located underneath this structure."

Venice looked underneath the Viaduct and watched as darkened storefronts passed by. Occasional orange lamps cast dirty shadows along the length of the street.

"Is it safe? I mean, being down here at night?"

"Sure," he laughed. "I guess so. I've parked down here a few times with friends and walked around at night. Do you not want me to?"

Venice bit her lip thoughtfully for a moment. "Whatever you want to do is fine with me. I trust you."

Derek turned right and brought the car underneath the Alaskan Viaduct. There was plenty of parking places all along the road. To the east, the city rose up in steps at each avenue, climbing up towards the northwest night sky. Finding a spot adjacent a closed-for-the-evening Godfather's Pizza, he pulled the key from the ignition and stepped out. Venice met him at the hood and looked around.

"Are you scared?" Derek asked.

"No," she responded.

"Good. Just watch out for the street people," he winked playfully. As if on cue, she spied someone peer out of the shadows a block away. She shivered and grabbed his hand.

He took her up to First Avenue and they walked along the brightly-lit shops, alternating in taste from gourmet coffeehouses and gift stores to bars and XXX theatres. The flashing neon across the street announced Deja Vu strip
club- 50 beautiful girls and 3 ugly ones. Holding hands, they passed the cobblestone drive leading to the Pike Place Market, a tourist favorite consisting of the fish throwing spectacle featured in a Levi's television ad. The reddish-orange light buzzed faintly and as Venice took pictures of it. The wind began to pick up slightly, carrying the scent of ocean salt and fish.

"Are you cold?" Derek asked as a shiver ran through her body.

"No, I'm all right," she answered, staring back across First Avenue. Derek turned around and scanned the street. A few cars moved along the different avenues, like hot wheels on a child's play set. Trash began to blow off the street and collect leaves as it spiraled up at the towering skyscrapers clawing the night. He didn't see anyone along the street.

"Let's go back to the car now."

She nodded, taking his warm hand in hers. Derek felt a spark at her touch and knew she felt it too. She was different from all the other girls. Beautiful and so mysterious, innocent.

They walked back down the way they came, passing closed shops and abandoned storefronts. The sidewalks were empty. Only two cars drove by, both speeding as if to evacuate this portion of town. Making the final turn, they began
back towards where the car lay underneath the dirty shadows of the Alaskan Viaduct.

"Excuse me," a tattered voice came from a stairwell.

Venice stifled a scream but Derek felt her grip his hand tightly. He jumped a little as the grizzled old man stepped into the glow of a sodium lamp.

"Are you visitors?" he asked, his eyes set deep within a weatherworn face. He wore old jeans with holes worn into them and he had on a dirty green flannel, his beard streaked with strands of silver.

"We don't have any money," Derek spat, staring at the old man. The street man turned his gaze to Venice and his eyes widened in surprise and then shined with delight.

"You are a visitor. Yes, I do believe you are," he cackled, breaking into an uncontrolled cough. "How do ye be liking our fair city, miss? Isn't it beautiful?"

"I said that we don't have any money," Derek repeated, his voice barely concealing distaste and hatred.

"I don't wish for any money, sir. I just want to be courteous and welcome your visitor."

Venice looked over at Derek, a little uncertain what to think, feeling a strong emotion awaken deep within. Derek held Venice's gaze and then turned back to the old man.

"We will be leaving now," he announced.

"William is my name," the street man announced holding out his hand in a friendly gesture. His ancient face was smiling gleefully, showing his missing teeth.

"I said.."

"What's your name, sir?"

"Derek..." Venice began, her voice trembling slightly.

"I just want to..."

Derek grabbed the old man by the index finger and pulled, feeling the bone clearly break in the damp winter air. At the same time, his boot rose up and connected with the street person's kneecap, splintering easily beneath his steel toe. William dropped to the ground without crying out. He still had that gleeful look, spreading wider like a jack-o-lantern.

"Venice, let's..." Derek began. She stood over the old man; the sad eyes had hardened like twin orbs of flint.

"Fuck you, William," she said, lashing out with a swelling viciousness, swinging both arms. The man began to chuckle again, offering no resistance. Derek began to pound and kick the man relentlessly too. The sounds of wet flesh echoed off the concrete.

Derek and Venice leaned over the pier railing, blood-streaked, watching the water slosh against the dock below. The waterfront was empty of spirits except for the cutting wind blowing in from the ocean.

"That was beautiful," Venice said.

Derek watched a ferry trudge away in the distance, the lights of Alki point twinkling across the Sound.

"Was that your first time?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"It gets easier, you know?" she smiled a little, ivory in the flash of night and crimson.

"Yeah."

"Seattle is so awesome, Derek. God, I love it here." She sighed and placed her head upon his shoulder. He stiffened slightly as he felt an icy hand slip into the front of his Levis and grip his hard cock.

"I want you to fuck me." she whispered, licking the curve of his ear.

A gull fluttered from a masthead nearby, crying into the bitter night.

©2000-2001 Eric Grizzle