The Stranger

Of the Night

He threw on his coat as he walked out the door. With his hat on he took a look at the morning, the grass was covered in small condensation, his small piece of the neighborhood was covered in a smokey fog. The air smelt fresh and thick, as if it might choke you. It was a weird cold humidity, he raised the collar of his coat and walked off to his car.

As he drove through the thick haze up towards the university, he couldn't help but feel paranoid. The air was so thick, the lights from the night were still glowing not really showing anything, but rather it tainted the sky with grim orange hues. The street he took home stretched out in front of him the orange floating lights lit up all in front of him, where the fog broke momentarily revealing the gothic structure of the library standing erect over the lights and fog, creating a grim feeling.
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Pulling into parking spot, the black challenger rumbled idling by. The exhaust vapor floating around intermixing with the fog, the window was rolled down showcasing the silhouette of a man with a protruding chin, emphasized by his hat, he lit a cigarette sitting in his car looking really smooth, you wouldn't think he was a chemistry professor.
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He looked around, taking a pull from his cigarette, he couldn't believe that no one was at work yet. He checked his watch, *5:35.* He shrugged, rolled up the window and made his to class. As he walked through the campus, he couldn't help but admire how much the campus felt like it belonged exactly where it was.

He walked inside his building, when approaching the door he noticed above him stood a hanging light. It was very colonial the whole feeling, the fog only made it more pleasant.

Making his way to his office, he began setting everything up for class. By the time he knew it his watch read *7:58*. He paused and took it in, only two minutes before class and he couldn't hear anything.

Usually you can hear people walking through the halls, the courtyard was right outside and every morning students always end up in groups studying over the steam of coffee.

He walked outside, there was nobody, the lights weren't even on. He rushed to the door and looked outside, nobody.

The anxiety that built up, came rushing forward. He took a deep breath making sure it reaches down in his stomach and back up to his chest. There had to be a logical reason, so he held back against the voices in his ear telling him to run, to find somebody and beg them for information, better yet, hug them and bask in the fact that he wasnt alone. But he held it all back, leaving all his work he made his way back to the parking lot, which was empty.

It was still foggy outside, weird, he thought how rare was something like this? He got back in his car and went through the list in his mind. The library was probably closed, the security was probably minimum or focused on the dorms, the gas station, no matter what or when you always knew you can find a gas station.

He slammed on the gas and drove down the hill to the closest gas station, hoping to see another human being on his way.
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### The Night Before

Aubrey felt so happy to be out of the house. The fact that she wasn't supposed to be out made it feel even more exhilarating. Like as if behind every corner lay a police officer ready to take her back to her mom. Instead of being scared, she felt so ecstatic, like as if we were on a rollercoaster.

We sped through town searching for the perfect spot, near the university was a road that took you up the ridge to a trail point. That was the usual spot, when park rangers weren't parked it was the perfect spot in town.

Joseph pulled the car to a stop, outside the front windshield, the lights of town glowed below. The trees added a filter which made all the lights look soft and warm. If you didnt have keen eyes, you couldn't see where the mountains and the night sky touch. The lights didnt interfere with the shine of the stars, above them stood a picture perfect look of the small piece of universe we had the pleasure of seeing.

Everyone lumbered out, jumping atop the hood of the car. Thankfully Joseph drove a Ford Thunderbird, so the front end was large enough to fit us comfortably as we enjoyed the warmth of the engine as we tried to withstand the cool breeze.

Catherine, pulled out a blunt and lit up. Her puffs were clean, her experience with the herb was apparent through the clear blow of the smoke. No coughing from her. Once it was lit she passed it down to Samantha.

They all stared at me as I took pulled from the smelly blunt. I blew out, despite my best efforts I couldn't hold back the racking coughs that came from my inexperience. Everyone began busting out in laughter at my inexperience.

"Aubrey honey, when are you going to learn? We've been doing this for months." She said slouching on Joseph.

"I try I swear!" She said giggling and looking towards Joseph who was looking right at her. She noticed a twinkle come across his eyes, as if he was saying *you know what I mean* she was infatuated. Before she blushed she turned around acting like she was coughing in her shirt.

She tried to focus, but everything was shifting. At that moment she knew that this was going to be a rough night.

The blunt didnt give out until round 3, by then we were all good and high. She felt the world spinning every time she closed her eyes, she even began rotating around like a cartoon character.

She tried to focus on the horizon, she saw everything with such clarity. How could she see better high then sober, she wondered to herself. She tried to look around and make sure they hadn't left, oh shit the car, fuck we are on the car. Her mind was gone.

She saw Joseph, feeling no inhibitions she moved drunkenly towards him giggling and laughing. He saw what she was doing, a giant smirk covered his face. Good to know he feels the same. She landed in his lap and twisted around looking him in the eyes.

He smiled at her playfully tossing her hair. They didn't notice Catherine, or Samantha. Both were equally out of their minds, simply trying to gain control over their focus. He smiled and laughed, she made him feel so good, so exciting and pleasurable to be with someone new. He felt stifled in his relationship with Catherine, but he knew there was nothing better then her out there, or else why would he be cheating on her? He didnt care anymore. It eachoed in his head as he caressed Aubrey, enjoying her thick lips and thin eyes, she had full jet black hair, with bronze skin. When she spoke, he could always make out that little accent in the back of her throat. She spoke flawless Spanish and her English was perfect as far as he could tell. It turned him on thinking about it.

"Speak, I want to hear your voice." He said breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

"Yeah, what do you want me to say?" Aubrey said getting on her elbows facing him one on one.

Aubrey gained control over her giggling enough to realize they weren't alone. She looked around frantically, but to her surprise it was just them two. As much as she wanted to not say anything she couldn't help but be worried about where they went.

"Joseph, where did the girls go?" She said looking around paranoid about the feeling of the night.

"Shit, I don't know" he said looking around just as concerned as she was, he jumped down and began jogging around looking for any sign of them.