Creative Writing - Reckless Abandon

***Copyright 2013, Jessica Wolfe Reifsnyder***

NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Round #2. As with the first challenge, we had 48 hours, a 1,000 word limit, and had to write based on prompts. The assignment for my group this round: [Genre] Romantic Comedy [Location] At the Zoo [Object] A Traffic Light. Brief synopsis: Breaking free from the constraints of a tedious and lonely existence, one girl takes a chance, discovering a blossoming new love and lighting the way to a new life.

"Reckless Abandon"

     Nothing exciting ever happened at the zoo. You might not think it, but when you're there day in and day out, it gets rather boring. Aurora sighed, trying to endure the noisy crowd and obnoxious company of better-than-you bitches she was stuck with. She glanced disinterestedly at the official looking tour guide, or zoologist, or some important Who-Knows-Who talking to a group of kids about the zoo's latest efforts to facilitate the animals' natural population growth or some such thing. She wandered from the edge of the group. She got so tired of the frigid attitudes. She was tired of feeling so unwanted, so alone and invisible even when surrounded by so many people. She stared at a traffic light just outside the zoo gates; watched it change over and over again. This is my life, she thought. Mundane, unimportant, loveless.

     Unfamiliar movement caught her eye. She looked over to see a wall bordering a new space she hadn't noticed before. She craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse beyond it. Now this was interesting! Standing on the edge of a rock, Aurora was able to see a few guys wandering around on the other side. Most of them were not bad looking at all. One of the less-than-handsome blokes caught her eye, though. He sported freakishly erratic hair and a nasty scar across his wide face. He seemed intimidating and amusingly puckish all at once. He looks like a mad scientist! A chuckle crawled up her throat and she quickly glanced behind her at the girls who were busy being cool and spilling drivel from their jabbering mouths. They hadn't even noticed she'd broken off from the group. Rolling her eyes, she turned back toward this bit of welcome diversion. Oh, shit! She hopped down quickly. She had every intention of running away like a little school girl, but her foot slipped and she fell on her ass. Ouch! Knowing she had no chance of getting away quickly enough, she just sat there, trying to breathe, trying desperately to look believably nonchalant.

      "Hey," Mr. Scar Face said, leaning coolly against the wall she'd apparently not-so-subtly been peering over. His arms actually glistened in the sunlight. She felt heat flood through her as she took in the sight of him in this closer proximity. Damn! He's chiseled like a freaking ice sculpture! "Uh, hi" was all she could manage. She could smell him. A thick, musky smell. Without thinking, she inhaled deeply; nostrils flared, eyes closed. Realizing what she'd just done, blood rushed to her head. Oh my god. . . If he noticed, he was gentleman enough to ignore her marish behavior. Her stomach fluttered and clenched, though not an altogether uncomfortable feeling. She glanced up shyly, but felt overwhelmed and her gaze fell quickly. He nodded over toward the group who had begun watching curiously. "You with them?" They were slowly edging closer. Probably drawn by the strong magnetic force of pure, animal attraction, she supposed. Geez, what is WRONG with me!? He certainly wasn't suave enough to be appealing to most of them, but his body was that of a god! "I guess," she said. "I mean, I came here with them, but. . ." she shrugged "I'm not really one of them." He nodded. She sensed he knew the feeling. She was conscious of every breath, every cough and random noise as silence seemed to settle around them. "Hey," he said abruptly, "let's give 'em something to really talk about!" He winked, his eyes twinkling with mischief. She thought they looked as though they held the North Star in them. A devilish grin spread across his face. She stared. Delicious!

      Aurora shook her head as if to clear her mind; obviously, there were cobwebs making a delirious mess of it. He was an absolute stranger and here she was all twitterpated, letting herself get swept away by a deep voice and strangely attractive face. He gestured for her to come over and it was all she could do to not drool. It was not just attraction she was feeling, though, and she couldn't understand it. Why did she feel as though she knew him; had always known him? A sudden laugh broke forth and before she could change her mind, she bounded to the wall, scaling it. She dropped to the other side, breathless with excitement. Standing so close to him that she could feel the heat from his body, she thought frantically, this is so reckless! Yet she felt safer than she ever had before. She looked back at her group who were now stunned and outright staring. She'd always felt so out of place with them. And here, with this stranger, she somehow felt like herself. Not self-conscious, not invisible; not even scared. And she didn’t even care what the others thought! Somehow she felt an unexplainable trust and a certainty that this was just. . .right!

       Feeling braver and more alive than ever, she looked up at him with enamored abandon. "I'm Aurora," she said.

       A brilliant smile lit his face. "Borealis," he said. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

***

      Outside the Polar Bear enclosure, zoo officials and an excited crowd of onlookers watched with bated breath, eager to see if the recent acquisition would, in fact, be a success and result in a new addition to their species and exhibit. It was looking promising!