Once Upon A Full Moon

Nia sat in the backseat of her aunt's car as they drove through the unfamiliar town. The buildings looked old and rundown, and the streets were empty. She couldn't help but feel a little uneasy as they drove deeper into the unknown place.

Her aunt Diana, sensing her discomfort, tried to make small talk.

"So, how has university been treating you?" she asked with a smile.

Nia shifted in her seat, trying to find a comfortable position.

"It's been okay," she replied cautiously.

"It's just been a little difficult adjusting to the new environment and making friends."

"I'm sure you'll make friends in no time," Diana reassured her. "And I'm glad you decided to come and visit me while school is on vacation. I had thought you'd rather go to see your father. It is good you are here, we have a lot of catching up to do."

Nia smiled weakly, not sure if she was ready for the kind of catching up her aunt had in mind. They had always been close, but the last time they saw each other was at her mother's funeral five years ago. Since then, they had only spoken briefly on the phone or through text messages.

As they pulled up to Diana's small house, Nia was surprised at how cozy and inviting it looked. Her aunt had always been known for her hospitality and love of entertaining, and the outside of the house was decorated with colorful flowers and neatly trimmed hedges.

"Wow, Aunt Diana. Your house is beautiful," Nia exclaimed as she climbed out of the car.

Diana beamed with pride. "Thank you, sweetie. I've had a lot of time to work on it since retiring."

Nia followed her aunt inside, where she was greeted by the smell of fresh baked bread and cinnamon. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since the plane ride.

"Let me show you to your room, and then we can have some lunch," Diana said, leading Nia down the hallway.

Nia's room was small but cozy, with a twin-sized bed covered in a quilt patterned with bright flowers. An old-fashioned rocking chair sat in the corner next to a small wooden dresser. Nia smiled at the comfortable surroundings, grateful for a place to rest her head.

Nia and Diana were done eating. Nia tried to clear the table, and even before she could pull her aunt's plates towards hers and stack them up to take them to the kitchen for washing, Diana spoke.

“Please, leave it to me. You are to be treated like a princess throughout your stay her, dear.”

“No, there's no problem, aunt. I have no problem washing the dishes,” Nia said and Diana chuckled.

“I did not exactly say you had a problem. I just don't want you stressed,” she said with a smile and Nia smiled and sat back down.

“You know, you've never been to this town before, and I'd want to show you around. Would you like us to go for a walk? I promise you won't regret it,” Diana said to her niece.

Nia was tired, but she could see what her aunt was trying to do and she didn't want to waste her effort. She knew Diana was only trying to create an avenue for them to catch up and bond.

“I'd love to,” Nia said with a smile.

* * * * *

The sun was shining brightly, and a gentle breeze blew through the streets as they walked. Nia observed the town as they strolled along, noticing the quaint shops and friendly locals. She began to feel a sense of excitement inside her - this place was starting to feel like home.

As they were walking, Nia noticed a group of teenagers up ahead. Their clothes were mismatched, and they looked like they hadn't showered in days. They seemed to be involved in some sort of argument.

Diana noticed Nia's concern and whispered, "Don't worry about them, they're just the local troublemakers. We don't have much trouble around here, but every town has its share of bad apples."

Nia nodded, but continued to watch them out of the corner of her eye. Something about them made her uneasy. She had never lived in such a place. Her father was a very wealthy man, and they lived in a neighborhood where the kind of people she was staring at weren't privileged to live, so she was scared to see such people on the street where she walked.

Diana had decided to show her niece the beautiful places around the town since Nia had never been to this part of the town before. They walked, holding hands, and making memories. Nia was fascinated by the scenery and the buildings, she was enjoying every bit of the walk, just like her aunt was.

As they walked down the street, they came across Diana's old friend Sarah. Diana was excited about the encounter and quickly dashed towards Sarah to catch up on old times. She asked Nia to wait for her a little further down the street, where she could keep strolling and enjoy the beauty of the town. Nia obediently agreed and continued down the street alone.

Nia was strolling down the street when suddenly, she found herself in a corner where she was surrounded by three menacing-looking hoodlums. She was lost, staring at the art on the walls and she didn't really know when she traced the artwork into such a dangerous corner of the street.

Her eyes widened, and she gulped. She saw that they had form a triangle around her by encircling her.

“I- I- I wandered off in-into this place. I didn't mean to umm...come here. I think I may have lost my way. Sorry, I'll take my leave now,” Nia said with a low voice. Her voice was shaking.

She turned around, trying to walk back into the main street, but one of the three boys blocked her path. He chuckled in her face, and Nia trembled.

“Pretty, you're going nowhere,” he whispered into Nia's face and Nia gulped. He traced Nia's cheek with his fingers and Nia closed her eyes.

“There are just a lot of things we need you to do for us before you leave,” he said, and Nia's thought ran wild, wondering what he meant by what he had just said.

“We need you phone, your purse, you beautiful necklace, and some of the other things that's going to be useful to us,” he said and Nia gulped.

They asked for her valuables, money, and accessories. She was appalled and shocked, never in her wildest dreams had she imagined herself in such a vulnerable state.

The hoodlums were determined to take everything from her.

“Please...take everything you need, just don't hurt me. I beg you,” Nia pleaded with tears in her eyes.

As they tried to take her things, Nia suddenly heard a strong male voice coming from behind her.

“Let go of her!” the voice called out to the hoodlums.

Nia turned around to see a striking young man standing behind her, with a stern look on his face. The young man was dressed in black jeans and a black jacket. She had never seen him before, he was a total stranger.

“Who are you?” one out of the three boys asked the young man who just gave them a command to leave Nia alone.

Nia wondered why he wasn't shaking just like she was in the presence of the hoodlums. He spoke with such authority and Nia could only wonder why he was so bold.

“Who I am is not your problem. I don't have a problem with you all. All I'm asking is you leave the girl alone. If you can do that, I'll turn around and walk away,” he said to them, and they all chuckled.

The hoodlums rushed towards the young man to rob him too, but he fought them off with brute strength, so powerful that Nia found herself begging him to stop attacking them.

“Please, stop hurting them! That's enough, please,” Nia pleaded with him.

He collected her things from the hoodlums and returned them to her. Nia could not help but stare at him, lost in his piercing blue eyes, and the way he carried himself.

“You need to be careful when walking around the corners of the street,”

Her heart fluttered, and she felt herself beginning to admire him.

“Thank you,” Nia said to him, he eyes still list in his blue eyes.

“My name is Nia. I'm kinda new around here, and I don't really know where is safe and where not.”

“I understand. But you should ask around before taking a walk to random places in this town. We live in a dangerous world,” he said to her in a calm but strong voice.

Nia was expecting him to introduce himself or tell her his name, but he didn't. He just walked away after the hoodlums picked themselves up from the floor and ran away. He left Nia standing there...

Nia was left stunned; she had never encountered someone so brave and selfless before. As she continued her journey down the street, she couldn't help but think of the young man, hoping to see him again soon.

When Diana met up with Nia, she noticed the change in her demeanor. She could sense that something extraordinary had happened while they were apart. Nia couldn't help but share her experience with her aunt, explaining everything that had occurred with the hoodlums and how the young man had saved her from them.

Diana was impressed with the young man's bravado and was proud of her niece for having the courage to stay safe. She encouraged Nia to always stay alert, especially when walking down the street alone.

Nia looked back at the spot where the young man had rescued her, and she felt her heart racing. She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever see him again.

As they walked back home, Nia's heart was filled with awe and admiration for the stranger who'd saved her from those hoodlums.

With thoughts about the young man occupying her mind, Nia felt a sense of hope to see him again in the future. She felt different, happier, yet frustrated at the same time. She knew that she would never forget the young man who had saved her life from those hoodlums.