Grab Hold of Their Sweethearts

The red velvet lounge was Gaius favorite place on the station. A large expansive dinner decorated in the classic 1950s style. An era that was designed for space exploration without having any space to explore. The floor-to-ceiling window looked out into the stars adding an extra "whoa" factor to the whole place. And of course, the velvet, gorgeous red velvet, covered every seat. Gaius always walked into the lounge with enough confidence to make a Meclare Bull Troll take a second look. Today was no different, adorned in all black Gaius was a striking figure against the red backdrop. It took him only a second to find her, the women in the black dress. She sat in one of the corner booths slowly sipping coffee through bright red lips. Her black hair glinted against the faint starlight as Gaius sat himself down across from her. "You're late" she whispered. "Is that it?" Gaius responded with just a twinge of annoyance. After a moment, she said with concern, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine sweetheart. They didn't give me too much trouble just a few scratches." A solemn silence followed as the young couple stared at the stars. "How's your mother, honey?" Gaius asked as he took her hand. "She…" the women choked.

"She's taken a turn for the worst. The doctors…The doctors say…" tears were falling down her face now.

"Oh, sweetheart" Gaius said as he slid over to his wife's side of the table. As he put his arm around her he spoke softly "I'm so sorry honey, I'm so sorry." She buried her head in her husband's shoulder and said with a whimper:

"Those thugs, why couldn't they just leave an old woman alone? I…They showed me the video and…and they just kept beating her over and over." Gaius' voice was gentle as he spoke "Sweetheart. I'm so sorry you had to see that." He kissed her forehead as he gently stroked her hair until her tears subsided.

"Aldatma isn't safe for us anymore. I…I still have family over there. I'm not sure what will happen once…" her voice was still shaky as she spoke.

"I know sweetheart. Hey, listen, you know we have been saving to move them for a while. It will be ok, I promise it will be ok. For now though honey just look at the stars. You know what your mother says, stars have no memory." And that's how they remind for awhile: cuddled up by the window and staring at the stars. Thinking of the terrible past, and wishing for a place with no memory. The stars brought the young lovers far away from the diner, and for a moment they were free. She eventually looked at Gaius, as the starlight danced off her pale skin he could swear she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. "Honey" she whispered gently. "I don't know how I would have made it without you." As the couple kissed under the starlight, Gaius listened to the light jazz playing from the bar. He thought absentmindedly that perhaps this was the most perfect moment in his life.

The laughter of a small child from the booth across from them broke their passionate moment. The young Terralian was laughing at his younger brother, who appeared to have a mustache made of milkshake. The light foam nicely contrasted against his blue skin. The boy's father was trying to stomach laughter himself, while the mother awkwardly reached across the table to clean the boy. Against the red background the whole scene was out of those old 1950s science fiction comics Gaius was so fond of. "Think that will be us one day?" asked Gaius. "I hope so. I really do. I think you'll be a great dad." Gaius chuckled gently; "I do too."

"I'm hungry," she said. A little fun was coming back to her voice, and a twinkle had returned to her eye. Gaius winced, "Here? On a space station?"

"Yeah, why not?" A dangerous playfulness had entered her voice. "Where will they go?" The excitement was starting to fill Gaius's eyes. "Yeah, yeah I'm with you. Want to take the lead?" They could never resist a little melodrama. That was all the encouragement she needed; the lady in the black dress quickly jumped onto the table. "ATTENTION ATTENTION" she yelled into the diner barely containing her anticipation. "Sweetheart," she said as she offered a hand and helped her husband onto the table. "What do you think this crowd should do tonight?"

Gaius gave the now enthralled audience his winning smile. "I think this wonderful group should smile their biggest smiles. I think they should dance all night long." He put his hands on his wife's hips and spun her towards him. She winked at him through long eyelashes. She turned to the crowd and said through a smile full of pearly white teeth "But most importantly, they should grab hold of their sweethearts."

That was about how much the couple could take. Gaius watched with a smiled as his wife's hair fell out in droves to revival a horrifying wrinkled head. Her perfect white teeth crumbled out of her mouth to be replaced by an array of needle-like teeth. Her black dress reformed into dark black flesh that swirled to consume what was left of her pale skin. As her fingernails were pushed out by long talons, her eyes turned from a dark brown to a deep red. She really was the most beautiful creature Gaius had ever seen. He could feel his skin shedding and soon joined his wife in their new bodies. By this point, the restaurant had erupted into screams. Beautiful, just like the old comics, Gaius thought. He got down to all fours before his gaze narrowed on the Terralian child with the milkshake mustache. The boy had a milkshake halfway to his mouth before he was paralyzed by fear. A smile touched Gaius lips before he opened his jaw wide and leaped across the room.

Now there isn't really need to express the carnage that ensued. This story doesn't have a happy ending, unfortunately. However, you might take comfort in knowing that the velvet diner no longer needs to rely on imported velvet, which isn't very environmentally conscious, to dye their chairs red.

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