Something in me

I had walked for long on the hot deserted streets littered with trash, past the shuttered storefronts adorned with graffiti, the dark shadows of the high-rises my sole companions, when as I turned a corner I saw them. I hadn't expected to meet anybody here and so I stepped back quickly, back into the shadows, observing silently. They were talking, he leaning back against a car, a beautiful gleaming old Chevy Impala, his body tall and well-muscled, a little gray visible in his hair below his hat. They were talking, she standing in front of him, animated, pretty young thing in a flowery summer dress, raven hair cascading in waves over her shoulder and back. I couldn't hear what they were saying but I could tell that they were flirting, the kind of flirting when one meets an attractive person for the first time, the kind of giddy flirting that happens when everything works, every joke is funny. He would touch the rim of his hat every once in a while and smile, flexing his muscles as he gestured to emphasize something, leaning forward into her. She would play with her hair as she responded, moving her body from side to side as if she were dancing ever so slightly, eyes focused on his face. God, she was young. Radiant. Happy. I watched her, eyes tracing her profile as she threw her head back laughing loudly. She seemed so innocent. So captivated by him. Something in me wanted to reach out, protect her from this man, from his evil intentions. Something in me wanted to tell her that she was too young for him, that he was obviously practiced at the art of seduction, the proverbial smooth operator. Something in me wanted to seduce her myself. Something in me wanted to captivate her, to subject her to my desires, to let loose the beast within me upon her.