Kaantay

The light shone bright, reflecting from the tranquil pool in the meadow- a crisp autumn breeze was in the air, yet the sound of her laughter kept him warmer than his robes ever could. He felt a splash of water against his cheek, followed by another giggle that made his heart soar. Here he was at peace, here with his love; here he was happy.

But here did not exist- not really. Instead, the meadow and the sun were torn away, and reality forced itself down his throat again. He crashed into a near by waste pile, taking in a mouth of a liquid that he really hoped wasn't urine. Grunting, he tried to move, to climb out of the mountain of garbage that piled itself on him, now literally as well as metaphorically. A harsh voice replaced her laughter.
"Go sleep some where else- this is a bar, not a fucking Hotel!"

A door that he couldn't see slid shut, and he was left to wallow in the bitterness of life. Life, that which was once sweet, was now bitter. Bitter and alone, Turok pushed himself off of the piles of rubbish, only to stumble into a near by wall. He hit his head on it, with a loud crack, and let the darkness wash over him again.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Her voice was playful, and her smile was sweet. He leaned in and felt the touch of her lips again. She leaned back, pressing her hand over his heart. She mouthed the words 'I love you'. A blissful sensation spread over his heart. Warm, energetic. Sharp. Painful. The sensation shifted from love to hate, as his world was filled with electricity. His body arched, as he cried out, only to be silenced by a baton that connected with his jaw. Night was gone; black was replaced by the eerie red glow of dawn. The security officer, who basked in the morning glow, held a sneer that conveyed a familiar sense of disgust. When the pain subsided, Turok looked up at the culprit of his rude awakening.

"Morning officer- how can I help you?"

The security officer took a step back, holstering his stun baton. Turok didn't dare move- he knew this man; feared among cops and robbers alike, Officer Maz D'kur was a notoriously short temper. Turok slowly pushed himself to his feet, this time careful of falling. He felt warm crusted liquid on the side of his head; his nostrils instinctively shut. He knew the feeling of vomit on his hair- he didn't need to smell it as well. Steadying himself, he tried to draw himself tall, mimicking the posture he once had before his world turned to ashes. Being still reminded him of how much he had to drink, which stirred his stomach. Turok fought to keep it in, giving Maz a tight lipped smile. Ma didn't seem to appreciate the effort.

"Do you remember the last conversation we had, Turok?"

Turok shook his head, though he could remember it clear as day. He still had the scars from Maz's 'interrogation'- one that was definitely not on the acceptable side of legal justification. Maz's eye twitched slightly at the man's sheepishness.

"I told you that if I found you on the streets again, I would lock you up for vagrancy."

"Oh...Yeah, that sounds kind of familiar..."

There was nothing worse than a delayed hangover, and that was what Turok felt coming. A light scratching in the back of his head let him know that soon his head would be the main drum kit for a Wookiee Drum Band. He dreaded it. Maz's voice faded into white noise. Then came the ringing- it was quiet at first, but it grew louder, until Turok felt his ear drums shaking like a pair of subwoofers. He looked down to the ground, only to feel his chin snatched in an iron grasp. Maz twisted his gaze back to him; veins were bulging in random places as the security officer yelled, though Turok could hear nothing but the ringing. He felt his knees weaken, and his eyes roll behind his head. Warm liquid trickled down his lips and chin, while clogging his throat. This was the end- he would be alone no longer. So what if choking on vomit was a painful way to go. At least he would be with her again.

He felt the ground rush up to meet him, in a muffled hug of stone and steel. "I'm coming" he thought. "We will be together again". He felt hands grip his shoulders, dragging him away. The ringing was subsiding- he could hear muffled orders and barks. Turok smiled again. "I'm coming..."

Something heavy slammed into his stomach. His body crumpled, then convulsed, as his wind pipes were suddenly free again, burning in protest. But this wasn't heaven- Turok had grown all to familiar with how the Security Teams dealt with alcohol poisoning. Despair flooded his heart and mind- he was going to live. Longer. And alone, all the same, with nothing but a haunting memory of her. Warm liquid filled the corners of his eyes, as he felt the all to familiar feeling of being helpless. He wanted a way out. That was all he wanted.