All By Myself.

"We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone." Orson Welles
You can become accustomed to the stark reality of loneliness. You wake each day, no other to placate. There are no expectations to bind your actions. Only chaos rules the day, start to finish the path is ever darker. But still you amble along mindlessly, trusting to luck that you can some day find your way.
At eighteen I had the world by the ass, I had just graduated high school and got a job. I was making more money than my father had ever seen. Full of hope and expectation, I had it made. There was no chance that my life would go sour like my mom and dads'."
I probably should explain that, my parents loved me. But hell times were tough. I had enough to eat, but they had no money for the extras. At the time I resented being the poor kid, I had no idea what poor was yet. My goal was to give my kids a better life, so I guess that's how you repay your own parents for all they had given you. You have to do a little better for your children. Each generation tries for the next rung of the ladder.
On my own, I felt reborn. I bought a brand new car, had my own place and money in my pocket. The world was my oyster, I only had to pry it open and enjoy life. And enjoy I did, life was one giant party in 2002. Girls came and went, there was no way I wanted to be tied down at my age. The triple F rule was how I liked it, find em, Bleep em and forget em.
With the simple act of opening a letter, my life changed. A letter of greetings from the President sent my happy little world careening out of orbit. I was ordered to report for armed forces induction. It was a hard kick in the balls by a size 12 combat boot. After eight weeks of BCT (basic combat training) and ten weeks of AIT (advanced infantry training), Spec 4 Eric Tompson emerged.
With two weeks to kill before my escorted tour of beautiful South Africa. My choices were few, stay on the Coast or return home for two weeks. It would take a good week's travel to return to my hometown and back. While I made my choice, I had my first beer in almost four months.
There was a little cocktail lounge near the bus depot. Ah god, a cold beer in a smelly dark bar. I hadn't felt this good since the last time I got laid. The bar was crowded, I could smell the stale beer mixed with cigarette smoke and sweat. This was a slice of heaven after the last few months.
A few beers later, the band began to play. It was like any other cover band I'd heard in the past, until the girl began to sing. I twirled on my stool and knew in an instant that I was witness to an event that would remain forever in my mind. The song wasn't important, it was the singer. She was a gem to be polished, pure raw talent. From where I sat, this angel had it all. I'm not sure I took a breath for the next two hours.
She had done a number on my head that's for sure. I can't tell you why I followed her out the door. I wasn't thinking about even trying to talk to her. I just wanted to look, maybe it was the beer. She stepped out the door and I went with her.
Standing in front of the bar watching her walk away into the night, fate stepped in. She disappeared into an alley way. A few seconds passed before I realized she had been pulled into the passage. I didn't hesitate, I was down the block like a shot. A huge man had her by the arm and she was struggling to get free from his grip.
"LET HER GO!" I heard myself yell. To be continued.