When it was time to retire for the night, Steve walked Pim home and kissed her deeply once they were at her front door. Then he said “goodnight” and walked away. She stood starry-eyed, then walked into her apartment, locking the door behind her. She did not know that was the last time she would see him; this perfect stranger whom she felt as though she knew forever. We hear people talk all the time about “soul mates.” Finding their soul mate, wanting to find their soul mate, what a soul mate is, is it real; the concept of a soul mate is a held belief among many people across different cultures all over the world. She thought she had finally met her soul mate. Then he vanished. Without a word, without a trace.

It all began when Pim got frustrated at work one day. She decided to leave work early and go to the movie theater alone. She paid for her admission to a horror film and sat in the theater eating the buttery popcorn. She really enjoyed the movie and was appreciative that she decided to go. It was very relaxing for her and was a much-needed escape from her hectic work schedule. She decided to walk home that night, so she can take in the fresh air and “cleanse” her mind and body with the walk and the cool, crisp night air.

As she walked down a long dark alley on the cold October night, she could smell garbage coming from the dumpsters lining the alley. The brisk night air rushed against her face and made the tip of her nose feel numb. She felt very safe because she had lived in that area for a long time and felt very comfortable. Suddenly she heard footsteps. She looked around and saw that she was totally alone. Nobody was there. She started to shake as she fumbled in her purse to grab her mase. She purchased this little pink mase spray because there had been some rabid animal attacks in the area. She heard the footsteps again, only closer this time. She was afraid to turn around and look. The footsteps were picking up. It sounded closer to the sound of running footsteps at this point. She puts her thumb on the top of the mase and turns around to aim it at who ever it was running toward her.

She jumped around aiming the mase, but she was incredibly surprised to see that nobody was there. She was too afraid to think, but quickly decided to get home as fast as she could. She was walking at a very brisk pace as she did not want to run and tire herself out before she arrived at her apartment. She made it out of the alley and was turning left on the sidewalk when suddenly she heard the footsteps again. She put her thumb on the mase and got ready to aim. As she did this, an arm came from behind her and went around her neck, squeezing, quickly rendering her unconscious.

She woke up laying in the alley with her head rested on the lap of a man as he kneeled on his knees. “Are you okay??” he asked fearfully. “Some guy just attacked you,” “he didn’t see me walking down this side street behind you both, so I was able to fight him off of you before he had a chance to harm you”, “lets call the police.” Still dizzy, Pim attempted to stand to her feet saying, “I’m ok, can you just walk me to my apartment?” This strange but heroic man said there is no way he would be allowing her to walk as he swooped her up off her feet and carried her the two blocks to her apartment. He left her at her front door and put her phone number into his phone so that he could call and check on her the next day.

After this event, Pim was very relieved that nothing worse had happened to her. She and this mystery man, named “Steve Diako,” hit it off and spent every day together after that fateful night. She felt she had known him for centuries and that his being utterly defined her mortal being, in every sense. This was bigger than love, deeper than affection. She knew this was something most people would never experience. Something bigger was happening.

After work, exactly one week after that fateful night, she waited at the meeting spot they had met at every day. After two hours went by, she caught a cab home and called Steve’s phone. “The number you have dialed is not in service” rang in her ear. She began to panic and searched online social networks for her hero lover. She could not even find anyone with the same name. She took a cab to the nearest police station. On her ride there she wondered, “how have I not asked where he lived or connected with him on social media, I know nothing really about this man, what was I thinking.”

She arrived at the police station in a panic. “Officer, officer, my boyfriend is missing. He saved me a few nights ago when a man,” she was interrupted by the officer. “Enough lady, I don’t know what sorority you’re getting initiated into, but we get one of you once a week coming in here saying this and what your doing is illegal.” “What?” she said in disbelief. “Let me guess, a guy named Steve saved you from a big scary man who was trying to kill you when you were walking alone at night, and you woke up in Steve’s arms and then you two fell in love, afterward he suddenly disappeared” scoffed the officer. Her jaw dropped. The officer continued “it’s illegal to file false reports so you may just want to leave.”

Her eyes glazed over and with a blank stare she left the police station and wandered in the dark, alone, with no destination in mind, no thoughts, and is still walking to this day. It is said that if you go to the movies in that town and walk home alone afterward at night, you will get a glimpse of what’s left of her, if only for a moment.