“Listen, Tom, you have to believe me. I’m on your side. If what you say is true, then let’s call the paramedics and get her some help. I mean, this isn’t normal. Caroline is our friend.”

I’m trying to appeal to his better self. I have no idea if it’s going to work. But I’m all out of options.

“No, we can’t,” he says. He sits down on the couch by the window on the far end of the room, burying his head in his hands. “I really messed up, Ellie. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s all going to be okay, Tom. I’m here for you.”

I debate whether I should come over there and comfort him. That would make him believe me more, but I’m also terrified of being that close to him. But it may be my only way out. I keep eyeing the front door, hoping that someone, anyone, will just walk in. But it’s too early. The world is still asleep. Besides, this is a private cottage and now that he has my phone, I’m totally on my own.

“You’re just going to tell them what you saw. But you have to believe me, that’s not what happened. I wasn’t raping her, or whatever you think I was doing. She was into it. It’s not my fault she fell asleep.”

“I know that, Tom. And that’s what you’re going to explain to them. But for now, I just really think we need to have someone check in on her and see if she’s okay. She’s barely breathing, Tom. Her pulse is very shallow. She needs our help.”

He shakes his head.

I take a few steps toward the door, still debating whether I should come over closer to him to make my point stronger or just make a run for it.

“You don't want to make this any worse, do you? I mean, what if she’s not okay? And we didn’t get her any medical help?”

“No, I can’t,” he says slowly.

I take a few more steps closer to the door and my freedom.

“Why?”

“Because then Carrie will find out. And I can’t have her finding this out, Ellie.”

“No, she won’t,” I say, even though I’m fully aware of how unconvincing I sound. Of course, Carrie will find out. I don't know how she wouldn’t. I take another few steps toward the door. I decide to make a run for it when I get a little bit closer. Tom is in such distress that I can’t trust any of his reactions. I have no idea what he’s capable of and I don't want to find out.

“I’m really, really sorry, Ellie,” Tom says. He looks up at me. His eyes are bloodshot and full of tears. His face is red and splotchy. Whatever happened here, he’s definitely regretting it. I take a deep breath.

“I know you are,” I say. When he hangs his head back down, burying it in his knees, I decide to make a run for it.

Within a few steps, I grab the door handle and turn. A gust of cold air hits me like a ton of bricks. I’m outside! Yes!

But then someone grabs me by my hair and tugs really hard. My neck throbs from the pain and my whole scalp burns. A primal scream escapes my lips, sending shivers through my whole body.

“Let me go!” I scream at the top of my lungs. Now that I’m outside, making as much noise as possible is my only way out of this. I need someone to come help and for help to arrive, I need attention.

“Tom, no! Let me go! Help!” I yell.

“Shut up! Shut up!” Tom wraps his cold fingers around my throat and mouth. He closes my nose and I struggle to breathe. He’s behind me and on top of me. He’s smothering me. But I won’t go down this easily. No, I’m going to fight.

I elbow him as hard as I can in the ribs. He winces in pain and lets go of his grip on me. I inhale deeply and suddenly, I’m able to breathe in and out again. I scramble up to my feet and head toward the white picket fence. I just need to get to the other side of that, I say to myself. Then I’ll be okay.

But he grabs me by my feet before I get there. Both of my feet are suddenly locked in place and I tumble to the ground, bracing my fall with my hands. Once I hit the ground, I make a loud thump and all the wind gets knocked out of me. I struggle to inhale even a tiny bit of air. It takes all of my energy to just flip over on my back so that I can get some more air. Slowly, my airways start to open, but each breath is still the most painful thing that I’ve ever experienced.

When I’m finally able to breathe somewhat normally, someone climbs on top of me. It’s Tom, but I’ve never seen him look like that before. He’s blocking out all of the morning light with his body and he’s pinning my hands back behind my head. He’s sitting across my torso and I’m unable to move at all.

“What the fuck are you doing, Ellie?” he asks, huffing and puffing through each word.

I have no idea how to answer that question. I just look around and try to figure out what to do next. There has to be a way out of this, right? This can’t be it?

He leans over to me and presses his lips to mine. It takes me a moment to realize that he’s kissing me. Actually, forcing his tongue down my throat. But I also feel the shift in his weight on top of me. He’s no longer pinning my legs down and suddenly they are free. I lift up my leg and kick him as hard as I can in his back. He cries out in pain. But I’m not done yet. I lift up my head and grab a hold of his lower lip, biting down on it as hard as I can. Something wet and warm runs down the back of my throat. He screams out in pain, but I don't let go until I’m ready. Then I push him away from me. He falls on his back next to me, and I see a rock laying next to me. I grab it and hit him as hard as I can in the face. Then I scramble up to my feet and wobble toward the white picket fence and as far away from him as possible.

As soon as I’m outside the fence, I run for it. I don’t bother to turn around. I don’t bother to see if he’s alright. Or even if he’s after me. No, I just need to get myself as far away from here as possible and the only way to do that is to run. Run for my life.

I burst through the door of our cottage and lock the door behind me. Aiden lazily opens his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” he asks with a perplexed look on his face.

My heart is pounding so hard, it’s practically jumping out of my chest. I try to calm down my breathing, but it’s all to no avail. I gasp for breath instead. Aiden gets out of bed and walks over to me. He’s still in the nude. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had been asleep this whole time. He probably barely moved at all.

“What’s wrong, Ellie?” he asks.

I continue to gasp for breath. But in between my quick, dissatisfying breaths, I manage to mumble, “We have to call the police. Can I have your phone?”

Without another question, he runs over to the nightstand and hands me his phone. I dial 911.

“What’s your emergency?”

“I tried to call you earlier, but he took my phone away. You need to come right away. I walked in on him raping my friend,” I say as calmly as possible.

The 911 operator asks me a dozen other questions, which I answer truthfully and to the best of my ability. I don’t keep anything back. I tell her how he took my phone and attacked me. I tell her how I hit him in the head with a rock to get away. I tell her that I have no idea if he’s still conscious or if he’s even still here. When she asks me where we are located, I turn to Aiden, who tells me the address.

The 911 operator refuses to let me hang up until the police arrive. But I’m too afraid to go outside to see what’s going on and when Aiden volunteers to go, I grab his hand.

“But what about Caroline?” he asks. “Don’t you want me to check on her?”

“Yes, of course. But she was passed out. What are you going to do for her if you find her that way? We need the paramedics to come here and fast.”

“Ellie, I’m just going to check on her.”

I shake my head, refusing to let him go. But he pries my hands off him and gives me a big warm kiss on the lips.

“I’m going to be okay; he’s not going to do anything to me, Ellie. I promise,” Aiden says. In a flash, he pulls on a pair of pants, a long sleeved shirt, his dress shoes, and his jacket from last night. And just like that, he’s gone.