Sandy

Dressed in a pair of boxer shorts I found in the dresser, and one of Smokey’s wife beaters, I danced around the house without a bra or panties.

It felt so good to let go for once.

I’d loaded the music app on my phone for Smokey’s Sonos system, and now I could see the names of the songs that played. I wrote down the titles and artists of the ones I liked, and skipped the stupid ones.

After an hour of dancing, I was exhausted.

One chocolate milkshake later, and I was missing Eddie, and even more so, Smokey. Knowing a nap was imminent, I set the alarm for 12:00, and changed clothes into something a little more appropriate, just in case Richard decided to come inside.

After P-Nut’s speech, he hadn’t so much as walked her to the door. I felt bad for not remembering to say that P-Nut was full of shit, but I figured I could tell him some other time.

I sat on the couch. As Band of Skulls, Cold Fame played, I closed my eyes.

I woke up confused.

Still groggy, but fairly certain that I’d heard something, I lifted my head and looked around the house.

Nothing.

I couldn’t decide if it was a dream. I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room, sure I’d heard someone screaming. I stood up, shook my head, and checked the clock.

11:47.

I heard a dull thud. Then, another. And, another.

I looked for my phone, couldn’t find it, and tip-toed toward the Sonos player. After pausing the music, I stood still and listened. My own heartbeat was all I could hear.

Then, the sound of muffled grunts from outside sent chills along my spine.

It sounded like it was right outside the door.

I ran to the bedroom, opened the dresser drawer, got the gun, and rushed to the living room window. After a deep breath, I pulled the blind to the side and peered out into the dark.

I didn’t immediately see anything. I scanned the yard from left to right. Then, I saw everything.

No.

No.

Oh my fucking God.

No.

I ran to the door, yanked it open, and leaped onto the porch.

What I feared was happening was happening.

My stomach heaved. The taste of bile rose in my throat.

I opened my mouth, but no words came. Not so much as a squeak.

Never, under any circumstances, point a gun, any gun, at something you aren’t 100% comfortable shooting.

I raised the pistol, and quickly realized they were way too far away.

I opened my mouth again.

Nothing.

At the end of the driveway, the devil himself was sitting on top of Eddie. His hands were swinging wildly, and he was beating her like he was trying to kill her. What little noise she had been making only a few seconds prior had ceased.

Panic shot through me, all but crippling me.

His fists crashed down against her face, one after the other. Then he yanked on her hand, lifting her torso from the driveway each time he pulled against it.

Seeing it was killing me inside. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t speak, and I was shaking like I was naked in Antarctica.

Motherly instinct took over. Without thought or hesitation, I ran off the porch and burst out across the yard in a dead run. Smokey’s words ran through my mind.

You want someone to do something. If that’s the case, you point the gun, and give your demand.

“Hey motherfucker!” I half screamed, half blubbered. “Get off my daughter!”

He glanced at me, and then yanked against her hand again.

When I reached them I could clearly see that Eddie was not okay. On her back, and either unconscious or dead, she wasn’t moving. The man on top of her seemed to be in another world, and continued pulling against her hand.

Beside her, a cellphone lay on the concrete.

If you can point your finger at something, you can point the gun at something.

I pointed the pistol at his head.

He looked right at me.

Hesitation will cost someone’s life.

Shoot first, make up a story to cover your ass later.

I looked him in the eyes. All the fear escaped me. I squeezed the trigger.

A blinding flash of light and a horrific boom happened at the same time.

Somehow, I was no longer holding the pistol.

I looked around me and realized I couldn’t see very well. The flash had come close to blinding me. Sobbing, I fell to my knees, and crawled toward the outline of the bodies.

My sight slowly returned, and it was clear her attacker was dead. Half of the lower portion of his face was missing.

And, Eddie wasn’t moving.

I shoved the dead man off her, leaned down, and wiped her blood-soaked hair away from her face. “Eddie?”

Her eyes were swollen shut, and her face was a battered mess.

A gurgling sound came from deep inside her throat. “My…ring…”

She’s alive.

Thank God.

I blindly searched for the phone that was beside her, picked it up, and dialed 911.

I wasn’t a doctor, but I knew if an ambulance didn’t come quickly, I’d lose her.

“911 please state the nature of your emergency.”

There was only one way I knew to get an ambulance, and get it quick. But, it would require me to tell a lie.

And, just this once, it was okay to lie.

I cleared my throat. “Uhhm. A police officer has been shot, and he’s wounded. Send an ambulance. He’s dying.”

“Your location?”

I had no idea what my new address was.

I glanced toward the porch light.

10378.

“10378 La Quinta,” I said.

“Ma’am, can you provide a description of the shooter? Is he still on the scene…”

I threw the phone in the driveway, laid down at Eddie’s side, and held her in my arms.

“It’s okay, baby. Help is on the way.”

It had only been a matter of seconds, but I could already hear the approaching sirens.

“Hear that, baby? They’re coming to take you to the doctor. After you get cleaned up, we’ll have milkshakes.”

“My…ring…” she murmured, her voice almost inaudible.

I sat up and then looked at her swollen hand.

The ring was gone.

I stood, looked around, and saw it glistening between me and the dead piece of shit who tried to rob her.

I picked it up, and tried to slip it on her hand, but her fingers were far too swollen.

“I’ve got it, baby. I’ve got the ring,” I whispered.

The side of my car illuminated from the flashing lights from the approaching police and ambulance.

In an instant, there were police officers everywhere.

There was no way I could let anything happen to her ring. She’d almost lost her life trying to keep it.

I slipped it on my finger, stood, and waved my arms back and forth. “Here! I need you right here!”

Ambulance attendants rushed into the yard at the same time the police officers did.

Everyone was screaming, and asking questions, but no one questioned whether or not Eddie needed help. It was the first thing that happened.

As they loaded her on the stretcher, I leaned over her. “I love you. You’ll be just fine, my baby. I promise.” I kissed her forehead, pulled away, and then pressed my hand to hers. “Girl Power.”

Upon saying those words, tears ran down along each side of my nose.

Then, everything went black.