Thirty-Five

Isaac

 

I dialed Maddie’s number again, but after only two rings it sent me to voicemail. When I called back, it went directly to voicemail. Panic rushed through my veins at the thought of her being hurt. I was right outside, just steps away from her. I had to go in and help her.

My phone rang as I opened my car door. It was Elijah. “Hey,” I gasped as I answered.

“I’m almost there,” he said.

“I just called her. Rob’s in there with her, the third-floor front apartment. He hit her, took her phone. I’m going in,” I informed him as I headed for the front doors to her apartment building.

“I’m only a few minutes from you; don’t go in yet. Wait for me,” he pleaded.

I couldn’t wait. Maddie was hurt. I heard the slap that landed across her soft face. If I waited, even a couple minutes, there was no telling what could happen. “I can’t,” I hung up the phone and shoved it into my pocket.

My hand pulled at the door, and I rushed inside. Up three flights of stairs, I prayed she was okay with every step. I could hear her scream from inside the door, but it was locked. I slammed my shoulder into it as hard as I could, but it barely budged. My shoulder burnt from the impact, but I couldn’t quit. Another slam into the door and it gave a little more. It was obvious there was a deadbolt locked, and pushing through was going to be a hard task, if not impossible. Beth’s words floated in my mind: “Call the cops.” But I couldn’t, at least not yet.

“Maddie!” I called out, hoping she’d hear my voice through the door and know she was going to be saved. I needed her to feel some comfort. From the sounds of her screams, she was already terrified.

A door opened behind me, a little old man with thin black hair stepped out into the hall. “I have a key,” he said, his voice shaky.

My eyes widened as I nodded at the man to open the door. “Are you the man who’s been paying Maddie’s rent?” he asked. I nodded. It must’ve been the landlord. Thank God for small miracles.

“Mrs. Carter called me earlier when she heard commotion next door. She worries about Maddie; we all do,” the man said as he opened up the door.

I pushed it wide and found Maddie on the floor, Rob on top of her, and her skirt pulled up around her hips. Her bright eyes were glossy with tears, and her bottom lip trembled as she looked in my direction. I lunged towards Rob, tackling him from atop her and taking him to his back. Maddie pulled her knees to her chest, sobbed violently, and shook back and forth as my fist slammed into her ex’s face. His strength was something I hadn’t accounted for, and I wasn’t in the shape I’d been in when still in the military. He grabbed my neck, choking it hard as I struggled to pull from his grip. My throat swelled and started to burn from the force his hands delivered.

I lifted my arm again, forgetting about removing his grip and slammed into his face, once, twice, three times. He released. He let out a loud growl as he rolled me to my side, and then to my back. Soon I felt the impact of his fist slamming into my nose, and then my jaw.

My eyes drifted to Maddie. That look of fear in her eyes sent adrenaline through my body, and a new strength emerged with a vengeance. I bucked from the ground, grabbing Rob by the throat like he’d done to me, and threw him off of me. I quickly got to my feet as he stumbled to his. He lunged towards me with his head down like a bull charging a red flag. I stepped out of the way, pushing him past me and into the wall head first.

Red and blue lights flashed through Maddie’s apartment window as I tried to make my way over to her. She stood quickly, that look of fear still in her eyes, and ran towards the door. “Whoa,” a familiar voice sounded, and then Elijah entered the apartment with Maddie in his arms.

She wrapped around his neck, sobbing uncontrollably as he patted her back gently and gave me an approving nod.

The police arrived shortly after Elijah, stopping to talk to the landlord first. I sat down on the couch, staring at Maddie in Elijah’s arms, remembering the look of fear she’d had in her eyes, not only for Rob, but me as well. I knew once she talked to the cops, I’d probably be arrested, or at the very least, brought in for questioning.

Elijah peeled Maddie from his arms as the cops approached. One of the officers took her aside, out of the apartment where I couldn’t hear or see. Elijah walked over to me, sat on the couch next to me, and patted my leg. “You just couldn’t wait, could ya?” he chuckled.

“He was on top of her; I think he was trying to rape her,” I sighed, watching two officers escort Rob out in handcuffs. “I couldn’t wait.”

“I know. You did good,” Elijah said with a pat on my back.

An officer moved into the apartment, approaching myself and Elijah on the couch. “I understand you are the one who broke this up,” he questioned, his dark eyes looking directly at me.

“Yes,” I admitted.

“How did you know she was in distress? Did she call for help?” he probed.

“I called her. I heard him slap her as he screamed at her to hang up the phone,” I explained.

“Well, it’s a good thing she has friends like you,” the officer smiled and then handed me a pen and paper. “If you don’t mind, write down your statement,” he added and then walked away.

I wasn’t sure what to write down, at least not about why I was outside her apartment, or why she’d taken off from me and ran to him. “Just stick to what happened from the phone call til now,” Elijah said as if he’d read my mind.

I nodded, breathed in hard, and then exhaled slowly to calm myself down.

“What do you think she’s telling them?” I whispered to my friend without making eye contact.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve got your back,” Elijah boasted.