Affliction

Chapter 4

Rose

Well since I wasn't able to sleep and mom hasn't been back since I got out I decided to go for a walk, knowing that it's so late and quiet I figured just walking in my pajama's was fine. The cool summer night breeze felt amazing against my skin, and I felt at peace almost instantly.

Blasting in my ear buds is Ed Sheeran's Lego house - one of my favorites, I pass through the neighbor hood getting a little adventurous cutting through side streets I've never walked down before. I pass Fork st, Devine and Custer; finally I come across Homestead ln, where all the fancy pansy folks live.

I always hated this street for its perfectness of it, being surrounded by lower class houses made it stick out even more; But instead of ignoring it like I would normally do I get some urge to stroll down. 

Not long after I started walking down the stomach turning street I spotted a young man, about 5'7 in a dark colored hooded jacket – which I automatically found odd seeing its summer and  I'm fine in tee and sweat pajama's.

The closer he walked in my direction the clearer his image was, I still couldn't make out his face in the night sky but he didn't help with his head slightly tilted downward, and he walked in such a fast pace I could only image he was running late or something.

It was only after he brushed passed me and was finally out of sight that I was able to move from where I stood.

A few houses after that awkward encounter I heard this small whimpering sound.  At first I thought it was a dog whimpering, but the closer I got the whimper was more human than animalistic. "Hello" I ask into the air hoping there was an answer and that I wasn't going crazy: there wasn't one.

I began walking a few more steps and then instead of a whimper it was a small moan. "Hello." I repeated a little agitated, with a sigh I turn wanting to leave this street and that's when I spot her, a girl lying bare in the middle of someone's lawn as if she was planted there for someone to find.

I stood again frozen in my tracks I didn't know what to do, do I get help? Is she just a frat girl who had too much to drink? Was she a victim? So many questions, once I snap out of shock I ran over to her limp body; "Are. You ok?" I ask kneeling down beside her, she doesn't answer. I don't know what came over me to even care so much in the moment but immediately I pullout my ear buds and dial 911.

As I'm explaining to the dispatcher why I'm calling, the girl gives a slight moan, "are you ok? The police are on their way with medics." I whisper to her, she turns her head toward me.

The way she settled her eyes on me I can tell she was trying to make me out, figure who I was, her full blonde hair filled with leaves and dirt covers her face but it was the slight bruising of her cheeks n black eye that was making her pretty unrecognizable – I imagine she put up a fight.

Shortly after the sirens of cop cars and ambulances echo in the distance "they're coming, you're going to be alright." I assure the girl, hovering my hand over her head hesitant to touch.  She relaxes her head back on the lawn, and starts mumbling "rich, rich." I squint as if that would help me understand "rich"? I ask she continues to try and get it out.

I don't know why I witnessed what I did today or why it was me who found this girl but now that I did I needed to know what happened, why she was laid out half naked on someone's front lawn beaten and bruised.

Why she mumbled rich as if she was trying to give me a clue, I needed to know; but before we knew it help arrived and began to assist her onto the stretcher, I joined her in the truck making sure she was ok.

Jessie

"Where is she"? I hiss under my breath, peaking through my blinds like an old nosey neighbor.  I call Abby for the 4th time, still no answer. My rugged twin bed squeaks as I plop upon it, "I'm never covering for her again." I complain tossing my phone aside.

I can hear the TV downstairs roaring with cheers; my dad shouting along with it. Tonight's game night and dad is glued to his favorite one seat Lazy Boy chair. It was brown and leather, didn't go with the colors of the living room at all but he HAD to have it; It was his "sanctuary" he claimed as he brought it home from a garage sale.

"The panthers score" the announcer yells causing an ear busting shout of disgust from dad "c'mon Broncos, get your shit together"! He's a Denver fan, as you can see.

Mom was upstairs with me; sleeping peacefully away in their room, I don't know how with all the roars and screams downstairs.  She has an early shift tomorrow and needs her rest.  I glance at the clock on my computer screen 12:01 am it reads in digital green. "Where is she?" I ask again to myself.

Not long after I decide to give up waiting for her and turn again to the clock which now read 12: 50 am. The weight of my eye lids slowly brings them to a close and I fall asleep wondering if she was ok.