Endless Pages

Riding Off in the Sunset

Chapter Five

My dreams are interrupted by the ringing of screams and yelling. It takes me a second before realizing that I'm wide awake, sitting on my bed. I glance at the clock, it read 3:30. Emma and boyfriend #7 must have been drinking then got into a stupid argument. In twenty minutes it'll settle down and they'll pass out either on the stairs, couch, or floor. Going back into my covers, the commotion escalates. The hollering turns into high-pitched shouts. If they don't quiet down I can't go back to sleep and the neighbors would probably call the police.

"EMMA I WANT THAT LITTLE NO GOOD GIRL OUT OF HERE! SHE'S A ALWAYS HAS A BAD ATTITUDE AND I'M NOT HAVIN' IT!"

 "NO, SHE'S ONE OF MY BABIES AND WHEN DID EVERYONE ELECT YOU TO HAVE THE FINAL SAY IN WHAT GOES ON IN THIS HOUSE?!"

 I don't want this argument to be about me, I have a bad feeling that this it's going to end well. The probability that things will go sour is 99%; that 1% is the little chance that the thunder cloud will pass over, the argument will settle down, and I can go back to sleep. "I'M THE MAN!" Little foot steps arrives closer and closer to my bedroom door. I quickly get my bat from under my pillow. My door cracks open and there's little figure in the hallway, I sigh with relief. "Valerie I'm so happy to see you... y-you scared me." She scurried to my bed under my wing.

The rest of the commotion was a blur of shouts going back-and-forth. A scream that's only in horror movies echoes through out the house with the sound of glass breaking follows. Silence shakes the house. The whole world stopped for a belief moment, everything and everyone is still. I don't think it's save to breathe. Time continues and the world is back in motion. Instantly I grabbed the butcher knife that's under my mattress, handed the bat to Valerie, and led her to my closet. "If anyone . . . I mean anyone tries to hurt you . . . I-I want you to hit them with this bat as hard as you can . . . O-okay." She nodded while sobbing violently. I gave her a kiss on the forehead, "I'll be back, promise."

I close the closet door with Valerie inside. I don't want to go down stairs, but I have to. I peek down the hallway, the coast is clear. Whispering a prayer, I take a deep breathe then tip-toe down the hallway. Millions of thoughts flood my mind about what's happening and what might. This is officially the most scariest moment in my life.

I make it to the end of the hall where the stairs are. I look down the stairs, nothing but darkness and the emptiness of this house. Should I do this or not? I don't want to die or Valerie to. After all my life experiences were crazy and depressing, I can't die like a stupid, scared, air-head girl in horror movies. But I still creep down the stairs with my knife. Everything looks extra creepy at night. I go into the kitchen.  Oh my god.  I see my mother on the ground, glass everywhere, and then blood, lots of it. Oh my god she's dead it's all 'cause of me. I bend down and touch her arm. It's warm, Oh my god she's still alive, but barely, but still alive! I'm so stupid right now, I forgot to call the police. "I'll be back to get help mom. You stay alive for me, okay?"

I scurry back to my room, leaving my mom on the floor, closing the door behind me, locking it, and walk to my closet. I open the door and I see Valerie shaking. I touch her arm and she jumps until she realized it's me. "I'm going to call the police, okay? You stay in the closet." I walk to my cheap, Walmart, flip phone with minutes that's on my dresser and start dialing the obvious numbers when your scared shitless and in danger.

Come on . . . Come on, pick up the phone. "9-1-1, how may I help you." A young woman answers the phone and I feel saved by Jesus. "Um - listen I my mom's hurt and her . . . um 'boyfriend' did it and I think he wants to hurt me and my sister too." I try so hard to whisper and keep myself from bursting into tears. 

"Okay, where is your mom's boyfriend?"

 I take a deep breath. "Um, I don't really know. Um . . . I think he's downstairs. C-can you please help us . . . I-I don't want to die." Oh no here comes the waterworks. 

"It's going to be okay sweetie the police are on their way . . . J-just stay on the phone with me, okay?" 

"Okay."

"What's your name?"

"M- melanie" 

"Who's with you . . . your brother, sister . . ." 

"Um, my little sister, Valerie. What's your name?"

"My name is Kristina.  Melanie, I need you to be extra strong for yourself and Valerie, no matter what hap-." The line when dead. "Hello . . . Kristina." I close the phone. Valerie taps me. "What happen?" She signs. "I don't know, I think I ran out of minutes. . . the police will be here shortly." She nodded. I carry Valerie on the bed with me, and we just cuddled. Finally, I hear the sirens and the policemen banging on the front door. "POLICE, OPEN THE DOOR NOW!" They barged through the door and scurried throughout the house. I hear them running up the stairs. A man in all black and navy blue in my doorframe. "I'm the police. Are you girls alright?" I nod. "Come on we're going to take you two outside is that, okay?" I nod again. I quick grab two jackets and shoes for Valerie and I and follow the policeman outside to the ambulance car. He handed Valerie then me a bottle of water. 

"You girls are going to be fine. Your mom's boyfriend is going to prison for hurting your mom and for other crimes that he ran away from. And you mom is going to the hospital and going to answer some of our questions. Do you see those people?" I nod. "They're going to ask you and your sister some questions. If you girls need anything I'll be right over here." He starts walking away. "Thank you" He stops and turns around. "T-thank you for saving me and my sister . . . we were scared shitless. So thank you Officer . . ." " Tanner" "Thank you Officer Tanner." He nods with a warm smile. "And . . . " "Melanie" I answer for him. "Melanie, next time you talk to an adult . . . Never mind." Officer Tanner smiles agains. Before he can walk away again Valerie races to him and hugs him. To my surprise, he hugs Valerie back. 

A tall, beautiful woman with fair brown skin approach us and smiles. "Hi girls my name is Amanda and I'm a social worker and I have to talk to you about your mother and how she provides for you and if she's giving you girls a good environment and home.

Oh shit not the 'system'.