The Three Days

Chapter 3

Day 3

I heard birds chirping, and someone breathing. It was me. My eyes were closed but I could tell it was still dark outside. Outside? I thought. I was in a daze. By body was numb and it was chilly outside, I could feel a breeze. I was laying on something hard, rocking back and forth slowly. All around I began to hear strange, panicked noises. I opened my eyes slowly and swallowed, feeling a sharp pain in my throat that shocked me awake.

“Daddy?” I called. Sitting up slowly, I realized I was resting on the bench swing in front of our house. Immediately, someone ran over. My vision was blurry but I recognized my Dad. I tried to get up but I was stiff, sore, and confused so I waited for my Dad to get to me. He picked me up and smothered me in a bear hug, telling me he loved me and was worried, and only squeezing me tighter. My Dad’s hug was warm and familiar, but I pulled away. He looked at me, puzzled. Something very wrong had happened, and it was on the tip of my tongue. I looked past my Dad and saw three police cars and a group of police officers parked in our driveway.

Before anything could register in my mind my Dad picked me up again and swung me around, chiming, “It’s alright, sweetheart, you’re okay now, Monica.” His voice was shaky, like he had been crying. I heard a siren as an ambulance showed up. That’s when it happened.

I was as good as blind now, and felt like I was floating and dizzy. Even with my senses in this state, I barely caught Chase’s smile disappear.

The last thing I remember was lying on the floor.

I remembered all that happened, the struggling, the fighting, the pain, the fear, the hopelessness, and the panic of being choked to death by my ex-boyfriend. I now could see him standing over the police car, handcuffed, and swearing.  He still seemed very drunk so I assumed I had only been out for a few hours, perhaps. The police officer was asking him something, and he was in bad shape. The porch light shone on the driveway and I could see a gash on the side of his head, still bleeding. My Dad got up and walked over to one of the officers, talking to him. I stayed on the bench and didn’t even notice Dylan until he had sat down on the bench next to me. He looked like he had been crying and was trying to hide it. He looked into my eyes and put his finger under my chin and brushed his thumb over my cheek. For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me, but all too quickly he let go, almost as if he had changed his mind, or as if he had finally decided that it wasn’t his choice, but mine. Realizing this, I sat closer to him so there was no space between us, and positioned my head on his shoulder. His warm embrace met my cold skin with a soothing feel, and I shivered. For a moment we stayed like that, the darkness enveloping us. Then I broke the silence.

“How am I alive right now?” I asked in a quiet whisper. I began shivering. “Why did Chase stop suddenly?”

“I don’t know,” Dylan was silent for a few moments. “How much do you remember?” His eyes met mine.

“I think most of it,” I broke eye contact. “He was choking me and I couldn’t breathe, and then suddenly his smile vanished and I was on the floor. Then I blacked out.”

I looked back at Dylan, who was smiling sadly and knowingly into the distance. I frowned questioningly. “What’s this?” I noticed a bruise on his cheek and one of his eyes looked swollen, but not from crying. I was suddenly concerned only with him and I sat up and brushed back the hair on his forehead so I could see his eye better. I felt the swollen skin around his eye gently, but pulled back apologetically when he winced with pain. My finger brushed his eye again, this time barely touching it. I looked at him with concern, as he sat there nervously.

As I watched him intently, Dylan explained what had taken place a few hours before. “I was driving home after dinner with some family friends last night, I passed your house. A car was pulling into your driveway, but I didn’t recognize it as one of your parents’. I had a really bad feeling about it so I waited for them to get out of the car. It was Chase. I didn’t know him very well except for the fact that he’s your ex- boyfriend, and thought that maybe he was there to harass you or something. So I parked across the street and walked to your door, which was wide open. I stood there, a little confused, but then I heard a loud crash and ran inside. I hid behind some furniture and, noticing all the lights off, I crept around trying to find where the noise was coming from. I heard more screams and cries for help which were spontaneously silenced. I saw that Chase had you up against a wall, and you were whispering something. It looked like the life had escaped from your eyes and your head began to droop, so I ran up from behind Chase and hit him over the head, knocking him out. He let go of you, and you both fell to the floor. I went up to you and tried to awaken you but you were gone. I frantically called the police and tried to start your heart with CPR but nothing was working. The police got here and took you into the ambulance, and somehow got your heart started again. I tried to talk to you but you were feverish and weren’t making any sense. You only just now got out of the ambulance: we were thinking the fresh air might do you some good.” He smiled, “I guess it has.”