Set Me Free

Chapter 1

Chapter 1:

AFTER:

The Endings: 1

Leaning smoothly against the wall as I drew in another long puff of smoke. “I’m not sure why I’m doing this.” I thought to myself. Leaving Ezra hurt but she’d be better off without me. Like her mom said she need someone who can take care of her, someone better than me, someone strong enough not to run away. Definitely not me. I dropped my cigarette, crushing it beneath my foot and sliding into my car. I reached over the passenger seat and grabbed my tattered backpack from under the seat. Pulling out my phone,  “2 voicemail messages” it flashed across the screen.

I dialed my voicemail, typing in 3897, smirking once at the numbers on the screen and then waiting for the voicemail voice to play.

“You have 2 new voicemail messages. To listen to you messages press 1, to send a message press-” I cut the voice off short, pressing one, waiting once again. “New message. Hey, Dad just wanted me to say that we miss you alot and really want you home.”

They knew I’d never come. I don’t know why they try. I deleted the message and once again waited to hear the second one. “Message deleted. New Message. I feel like I’m suffocating.”  Ezra’s voice rang clear between sobs. “I’m trying. F-for you I mean.” she stuttered and I winced. “But it’s hard. So hard sometimes. Especially with you gone and.” She dropped the phone then sobbing for a while before picking the phone back up, a chill ran down my spine. “I just can’t do it. I’m about to throw everything away all because I’m not strong enough and it sickens me. I just need you. And I’m just not sure if I can do this.With my mom and her constant-” I could almost see her frowning, pushing her wavy blond hair out of her face and letting a silent tear fall. “I. Just. Can’t!” She screamed.

The message ended but I was already driving over there. I was close, just at the Starbucks around the corner, the Starbucks where I first saw her, and I knew. Slamming on the breaks outside her house, I rushed to the front door, banging furiously. “Ezra!” I screamed. I checked my phone, it was just 10 minutes ago that she’d called. 10 minutes she was alone, vulnerable, unstable. 10 minutes and she could be dead.

I walked over to the window that saw straight into the dining room, grabbed the nearest rock I could find and bashed it in. “What are you doing?” A neighbor shrieked.

Yes because a robber wouldn’t definitely just be like “Don’t mind me just robbing your fellow neighbors.”

I slid in through the jagged window, scratching my leg and just above my eye on the glass. I rushed up the stairs glancing at my phone. 14 minutes she was angry, scared. 14 minutes where all sense had been drained and she could be dead.

I heard the sirens outside and rolled my eyes. Great. Banging once again on the door I pleaded. “Ezra, open the door!”  There was no response. I heard footsteps downstairs and decided it would make this much faster if I just kicked down the door.

And there she lay, in a pool of scarlet, so peaceful. Blonde hair tousled in all directions, edges dipped in red. Her eyes fluttered, and her chest rose and fell as she breathed. I sighed hearing the footsteps coming up the stairs in response to my door kicking. I lunged at her, scooping her into my arms and spinning back towards the door. I took her wrist in my hand, kissing lightly the much deeper, fresh cut she’d made. Looking up I met eyes with the officer, his gun pointed directly at me. I walked slowly forward and he lowered his gun, not sure whether I was still a criminal or not.

I trotted down the stairs, leading her out to the awaiting police cars and ambulances. I saw her mom behind the officers, frantic as she worried about her daughter behind those doors, and whether the criminal had gotten to her or not. I handed her gently over to the paramedic before being led away for questioning.