That voice was like salvation itself, shattering the deadly silence and igniting a faint spark of light in my hopeless eyes.
With the last of my strength, I screamed, “Help! I’m here, please, save me!”
The officers outside, who had expected nothing more than a routine inspection, blanched at the desperate cry.
My mom quickly stepped forward, forcing a polite smile. “Officers, it’s all a misunderstanding. Just a small quarrel between my daughter and her man, nothing worth troubling you over. Family matters can be resolved at home.”
Blake acted fast, slipping cigarettes from his pocket, offering them with a practiced hand. “Brothers, thanks for making the trip. My niece has a fiery temper, always calling the police for little things. I’ll handle her myself later.”
His rigid hand reached forward, yet none of the officers took a cigarette. The lead policeman barked with firm authority, “A report was filed. We must ensure the person’s safety. Open the door. Once it’s confirmed there’s no problem, we’ll leave.”
Anne gave a strained laugh, her face flushed with embarrassment. “Officers, my niece and her husband are inside, having marital intimacy. If we open the door now and they’re unclothed, wouldn’t that destroy the girl’s reputation?”
The cleaning lady, after standing frozen in uneasy silence, clenched her fists and finally spoke with trembling courage, “Officers, Miss Stenberg isn’t even married. She has no husband. This family is lying; she must be in danger.”
No sooner had she spoken than Anne turned on the cleaner with a glare sharp enough to cut. “You wretched cleaner, what business of ours concerns you? Don’t I know better than you if my niece is married or not?”
The woman’s cheeks burned red.
“How would I not know? When Miss Stenberg returned earlier, she told me clearly, if she didn’t come out within half an hour, I must call the police for her.”
‘A wonderful person comes home and still feels the need to set up a police call. What kind of intentions could you people possibly have?”
At once, the lead officer’s brow furrowed, his tone cold as he gave the command. A female officer stepped forward and kicked the door open.
My mom shrieked, trying to block their way, but the dark barrels of their guns sent her collapsing to the ground, her cries breaking into sobs.
The door splintered open. I was sprawled inside, soaked in blood, my hands and feet bound, my mouth cruelly stuffed.
Hayden froze, terror flooding his face. He stumbled back, pants undone, scrambling toward the window, but two agile officers caught him in a flash, shoving his head to the floor.
“Don’t move.”
Realizing things had gone wrong, he scrambled to push the blame away.
6:43 pm
- DG.
window, but two agile officers caught him in a flash, shoving his head to the floor.
“Don’t move.”
Realizing things had gone wrong, he scrambled to push the blame away.
“It wasn’t me! Her mother was the one who said she’d marry off her daughter to me, no money needed. Tonight, she just handed her over for nothing!”
“I have AIDS! I never dreamed of having a wife in this life. If someone’s given it to me for free why wouldn’t I take it?”
The female officer wrapped a coat around me, her hand resting firmly on my quivering shoulders “Don’t be afraid. It’s finished now.”
Yet the terror was still rooted in me, my palms bleeding from my nails digging deep, my body shuddering beyond control.
6:43 pm D
