Get Me Out of Here

“Ben!” Have you ever seen a vodka bottle smash into the side of someone’s face?

 

Valkiry Wagner

 

—-trigger warning for suggestions of sexual assault and graphic violence———

 

The impact sends shattered glass into the night sky, twinkling along with the stars, while the injured person drops to their knees and collapses down. Ben is down. The tiny trinkets of his blood stream into the glass. Now imagine the smasher’s steps crunching closer to me. I try to crawl away, scraping my body with the remains on the pavement. My shorts rip, he clenches and pulls my bare legs, sliding me closer to him. I kick as hard as I can, but Brad is just too strong. We are back to where we first started but this time it isn’t the date.

A few months ago it was date night. They held hands and walked along with the night sky. It’s perfect dark blue color blended with her V neck top, baby blue jeans, and soft white flipflops. The glow of window displays increased his pearly smile. The ice cream in her other hand oozed down and she licked it off. His eyes changed, they were no longer smiling. His eyes made their way down her body with a gaze that stopped at her baby blue jeans. She looked away half – smiling.

 

“Oh look Brad! Build-a-Bear! Aren’t they cute?”

“Yeah, you want one babe? I will get you one since it’s our monthiversary. How about we go to the bank first and I get some cash? I know a shortcut through the alley.”

“Brad it’s dark in there. Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s the quickest way. I take it all the time.”

 

They step into the lifeless alley. The streetlights come off. A mouse runs across her feet.

She squeezes Brad’s arm and clumsily knocks over a trash can. The sound bangs as Brad takes a hold of her.

 

“You okay babe?”

 

“Yeah” His pearly whites light up his face. He smirks. They hold their gaze. Brad leans in to kiss her.

 

“Brad, maybe we should get out of here.”

 

“Nonsense, we are fine”. He squeezes her closer into him.

 

“Brad stop, this place is creepy.”

 

“So, you know you want this, I want you”. He thrusts her body against the wall.

 

“Brad stop! No! I mean it!”

 

He shoves her to the ground and peels off her shirt. She kicks, screams, and fights as hard

as her strength allowed her to. No one could hear them. Her shirt laid on the ground and her

baby blue jeans did the same. Her screams turn into hot tears. Her ears buzzed with silence. Brad

fidgets with her underwear. The tick of their watches are as loud as the buzzing of the street light

dimming. It echoes down the alleyway. Suddenly, the roar of footsteps appear. A light as bright

as the flash of stars shines on them!

 

“What are you kids doing? Hey! What’s going on?” Brad gets up and sprints away.

“I need back up, I’m in the Steinway Alley, it’s a 261!”

“Roger that” the radio screeches.

 

The white light blinds her. Her clothes are bundles into her arms. The officer lifts her up.

He turns so she can get dressed. This time her tears are soft grateful waterfalls.

 

“Ma’am I am so sorry this happened. The other police officers will be here soon with an ambulance. My name is Officer Ben Ramirez”.

 

The light glistens on Ben’s face. He looks like a savior.

 

Brad is me again, clenching my throat with his bare, rough, icy hands and pressing it

firmly. He lifts my neck and slams it down making my back smack into the ground.

“I’m gonna finish what I started last time” he sneers.

 

He plants a kiss. White and silver confetti fall near me as my eyes make their way around for help. My eyes droop. A click echoes. The tip of Ben’s G16 metal glock is above Brad’s head. Shots burst into his skull. Brad’s grip lets go, his head lands right on my chest. I throw him off, my hands swimming in his blood. Ben offers me his warm clean hands and lifts me up.

 

“Ben, is he dead”? I ask. “Yes” Ben says. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

 

“He tried again”.

 

I stare at Brad’s body. His blood sheds tiny branches that try to reach my legs again. He

lays angelic like but he is the darkest thing that has ever touched my body.

 

“The worst is over now,” Ben assures me.

 

 Ben slips his hand into his jacket pocket and

reaches for his radio. Police sirens scream from a distance. I can see the red and blue siren lights

dancing within the trees.

 

“It’s okay, don’t worry Layla. You’re safe with me”. Ben pulls me close. His embrace is

just like the warm sun. His hold is tight but I feel safe. His neck and shirt are moist. I wrap my

arms around him and squeeze on. This feels right. Ben has been the only person who has been

there for me during this investigation. I can’t trust him though. Trusting people gets you

nowhere. It is venomous, and kills your soul.