My ink

Police.

bang.. bang....

I jerked up from my sleep when I heard the frantic banging coming from the main door. It took me a minute to fully wake up and look around my room for supposed danger, the banging never stopped.

The digital clock on my side table said its 12:30 in the night, I got up from my bed with my heartbeats matching with the banging and dashed towards the door.

As soon as I opened the door, my joy hugged me tightly while sobbing, I hugged her back and asked her what happened but she was in no shape to even talk. I looked outside and there was no one, not even street dogs.

The night was slight chilly and the wind was blowing in a tensed rhythm, the dried and fallen leaves where trembling due to the atmosphere making a crunching noise. I closed the door and urged my joy to walk towards the couch, she was clutching me in a tight grip wanting to feel safe.

She was not ready to leave the hug even to talk so I made her sit on my lap sideways. I clapped once making her flinch, the lights turned on with the clap and the view cleared.

My joy was trembling like those dried leaves on the ground, her hoodie was torned from shoulders and her pants were also torned, there were scratch marks everywhere, her hair were disheveled as if someone pulled them with full force.

I don't know what damage was done to her face as she was hiding her face in the crook of my neck. I was hugging her while rubbing her back in a soothing manner to atleast make her talk to me. I just need the name of that person, I am seething with rage right now, I want to punch someone so badly but my joy needs me more than my anger that is so adamant to block all my senses and land few blows on that person.

"he... he broke the door, he.. he said I was his, I am scared, he.. he touched me, I felt like ants were crawling on my skin, I don't like.. it." she said after she was calm enough to talk.

"who." I asked with my hoarse voice, but she couldn't answer as she started to tremble again.

"shh its ok, don't talk, you are here, you are safe ok , I am here, love." I carried her like my bride, that she will be in near future.

I went towards my room and layed her on my bed. I finally got to look at her face and the picture put oil on my already raging soul.

How can someone be so cruel to harm this delicate flower, she should be nurtured, she should be poured with sweet nectar of love, she doesn't deserve this. I caressed her cheeks which were red with fingers prints, I wiped the blood that was smearing her sweet and soft lips. I wiped the pearls that were pouring out her eyes,

"Everything will be fine love, I am here ok." I said making my voice as gentle as I can. She clutched my hand in a tight grip, her grip felt like I was going to leave her or that person is going to come back.

"Don't worry you are safe here." I said while sitting next to her and caressed her hand which also had scratches.

"Is he still there at your apartment?" I asked while caressing her knuckles.

"I... I d..don't k..know, he pushed m...me on t..the f.floor and I took h..hold of falling vase and smashed on him a...and ra..ran here." she said while stuttering.

"Can I call police will you able to recall everything, we need to do it now or else proof might be tempered by tomorrow, don't worry, I will be there with you at every step ok." I said, she had fear in her eyes and also determination, she nodded at me and I took my phone from my side table and dialed 911.

It took police about 15 minutes to arrive, we were waiting near the entrance of the apartment, there is small garden as soon as you enter through the gate, we were sitting on the bench, I gave my blanket to cover her, she can't change yet as police needs to see her disheveled state to believe and also to take a note that she was defending herself from her attacker.

The guy or Jhon his name was still inside, the police said he was drunk and the blow from the vase made him faint, luckily there were cctv on every floor of the apartment so it was easy to file a case. The guy was living one floor above my joy's floor and was following her every move, he didn't like her being with me and also there was alcohol, rage and alcohol is not a good combination trust me.

The police dumped the man in the waiting ambulance and told us to be at the police station early in the morning for filing the case, the doctors also tended my joy's wounds before seeing to the culprit. I was with her every time, she was so brave when she talked to the police when she was recalling everything.

From the point to where he knocked at around 12:10 to the point he broke in when she told no to open the door, when he knocked she knew this guy was drunk and was spitting things like she was his and how dare she talked with other man, each floor had only one flat not all floors had occupants so no one heard him shouting.

When Farah said no and threatened him to call police he broke in the door and charged at her and rest is history.

I don't know what to do right now, I am so angry that I want to punch that piece of crap until his spits blood, I am so hurt that my joy had to go through that and I am so irked that I was not there with her to protect her.

Thank god that I am her neighbor and she trusts me enough to run to me as soon as she got her chance.

After the police and the ambulance left, I told Farah to stay with me for few days, there are extra rooms at my place, she can occupy one of them. She agreed instantly, I know she is shaken up and needs me.

I guess I got my answer right there, I can't do nothing but stay strong and be with her, hold her hand and make her feel safe.

We went home and my joy was about to collapse may be because her fear finally took hold of her. I am proud of her for beind brave in front of police and also proud of myself that she trust me enough to show me her vulnerable side.

I was fast enough to hold her, I again carried her to my room and layed her on the bed, she took hold of my hand as soon as I sat beside her, she is still scared, but she needs to change and clean up.

"Want to take a warm bath love?" I asked and she nodded. I was about to get up but she held me tightly.

"I will just be in the bathroom love, I won't go anywhere, I will prepare a good warm bath for you ok. She let go of the hold but there was reluctance so I did the next best thing. I carried her again and went to the bathroom, I made her sit on a small chair that was near the sink.

Yes I have a chair in my bathroom, I always keep it here, my bathroom is as big an average room with a round bath tub and a shower cubical, the toilet had other cubical making my bathroom having two booths, there is also a space for dressing table near the sink, that is why the chair. I like to take my clothes with me and change in the bathroom itself after shower, so I specifically told my interior decorators to make a space for dressing table in the bathroom itself.

I turned on the tap of hot water and checked the temperature, I also unwrapped a strawberry flavored bath bomb and make the water frizzell with it.

I turned to my joy who was looking at my every move, there was a whirlpool of emotions in her eyes but the most prominent was fear. I walked towards and stood between her legs, I cradled her head near my heart and kissed her head, I wanted to convey her that she is safe with me but how do you do that when words fail, by touch.

It was two days after our first date, it had been two days since we have dinner together, if not at my place then it is hers. These two days have been the best days of my life, I know she is the one for me, she is smart, she is intelligent, she has this determination to get a hold of her life, she is caring and to top it all she is kind.

Her round face is adorned with her smooth and soft cheeks, her eyes are round making her look adorable and her lips are full and pink that brings out the best smile from her, but today her face looks tired and dull, all the colour is drained and she lookes pale, I want to bring the colour back and I will make sure that happens.

"Thank you." she said with her timid and scratched voice.

"I am always here for you remember that ok, don't thank me love, I didn't do anything, I regret that I failed to protect you." I said while caressing her bruised cheeks, my eyes got teary seeing the bruises.

"Its not your fault, you didn't knew and you did protect me, you are doing that now too, you gave me strength and warmth, and that helped me to recall everything to the police. so thank you." She said while wiping my tears. I was about to reply her when I heard water overflowing from the bathtub.

I cursed and rushed towards and turned the tap off.

"Damn it." I said looking at the water on the floor, my joy giggled making me look at her, I sighed in relief, atleast she has her smile now, it doesn't reach her eyes but I will be making efforts to make the smile fully bloom in the coming days.

"Take bath my joy, I will wipe this after you do so, I will bring clothes and towel for you ok." I said going near to her and kissed her forehead.

She nodded and I helped her stand, I left the bathroom and went to my walk in closet and opened the box that I kept above one of the shelves. The box has my old clothes that are probably too tight for me as they are from my teen years, there are many hoodies in the box, they will be loose on her but not too loose, I am collector, I like to collect things and hoodies are one of those.

I donate all my old clothes but not the hoodies, they go into my collectors box.

I took out one hoodie which was white, had a picture of bunny who was looking at you with his innocent eyes and had bunny ears in the hood. My sister gave me this one as she liked it thinking that it will look cute on me, but I never wore it, just washed it and kept it in the box.

I also took sweat pants that had strings that will keep them in place, I grabbed extra towel and a new set of toothbrush from the cabinet and went to the bathroom. I knocked on the door and told her that I have the clothes, she told me to put on the floor, she will take it after the bath.

I did what she said and told her I am in the room right next to this room, if she needs anything just knock, she gave me an ok and I left her to get fresh.

I went to the next room and sat on the bed mulling over the things that happened today.

"I wish she didn't had to go through all this." I thought while looking at the sky blue ceiling of the guest room.