ChapterTwo
1012 Words
The Aftermath
The room is dimly lit, the faint sound of distant sirens mingling with the echoes of an intense silence within. Laura sits on the edge of her bed, her face streaked with tears, eyes red and swollen. She pulls her knees close to her chest, rocking slightly as if trying to soothe herself.
The muffled voices of police officers and medical personnel still echo from the large hallway connecting the bedroom with other parts of the house, where moments ago, her husband had been taken out of the house, unconscious and held in the arms of paramedics.
The last few hours felt like a glitch that didn't happen. Her heart races, anxiety clinging to every breath. She doesn’t know what to think, what to feel anymore. Was it really self-defense? Was it really just the way it had to happen? Or was it something she could have stopped?
The door opens softly, and two officers enter, their footsteps deliberate, echoing in the space. She had called them earlier out of guilt of if anything would happen to Ethan. One of them, a middle-aged man with a stern expression, sat down at the small desk across from her.
The other stood nearby, clipboard in hand, observing her closely.
"Mrs. Brooklyn.” An officer called out softly as he slowly approached her. I need to ask you about what happened here. We need a full account."
She blinked, trying to pull herself together. Her voice trembles as she wipes away the fresh tears that roll down her cheeks from her eyes.
"He... he came home drunk. Really drunk." She muttered out softly with deliberation not to say something wrong. Her words caught in her throat as she swallows hard, her hand shaking as it brushes a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"I tried to calm him down, but… he started yelling. I had hid my self here in our room but I don't know how he did it but he broke the locks from outside. I didn’t know what to do.” Laura said softly with trace of subtle sobs evident.
“Was this his first time or have they ever been previous encounters like this?” The officer asked as he brought out a pen and a note pad.
“He’s never been like that before.” She lied. She wanted to protect him. She was equally protecting herself by doing so. Even if she spill it all Ethan was wealthy enough to walk himself out of jail. “I just…I wanted him to stop." She added.
The officer paused raising an eyebrow. “He’s never been like that before? You mean this was his first time getting drunk?" He asked.
Laura was hesitant, "Yes. This was... the first time. I didn’t know he could... could get so out of control." She said the nervousness in her voice quite evident.
The officers exchange a look, but they didn't press her further just yet. Instead, Officer one takes a slow breath and jots something down on his clipboard.
"Can you tell us exactly what happened when things escalated?" The officer asked in a firm tone.
The room feels colder now. Laura’s heart is in her throat as she relives the events, the flickering memory of the metal lamp and the feeling of her hand shaking as she brought it down. The memories are blurry, the pain, the fear, the desperation to make him stop...
"He... he started getting violent. I... I just didn’t know how to stop him. He was too strong. I... I thought I was going to get hurt." She spoke out as her voice trembles.
Her eyes drop to her thigh, where her hands rested, trembling slightly.
"I didn’t mean to hurt him, I swear. I just wanted him to stop."
In the middle of the questioning, the door bursts open with a force that makes Laura jump. Her best friend, Jasmine, storms in, face flushed with anger at the sight of the police questioning her friends, eyes wild.
Jasmine yelled,"What the hell is going on here?! You can't just—" She sees Laura sitting there, and her voice drops, morphing into something softer but still filled with concern."Laura, are you okay? What did they do to you? I came as fast as possible"
Jasmine rushes over to the bed, sitting beside her, pulling her into a tight hug. She looks up at the officers, her face flushed with protective fury.
Jasmine snapped at the officers. "You better get out of here. She's been through enough already." She glares at the officers, who seem taken aback for a moment, but they didn't argue.
The officer who was heading the interrogations nodded. "We’ve got everything we need for now. Just stay available for follow-up questions."
The officers stood up and left the room, the door clicking shut behind them. The silence feels oppressive now, but it’s different. It's no longer a room full of questions and tension. The air feels calmer. The harshness is gone.
Jasmine turns back to Laura, eyes softening. She pulls her best friend into her arms again, holding her tightly as if she could shield her from everything that happened.
“I didn't tell them.” Laura said as she reciprocated Jasmine's hug. “I didn't tell them. I lied.” Laura said letting out slow sobs.
"You don’t have to lie for him, you know. He’s not worth it. You’re not alone in this." Jasmine said tightening her hug assuring Laura that she wasn't alone.
Laura clinged onto her, letting the sobs come freely now, her shoulders shaking. Jasmine just held her, murmuring soothing words, the only comfort she can offer in this moment.
The scene fades with Laura and Jasmine sitting together on the bed, the weight of the night pressing in on them. But in this small, shared moment of solace, Laura is no longer alone.
The sound of the police car doors shutting outside was the last thing heard before they drove off in a very much anticipated manner.
- Writer
