Strangers

by A. L. Parks

  She felt the weight in her hand, and wondered if she had enough strength in her. She swung her purse up with as much force as she could muster. It made contact with Tim's head, and knocked him off her. He sprawled across the floor, cursing at her, cradling his head in his hands. She turned quickly and darted towards the bedroom. Tim caught her ankle and dragged her to her knees. Scrambling to her feet, Abby took a step. But Tim was up, too, and had a firm grip on her arm.

  He swung her around, until she was facing him. Abby felt a splintering crack as his fist hit her jaw. She started to fall to the floor, but he pulled her back up. His fist found its mark again. This time he released her. She dropped with a resounding thud. She could feel warmth draining from her nose and mouth. It trickled down her chin and pooled on the floor. She forced her eyes open, and searched for anything close by that she could use as a weapon to defend herself.

  "You fucking bitch! You think you can just lead a guy on, and then tell him good night?" His voice was loud, a siren warning of impending disaster. She watched in horror as he drew his leg back, and it came towards her, the toe striking her ribs. Lightning bolts of pain emanated throughout her chest. An internal balloon popped and all the air escaped from her lungs. "You fucking little tease!"

  Abby curled into ball and tried to roll away from him, but he followed her, placing hard, swift kicks along her back. Finally, he dropped to his knees and bent over her. His fingers twisted savagely in her hair, and he forced her head off the floor. Hot breath hit her ear, as his ominous threat singed her soul. "See if Loverboy still wants to fuck you all bloody and broken." He slammed Abby's head into the floor. Shards of pain shot through her skull. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and a small whimper escaped from her lungs.

  The door slammed behind her, making her flinch. But she didn't trust her instincts and worried Tim was still in the apartment; waiting for her to move so he could pounce on her again. Her head was too heavy to lift. She tried to focus her eyes on what was around her. The cell phone lay a foot away, along with the scattered contents of her purse. Reaching her hand out, the phone remained just out of her grasp. She knew she had to get to it, call for help. If she didn't, no one would find her for days, and by then...

  Forcing herself up, she willed her arms to carry her forward another inch or two. Wobbling uncontrollably, her elbows gave out. She crashed back to the floor with a hard smack. Another burst of pain rattled through her head. She cried out, but there was no sound that came from her hollow chest. Her hand landed on top of the phone, and she pulled it towards her face. Desperate to bring air into her lungs, she struggled to assimilate the raspy sound of her breathing with the inability to actually breathe.

  Her hands shook like dried leaves caught on a cold autumn wind. She pressed the speed dial button, and waited as the phone rang, begging for it to be answered quickly.

  "Abby?" Bryce's voice was cheerful.

  "Bryce." The whisper sounded foreign to her. It was barely discernible, and Abby prayed he could hear her.

  "Abby? Abby?! Are you okay?!" Bryce's frantic and elevated voice called out to her.

  "Help," came the one word Abby had the strength to get out through the loud uneven breathes.

  "Where are you?" Bryce’s voice was serious and calm.

  "Home."

  "Hold on, Abby. I'm on my way. Just hold on for me."

  Abby closed her eyes tightly, wanting to cry, but even that caused too much pain. She tried to lie as still as possible. The wood floor was cold and hard against her aching body. The odd sounds of her breathing, as she tried to suck in air through her mouth, somehow gave her comfort in the eerily quiet apartment.

  The ability to estimate the passage of time did not exist for Abby. She waited, and prayed, and listened to the harsh hissing sounds of her breathing for what seemed like hours before she heard the apartment door open. Panic engulfed her. Fear ran rampant through her. What if Tim had returned to rail on her again? She wanted to crawl to the shadows where he would not find her. But her body would not move. She was paralyzed, and Abby closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable blows, and tried to predict where they would land first.

  "Oh God, Abby! Shit! What the hell did he do to you!?!" Bryce was by her side, leaning over her, and a flood of relief washed over her. Abby could smell his unmistakable scent – she loved it, could never get enough of it, and she finally let go. Tears flowed out of her with the knowledge that he was there, and would take care of her and protect her.

  A woman's voice was in the background. Bryce barked at her to call 911. Abby could hear the distraught woman telling Bryce she didn't know the address, followed by Bryce's gruff command, "Give me the phone!"

  After reciting Abby's address to the 911 operator, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Hold on, Abby. Help is coming. Just hold on." And Abby felt him nuzzle into her hair, "Please, Abby, please don't leave me." His hand gently stroked the side of her face. Abby closed her eyes; let the warmth of his fingers soothe her and comfort her. She could count on him – always. And she wanted desperately to apologize to him for the way she had treated him. Beg him to forgive her for hurting him, and ignoring him, and throwing him out. But mostly, Abby wanted to tell him that she was falling in love with him.

  Pounding footsteps found their way into her apartment. Loud voices that Abby did not recognize began asking questions, and barking out orders. A mass of confusion ensued around her. Abby felt herself being moved around as the voices spoke to her, asked her questions. Her head felt as though it was swimming in the wake of the ocean; drifting one moment, and then crashing amongst the waves the next. When she was rolled onto her back, she grimaced and cried out in pain using the little remaining breath she had in her lungs. She couldn't breathe. The sensation that her lungs were filling with liquid consumed her. She was drowning her.

  Somewhere in the distance, she could hear Bryce's voice. One name angrily and distinctly escaped his lips. "Tim." But her attention was drawn back to the horrifying reality that she was unable to breath, and may suffocate in the middle of her living room before she could tell Bryce how she felt. Her mind returned to his plea not to leave him. She grabbed a hold of one of the EMT's hands and begged him with her eyes to help her, as her hand went to her throat.

  “What is it Abby? Are you having trouble breathing?” the man asked her, his eyes looking straight into hers, and his voice distinctively calm. Abby nodded her head, and mouthed the word, “please.”

  “I’m going to help you, Abby, but I need for you to stay calm. Okay?”

  Without waiting for a response, his hands moved along the side of her rib cage. A sharp stab entered her side. A stifled scream filled the air. The pain was excruciating. Abby tried to move away, but she was held tightly as something was forced into her side. Abby was unsure what they had done, but her lungs finally expanded and filled with air once again – relieving her of the drowning sensation of a moment earlier. A mask covered her nose and mouth, and she could see one of the medical techs lean over and look at her, telling her to "breathe in and out, normally."

  Abby tried to look around, but her head was held in place by the large neck brace. She wanted to find Bryce, to see his face. He had always been able to comfort her and console her, and she needed his strength more than anything.

  Another voice she didn't recognize, called out into the large open space. "Can we get some help over here for a sec." People

  moved around her and hands slid underneath her. They lifted her onto a gurney. Abby felt a blanket draped across her, and two straps tighten around her legs and upper body. Someone held tightly to her hand, and squeezed it, before releasing it. She knew it was Bryce, and tried to turn her head to look at him. The tech appeared above her again, blocking her ability to see anyone but him.

  "Okay, Abby, we are going to immobilize your head. It's just a precaution until we get you to the hospital and the doctors can take a look at you, okay? I am going to put a strap across your forehead that will k
eep your head in place."

  The gurney lifted higher, and Abby stared at the ceiling in her apartment. She felt someone take hold of her hand again, and then saw her favorite gray eyes. Hot tears streamed from the corners of her eyes.

  "Shh, Abby. It's okay. You're going to be okay." He leaned over and kissed her forehead before they took her away. Her eyes closed tightly. She felt herself slipping into a surreal dream state; she could hear the voices around her, but could not make out the words, or who was speaking. Eventually, she gave up trying, and fell into complete darkness.

  Chapter Seven

  The warmth of the sun beat down on her, warming her. The sound of waves crashing against the shore forced her to lift her head. She was lying on a beach. She ran her hands through the warm sand letting it sift through her fingers. Turning her head, she looked into Bryce's smiling face, his gray eyes beaming at her.

  "Hey, baby, you're awake," he sang to her, as his hand grazed the side of her face. Abby looked at him for a moment. Her mind was racing. He had never called her "baby" before – had never used any sort of term of endearment with her.

  "What?" Abby asked, trying to wrap her brain around what was happening. The last memory she had was lying on the gurney, as she was whisked away at top speed to the hospital. "Why are we here?" She asked Bryce.

  "Don't you like it here?" he asked, his eyebrows scrunched together. "We could go somewhere else, if you want," he stated, and sat up.

  "No, this is fine," she answered, and pulled herself up, sitting in front of him. "But I thought we were going to the hospital?" Abby inquired, her tone uncertain.

  "No," Bryce answered, drawing it out, his eyes narrowed. "No, we all thought it would be better if you came here, baby."

  "Bryce, why do you keep calling me 'baby'?" Abby cocked her head to the side, and gazed at him. Bryce threw his head back and laughed.

  "I always call you that. You're my baby – the most precious person in the world to me."

  Abby searched her memory for when Bryce had ever called her by that name, but her memories were a dark shadow that

  lingered just outside her line of sight. Looking back into his eyes, she queried, "Why did you say 'we'?"

  "What do you mean?" Bryce asked; his voice soft. He grasped her hand as it lay on the blanket between them.

  "Just a minute ago, you said 'we thought it would be better to come here.' Who is 'we'?"

  Bryce chuckled. "Oh…" and looked over Abby's shoulder. "Them," he answered lifting his chin. Abby turned her head. Two figures were coming toward her. One appeared to be a woman, wearing a soft flowing white dress, a gauzy appearance to it. She had long bronze hair, and even though the wind was blowing her skirt around, her hair remained motionless. The man was tall, and seemed to have lighter hair. He was wearing a white shirt in the same material as the woman's dress, and white pants. As they came closer, Abby could see they were holding hands.

  Abby turned back to look at Bryce, questioning him with her eyes. But Bryce had his eyes trained on the couple, a smile across his face. Abby turned, and saw that the couple was in front of them, gazing at her with the same smiles. The woman looked familiar to Abby, but not as a real person. It was more like a photo or picture – flat, not three dimensional. It was not until Abby looked at the man that she figured out who the woman was.

  Trevor smiled at Abby, his blue eyes sparkling in a way Abby had never seen before. The sun threw copper highlights upon his dirty blond hair. He still had a boyish face, frozen in time, giving him an angelic and mischievous appearance wrapped up in a heart-melting package. Abby drew in a deep breath and choked back a sob. She felt Bryce's arm go around her shoulder in support, as he whispered, "it's okay, baby."

  Abby's eyes drifted over to the woman, as a barely audible recognition escaped her lips, "Emily." Her beauty was unlike anything Abby had ever encountered, as she was unable to prevent

  herself from staring into her lovely round face, enchanted by the heart-shaped lips, and smooth silky chocolate eyes. Emily and Trevor, still holding hands, knelt in front of Abby, and gazed at her.

  "How is this possible?" Abby asked, searching Trevor's face.

  Trevor reached his free hand towards her, and rested it on her arm. "It just is, Ab. The ‘how’ is unimportant." Trevor turned his attention to Emily. She was smiling at Abby, and a feeling of pure love emanated from the woman – leaving only joy in its wake. Emily placed her hand on Abby's face, and caressed it.

  "We are here for you, Abby. To let you know you are loved."

  "And that we are safe," Trevor added.

  "I miss you so much, Trevor. I still love you so much," Abby cried. Tears came to her eyes, but never fell. Trevor smiled at her, and grasped her hand and sighed.

  "Don't cry for me, Ab. I know you love me, and you miss me. But you have to live. I never wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone – lonely – visiting my grave, wasting time and tears on me. I love you, Ab – I will forever - and I want you to be happy." He turned his gaze to Bryce and smiled, before turning it back to Abby.

  "Be happy, Ab. Be happy with Bryce. Bryce can give you the love I cannot – the love you have been missing. And you can love him with your whole heart, without guilt or regret. You made me so happy, Ab. But, now someone else should be as happy – and make you happy in return."

  Abby turned her gaze to Emily, who continued to smile and caress Abby's face. "He will always love you most, Emily. I could

  never replace you," Abby offered, needing to reassure the woman of her place in Bryce's life.

  "No, you can never replace me, Abby. But do not think of it in those terms. I am his past. I can no longer give him the love he deserves. You – you are his future. I do not want him to love me more than he loves you. I am no longer among you. I want him to feel more love...not less. Love him. Deeply. Passionately. Love him for both of us."

  Abby turned to look at Bryce, and he leaned over and kissed Abby's cheek. When she turned back to Emily and Trevor, they were gone, and Abby could see darkness moving in around her. She glanced at Bryce, to ask him what was happening, and realized she was sitting alone. Before long, the darkness enveloped her, and she was lost in the quiet once more.

  ***

  A distant crackling sound grew louder, as Abby was engulfed in warmth once more. A soft glow met her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings. Curled up on the couch in front of a large stone fireplace, the fire offered the only light available in the dark night. A quilt lay over Abby's legs; a long forgotten relic of her youth made by her grandmother. Now it was faded and frayed from years of use and washings.

  Though limited in what she could see of her surroundings, Abby surmised she was in an unfamiliar cabin. A howling sound rapped at the window, as the wind rattled the panes, seeking admission. A door opened behind her. She turned her head at the sound. The figure of a man stood in the threshold. Snowflakes danced outside, creating a white blanket across the landscape that she could see.

  The stranger took two steps in, a load of firewood in his arms, and kicked the door closed with his foot, and crossed to the hearth. Turning towards her, he pulled the balaclava from his head, and Abby gazed into the gray eyes of the man she loved.

  "Hey, baby," he greeted her, as he exhaled and leaned across the couch to kiss her cheek. "Did you have a nice nap?" he asked, turning his attention back to the fire.

  "Yeah," Abby answered, her mind trying to come up with some semblance of truth, understanding, or familiarity with her current surreal reality. Where am I? How long have I been here? Have I been here before?

  Out of the corner of her eye, Abby could see something moving – wagging. As she turned her head, the blond tail of a dog swished back and forth. Staring at it, she watched the animal lumbered up onto the couch, and snuggled into the crook of Abby's bent legs. Looking longingly into Abby's shocked eyes, the dog nuzzled its nose under Abby's hand, forcing it to the top of its head.

  Bryce moved from the fireplace to the front of
the couch, petting the golden retriever's long body. "Good boy, Trevor. You take good care of Abby."

  "Trevor?" Abby narrowed her eyes and looked from Bryce's loving gaze to the puppy dog eyes of her former beloveds namesake. "You named your dog Trevor?"

  "No, YOU named OUR dog Trevor," Bryce snickered, shaking his head in disbelief at the question.

  "Why would I do that? And why aren't you offended that I would name him that? And since when do WE have a dog? I have never had a dog!" Abby's voice elevated with each question as confusion created tension and anger within her. Why couldn't she remember her life with Bryce, this cabin, THEIR dog?

  "Well," explained Bryce, "you and this big guy fell in love, and he has been at your side since he was a puppy. He's getting old now, not quite as fast as he used to be, a few gray hairs around his snout, and sleeps more than anything else, but he loves you; will forever. He is loyal to you."

  "Aren't you hurt by that?" Abby asked, as her eyes searched his. "That I still love him so much?" Abby was no longer talking about the dog that had laid its head on her lap as she absentmindedly stroked him. She was confused, and afraid that her feelings for Trevor, even now, after so many years, would make Bryce question her love for him. And she knew – deep in her heart and overflowing into her soul – she was in love with Bryce.

  "Of course not," Bryce assured her, but Abby shook her head in disbelief. He grabbed both of her hands in his. "Look at me, baby, and hear me. The love you have for Trevor is real and deep and forever, it's just not complete. It can never be complete. And Trevor's love is limited. He can provide you with a sense of happiness, but it is short-lived. You can share memories, but never make any new ones. You can feel his presence around you, but cannot feel his touch, his lips on yours, or his arms embrace you. I do not fear your love for him. I embrace your capacity to love, admire the enormity of your heart to give so much love, and how you give yourself fully and completely. Trevor knew that love. It gave him strength to face the unknown at the end – to close his eyes and go forward on his own, completely enveloped in your love."