Auditory Viewpoint

by Lillian R. Melendez

  The last word kept echoing in her head. Monica’s mind gradually returned to the present, and she found herself clenching her keys again. The car horn kept honking behind her; then Monica noticed the green light and quickly drove off.

  Upon Monica’s return to her warehouse, she hurriedly walked in, and everyone glanced up from their computers.

  “Don’t mind me, just one of those days,” Monica said aloud for everyone to hear. She put her handbag down on her desk, and dropped herself on the chair. One of her workers came to see her.

  “Monica?”

  She looked up.

  “I called several times. Gregory called for you about twenty minutes ago. He wouldn’t give me any more details. I thought I should tell you in person; but after ten minutes, I then thought it was best to call you instead and give you the message,” the worker said.

  Monica slowly turned away and glanced at her computer screen. “Thank you.”

  The worker went back to his cubicle. Monica’s eyes were glued to the screen again. It showed horrific pictures of a car with a bent top, and glass from the building as well as the vehicle’s side windows had been shattered and spread all over the ground. Monica viewed another picture, one of police officers carefully lifting a lifeless body off the car roof. Unable to handle anymore, she put her palms on her forehead and quickly got up from her chair to look through her window at the serene scenery of other warehouses, the many trees, and a highway – all of which usually calmed her.

  CHAPTER 12—UNREST

  Gloria opened the door to the plain motel room where they were staying. Anna followed and closed the door behind her. Gloria’s cane touched the light blue rug, which slowed down the cane’s pace until it hit the first of two twin beds. She sat on one of the beds and took off her shoes. Anna dragged her feet into the room, and sat on the first cushioned chair she found.

  “Practice, practice, practice,” a fatigued Anna said.

  “You are getting good at this,” Gloria said as she lay flat on her bed.

  Anna got up from the chair, took a bag of food and put it on a table. “I’ve done the same routine every single day. I feel as if I was doing this for a month. Do you want to eat now?”

  “In ten minutes,” Gloria answered in a restful state.

  Her sister sat back down on the chair and leaned back. “I feel this is the safest place we’ve been. It’s far away from everything and anything. I don’t have to worry about myself and certainly not about you. When I screwed up practicing, it was more because of worrying about you than because of focusing on all the senses except sight, the way you taught me.”

  Gloria stood quiet for a second, then decided what to say. “I can’t change the fact that I’m permanently blind, so I learned to live with it and accept it. Everyone says I’m disabled or handicapped, but I feel that I am just being Gloria.”

  Anna became silent and lowered her head for a moment.

  Gloria resumed speaking. “Sometimes, I ask myself: ‘What am I doing?’ But when something happens to one’s next of kin, that feeling of wanting to protect your loved ones kicks in, and my lack of eyesight takes the backseat for a moment. At this point in time, I’m taking in this relaxing moment.”

  “I’m glad you’re calm. I have seen you angry and frustrated several times throughout the years, but when I asked you, you would tell me another reason. I intuitively knew it was your struggle to live without eyesight, and you managed well,” Anna said.

  Gloria lay back and felt the cushy pillow bring instant relaxation to her head and body, even though the bed was a little stiff. “I kind of knew you knew. I thought you were overhearing Mom’s conversations with me on how not to be hard on myself. As a child, I was afraid. You were afraid of monsters under your bed, and I was afraid of using my cane incorrectly. I was afraid of tripping and falling on the ground, hitting a wall; or worse, getting hit by a car coming out of a driveway. I cried less and less, because I adapted and practiced using my cane correctly, and listened to my instructor’s advice.”

  Anna leaned forward with curiosity. She felt leg pains from the bruises she got practicing at the Woodbridge train station, and rubbed her leg in a circular motion. “Does the word ‘disability’ that you have heard all of your life frustrate you sometimes?” she then asked eagerly.

  “Disability? That’s life. Everyone has some form of disability. I accept it and learn to live with mine,” Gloria replied.

  Anna changed the subject. “When do we officially start looking for the killer?”

  “Tomorrow. I was hoping you would not ask me today, so that you can get some rest. I don’t want you to constantly think of the what if’s. I will also call Benjamin for more leads,” Gloria confidently stated.

  “The police took my phone. Maybe he called you,” Anna suggested.

  Gloria sat up in her bed. “I just didn’t want anyone to break my concentration, given that neither Benjamin nor the FBI special agents seem to have found the killer yet. We are dealing with cyber criminals. Cyberspace is a world of its own,” she explained.

  “This seems impossible,” Anna said under her breath.

  “Impossible?”

  “No, I’m hungry, that’s what I just said,” Anna responded having caught herself.

  She got up from her chair and put the food they brought into the microwave. Gloria got up with her cane, and went towards the counter that had a small fridge underneath. Abruptly, she turned in the direction of a sound of footsteps, like someone was running in the hallway towards them. “Did you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” Anna asked.

  “Someone is racing down the hall outside this door. They are shouting,” Gloria said.

  “I heard that, but I cannot discern what the person is saying,” Anna replied.

  “I have to warn them. I have to,” said a frail voice that was coming closer to their door.

  “You need help!” another voice said.

  “Call for help, quick! He’s bleeding from his ribs,” a third voice said outside the door.

  Inside the room, Gloria heard the sound of feet being dragged heavily, and the person’s pace was slowing down. The sisters did not move.

  “Warn her?” Gloria said.

  Anna walked closer to the door to listen in. “What is going on out there?”

  “The sounds of feet are coming our way,” Gloria said.

  Anna listened carefully.

  “I’m a doctor,” Anna heard a stranger say to the weak person outside the door.

  “Catch him before he collapses,” another occupant said.

  Someone banged on the door several times. Anna stepped back and put both hands on her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

  “Open! I need to say something. It’s urgent,” Gloria heard the fainting voice utter from the other side of the door.

  Gloria walked a few steps towards Anna. “You can open it. There are people in the hallway.”

  Anna glanced into the peephole. The person resumed banging on the door. Anna jumped back, then looked into the peephole again. A man holding his side with his bloody hand continued to pound the door with his weak fist.

  “I saw a glimpse of the person,” Anna whispered to Gloria.

  A thumping sound was heard, which made both sisters silent. They turned their heads towards the door at the same time. Anna looked into the peephole again, but didn’t find the wounded man in sight. Instead, four people were crowded around the door with their heads lowered. Anna turned the knob with hesitation and slowly opened the door. A doctor was kneeling in front of the wounded stranger, who quickly put his bloody hands over the doctor’s hands. He clenched his teeth, removed his hand, and slowly opened his forefinger while the rest of his fingers closed in to make a slight fist. In almost slow motion, the stranger waved his finger left to right and right to left, pointing to Anna and Gloria. He clenched his teeth again, and found his clear sight become blurry and then clear and back to blurry again for a longer moment.

 
; “Someone is out to hurt you,” the bloody man said as his eyes opened and closed several times. The blood from his chest was dripping down onto the floor as it created a small pile. “Leave now. You will be found here if you stay another day. Leave!” the wounded man insisted.

  “Who?” Gloria asked. “Who is it?”

  His eyes began to close again.

  “I’m compressing your wound to prevent more blood loss,” the doctor informed the wounded person.

  The doctor took a long sheet a housekeeper gave him, and tightened it around the stranger’s upper chest area. Little drops of blood were pouring on the towel until it gradually stopped. The stranger, in pain, put his palm on his teeth to mentally stop the pain from speaking again. He removed his hand, and again lifted his finger at the two women until the doctor suddenly put his hand down. The word “relax” from the doctor began to echo into the weak man’s ears as he felt more in a daze. He tried to move his hand from the doctor’s grip, and shook his head in an attempt to signal for the doctor and others around him to let him communicate; but he couldn’t speak, and his eyes closed and did not open again.

  The paramedics arrived and moved towards him. Anna turned around, and pushed her sister slowly back into their motel room with a little force. Gloria remained silent while Anna closed the door behind her and locked it. Gloria turned her head left to right and right to left as her sister rushed and grabbed their belongings.

  “We’re not safe here. I don’t know where to go, but we’re getting the hell out of here,” Anna said while zipping up the small travel bag.

  Gloria stood still in one place while she put her cane next to her cheek. Her phone rang, and Anna quickly went inside Gloria’s handbag, took out her phone, and gave it to her sister.

  “It’s now time to answer it,” Anna said as she continued to gather their belongings. “Your shoes are near your feet.”

  Gloria pressed a button on her phone and put it up to her ear while she wiggled her feet into each shoe. “Hello, hello? Anna, they hung up.”

  “Let me see who called,” Anna said.

  Gloria stuck out her hand, and Anna took the phone. She touched the large button on the upper middle of the handset, and browsed through the names and phone numbers. “I think that is Benjamin’s number. He left a message. How do I retrieve a message on this phone?” Anna asked with urgency.

  “Press the middle button and hold it for a few seconds. Brenda usually deletes them for me. His messages should still be in there,” Gloria responded.

  Anna went over to the door with the phone in her ear, and glanced at the peephole once more. A familiar figure came closer from down the hall.

  “Benjamin?”

  “Benjamin.” Gloria thought for a second. “He’s the IT professional I asked for help. I told you about him?”

  “Yes, of course,” Anna said slowly while contemplating Gloria’s words. “How did he find us so quickly?”

  There were four knocks on the door.

  Anna picked up the luggage. “Who is it?”

  “Benjamin,” a voice behind the door said.

  Anna slowly opened the door while peeking through it.

  Benjamin stood still and waved his hand. “Hi, I’m Benjamin.” He took a quick look at Gloria, who stood behind her sister. “You must be Anna. I won’t come in if it makes you uncomfortable.”

  “Hi,” Anna replied as she looked at him suspiciously.

  “Benjamin?” Gloria said, raising her eyebrows.

  “What’s going on? Are you both all right?” he asked.

  “Sort of,” Gloria replied.

  “I hope so, too,” Anna said to Benjamin with suspicion remaining on her face. Gloria noticed the awkward silence until Benjamin spoke again.

  “I called and called, and no one picked up. I got a lead, and figured I should call while walking down the hallway so that you wouldn’t be afraid to open the door,” Benjamin said.

  “I know what I’m about to say might sound ridiculous, but we purposely wanted to focus on doing something without you or the police knowing, “Gloria said.

  Benjamin was dumbfounded. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing.” He shook his head with frustration. “I offered my assistance. I don’t care about my own work piling up. Your sister’s safety, both of your safety for that matter, took precedence. I haven’t had a faintest clue that both of you – especially you, Gloria – would run off this way. You both know how dangerous this situation is. No one has to tell you.”

  The confused Benjamin waited until Gloria said more, but she added nothing to her explanation. Anna, who was speechless, kept her head slightly down with her hand on her forehead.

  “We have no time,” Benjamin said to them as if he’d heard enough. “You’re both staying in L.A. with my sister. She will contact me whenever there is an emergency.”

  “What!” Gloria said.

  “It’s a safe haven while I continue to investigate. Trust me, time will pass quickly. My sister talks a lot, which I dislike. You won’t be bored.”

  Anna stepped back and then took her sister’s arms. Gloria felt herself moving backwards.

  “Anna? What are you doing?” a perplexed Gloria asked.

  “I am getting you away from this man,” Anna answered.

  Benjamin stepped back. “I’m not here to hurt you both. I know you’re wondering why I am here just in time.”

  “Should I not wonder? Gloria tells me you’re an IT professional. I believe you’re an IT pro turned murderer! You just said wise words that hopefully make my sister think, but who’s to say if you suddenly found us to lure us in before you make the kill? You probably tried to kill the guy who lay in front of this door minutes ago, and then stood outside the motel for a few minutes so we wouldn’t think you had anything to do with this.”

  Two people from three doors down came out of their rooms carrying their luggage. “Do you need any help?” one of the occupants asked.

  “Please inform the manager that we need assistance immediately,” Anna responded.

  Benjamin stepped back a little. “I can explain...”

  Gloria’s eyebrows rose. “Anna...”

  “Don’t say anything else, Gloria,” Anna pressed. Her tone became icier, and she turned back to Benjamin. “You know what annoys me? People who manipulate for a hidden agenda. Of course, you supposedly help my sister. She is too vulnerable, you think. She is helpless, you think. Yet, she really isn’t!” Anna took one step forward. “But when you try to pull anything on ME, you have another thing coming to you, buddy. Besides, I don’t think you can kill us now, since people are out of their rooms wondering what the heck is going on.”

  Benjamin stepped back again and slowly took a card from his pockets. “Here.”

  “What trick inside the hat are you giving me?” Anna said.

  Benjamin extended his hand as he kept some space between himself and the two women. “Brenda gave me this card.”

  Anna looked at it, looked at him, and then at the card again. She quickly took it from him, and Benjamin stepped back once more. Anna glanced at the card, then quickly back at him. She recognized the card she had given Brenda a while back. She gulped down in her throat. “Oh!” She looked at Benjamin. “Tell me in detail,” she demanded.

  “Absolutely. Absolutely. After speaking to Gloria’s boss, she told me Gloria had a volunteer help her, and so I took the risk and waited at Gloria’s apartment lobby until she arrived. I then spoke with her. You can call Brenda right now. Go ahead, please! I want to help you,” Benjamin said.

  Anna continued to stare, while contemplating at the same time.

  “If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t waste time driving all the way here to see if there is a 50/50 chance you’ll even be here. There are hundreds of motels for you to choose from,” Benjamin stated.

  Anna dialed on Gloria’s cell phone and waited until a motel staff member picked up. “Crowns Inn Motel, how can I help you?” someone said on the other end.


  Anna hung up. “Benjamin, I think L.A. is a great idea, but I’d prefer to stay at a friend’s house, since I know her very well. I’m going to call her right now.” Anna turned to her sister. “Let’s not waste time. Let’s head to L.A., where there will be no more risks involved.”

  One of the motel’s front desk attendants came to their floor. “Is everything all right?”

  “Yes. Now we are fine. Thank you for coming,” Anna replied.

  “Let me know if you need anything, okay,” the front desk attendant said.

  “Anna nodded. “I definitely will.”

  “Anna, we’re not going to L.A.,” Gloria responded as she shook her head and released her arm from Anna.

  Anna stared at her sister in disbelief. “You cannot be serious! Someone is out there murdering people. Isn’t what just happened outside this door enough to change your mind? I don’t want to do this, either! But what other plan is there? Let’s practice in L.A. if that makes you happy.”

  “If that makes me happy? Is that what you just said? What an insult!” Gloria said in disgust.

  “I wasn’t trying to insult you,” Anna said.

  “Is this the respect you give to me? What? I’m stupid? Oh, I don’t understand that there’s a killer out there who just stabbed someone,” Gloria said.