“I have to get out of here. Come on, walk casually with me,” he orders as I reach for his hand. He takes me down an alley and we end up on another street. I’m shaking after what just happened. Buddy doesn’t want to talk yet. He seems tense as we wait by the bus stop. Just as I see the bus coming two guys jump at Buddy. One of them is holding him down while another guy begins punching and kicking him.
“Help,” I shout. I’m so scared. I know I can’t stop them on my own. In my distress I begin to push the guy away that’s holding Buddy down. I hear Buddy shout at me to run. The guy finally releases him and turns to me. I watch as Buddy tries to stand but falls back down. As I’m watching Buddy the guy continues to walk towards me. I stand there, so scared as I shake my head.
“Hey, what a pretty little spitfire you are. Wouldn’t I like to get to know you a little better,” he slurred. I glanced back towards Buddy. The other attacker was going through his pockets as Will laid on the sidewalk.
“Just go, take what you attacked him for and go,” I spat at him. I saw a few people across the street watching but not coming forward to help.
“I’d like to take what I want,” he smirked as he disgustingly put a finger in his mouth. I could hear Buddy moaning. I have to help him. I take a step towards him when I feel the guy grab my elbow.
“Not so fast darlin’,” he warned as he swung me into him. I look into his eyes, determined not to show my fear. A familiar sense of strength seemed to be boiling in my blood, like the time my father attacked me. I stared into this man's eyes, watching them go black. His grip seemed to loosen.
“Let me go,” I ordered. He sighed as his hand released my elbow.
“Maybe another time then little witch,” he sneered. I heard sirens approaching. The two men disappeared as I knelt down beside Buddy. I tried to hide the fact that I was checking his pockets, to make sure there weren't any drugs left in them. I’m pretty sure the guy took it all. I found a couple of joints and threw them out onto the road. Cars had driven over them before the police finally pulled up. I’m holding Buddy’s head in my lap when they come over to us. An ambulance pulls up behind them.
“Hi Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to step back,” the officer orders. I have tears running down my cheeks. I nod as I kiss Buddy before standing up. I wipe his blood from my face as I watch him being put into the ambulance.
“Can I go with him?” I ask. The two police officers are busy talking to witnesses, ignoring me.
“Why aren’t you talking to me?” I shouted in frustration. One of them finally turned and walked quickly towards me.
“OK, why don’t you tell us what happened?”
“We were standing here, talking, waiting for the bus when two guys came out of nowhere and just started beating him up,” I told them. “They were dressed in black jeans and black hoodies.”
“Are you sure you don’t know why he was attacked? Do you think it was just a random attack?” he asked sarcastically. I nodded, knowing that they were not about to go and look for the guys that did this.
“Can I go with him?” I begged, feeling beaten. The police officer looked me over then nodded. “Go,” he finally said. I jumped into the ambulance just before they closed the doors. I sat beside Buddy and grabbed his hand. I kissed his bloody knuckles. Slowly he tilted his head to look at me.
“Oh Scarlett, are you okay baby?” he asked, squinting in pain as he tried to turn to look at me. “I’m okay, I’m okay,” I told him, as I moved closer to him. He tried to raise his hand but it just fell back down. I glanced at the attendant.
“It’s okay, I just gave him some morphine to dull the pain,” he said, calming my fears.
At the hospital they ran him in. He has full medical coverage as part of the benefits they gave his mother for losing so much in defending their country. I had been sitting in the waiting area for what seemed like hours when I saw his mother walking towards me. I stood abruptly. “Have you seen him yet?” she asked, without greeting me.
“No, they won’t tell me anything,” I told her.
“That’s because you’re not family,” she said coldly. I turned from her and sat back down on the chair.
“I’ll go see how he is,” she said. I just nodded, hugging my knees to my chest. I felt so alone and so cold without him. Is this how it is going to be when I leave him. Maybe I should go home now. I’m not family and his mother won’t let me see him. Who am I kidding, there is no way in hell I’m leaving until I know he is okay. I'm not leaving until I can see him at least one more time.
“Scarlett, come with me,” I heard his mother order me. I stood shakily and followed her.
