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I bolt out the back with the phone still pressed to my ear. Rounding the house, I peek toward the front yard, waiting for the police to enter before I take off down the street.
“Daphne, what’s the matter?”
“N-Nick, I—” Her small voice trails off into a whimper, and it fucking guts me. “Something’s wr-wrong.”
“What do you mean? Where are you?”
“I t-took something and… I don’t f-feel so good. My heart… it’s b-beating so fast. I’m sh-shaking. And everything… it’s all bl-blurry.”
“Daphne.” My fingers thread through my hair, frantically tugging at the roots. “This is important, sweetheart.” The unusual term of endearment slips out in the midst of my hysteria. “I need you to listen to me, okay?”
“Mmmhmm.” She’s trying so hard not to cry.
“I need you to tell me where you are. Can you do that for me?”
“I—” She inhales a shaky breath, as though trying to gather her thoughts. “—I’m at D-Devon’s house. Devon Mont-montgomery.”
Montgomery graduated last year. He’s gotta be home for holiday break. “His parent’s place? Big white house with columns?”
“Y-yes.”
I glance around, quickly gaining my bearings before darting in the direction of their home. Montgomery’s house is only the next neighborhood over. I save time by cutting through the darkened woods that separate the communities.
“I’m coming, Daph. Hang in there.” Jesus, please don’t fucking OD.
A dull thudding sounds in the background on her end, followed by a gruff voice. “Daphhhh-neeeee,” the voice taunts, making my blood run cold. “What you doing in there, baby? I thought we were gonna have fun?”
“Daph, who the fuck is that?!”
Her breathing grows more erratic, and I can tell any tears she’s been fighting to hold back are now spilling free. “It’s Devon’s friend… Mark, I th-think? He’s the one who g-gave m-me the pill.”
I run faster, pushing my body harder than I ever have before as my vision clouds a homicidal shade of red. “Where are you in the house?”
“Devon’s bathroom. Upstairs.”
“Is the door locked?” I bust free of the wooded tree line, emerging in someone’s yard. I can see the Montgomery house up the street. I’m close enough to hear the music.
“Yes.”
“Good girl. I’m almost there.” I will my strides to be longer, my pace to be faster.
She cries harder now as the slow knocks continue on her end. “Nicky, I’m s-so s-sorry.”
“Shhhh,” I do my best to mask any panic my attempts to soothe her may hold. “You’re doing so good, sweetheart. I’m so proud of you. Just don’t open the door. Not ‘til you hear me on the other side, okay?”
I’m ascending the steps to the house, shoving my way past the small crowd of people that have congregated on the front porch.
“Conners!” One of them greets me, attempting to give me the pound. I bodycheck him out of the way, losing my phone in the process as I shoulder my way through the front door and bound up the stairs two at a time.
I leave no door untouched. I run from room to room, twisting each knob and kicking open the ones that are locked, my anxiety rising with every passing second. By the time I come to the last door, I don’t even bother to check if it’s unlocked. The heel of my boot connects with the wood, splintering both the door and the frame as it flies open. Racing in, I find the motherfucker I can only assume is Mark jiggling the ensuite handle as he tries to gain access to the locked room.
“What the fuck, man?!” he screams, scanning the mess I’ve made while eyeing me like I’m psychotic.
He should look at me that way, because right now, I am.
I charge him, catapulting myself over the bed before slamming into him with every ounce of force I can muster. I say nothing. Offer no explanation as I hammer him continuously with my fists. Each blow paints his face a deeper shade of red until eventually I can’t even tell where he’s bleeding from anymore.
I register screaming somewhere in the room, but it isn’t until several more seconds pass that I realize the screams are my own. I keep hitting him. Again and again. Unable to stop as my brain supplies a stream of endless horror-filled scenarios of what he could have done to her. What he undoubtedly would have done had Daph not called me.
