"Ike!" I screamed. "Ike! Call an ambulance. Shelly, she's hurt!"

I ran out into the warm night, not worried I was exposing myself in nothing but a pair of green boxers.

"Zac? What is......." But he didn't finish his sentence.

Lying before us, was Shelly. She was bleeding uncontrollably, and her clothes were almost ripped right from her body. She lay up against a tree, screaming and crying with such terror I could never forget. Her hands were wet and sticky with blood, but I could see where it was coming from. Have you ever seen that movie 'The Blob'? Well, that's what she looked like, except red.

"Ike! Go and ring a fuckin' ambulance! Now!" I ordered. He hesitated, wide eyed, but then ran to the phone faster then 'The Flash'.

Shelly leaned forward into my shoulder and cried. Crying harder, and louder than anyone I had ever known.

"Zac.......I'm so....so sorry. I....I should have ...listened to you. Zac....."

"Shelly, calm down. I'm here now." I reassured her. "How did you get here?"

"I....I walked."

"ALL THE WAY FROM THE CITY? SHIT! WHAT HAPPENED?"

"He...he became agressive......I pulled away.....I told him....I told him no." She was taking short gasps, hanging on for dear life. "He hurt me Zac......he wouldn't let go....He was so much bigger than me......."

Her tears were now soaking through my bare skin. I clenched my fists in anger. I wanted to get my hands on that asshole, and only God could stop me if I did. I swear he was going to die.There was a flicker as the porch light was turned on. I looked to her waist where a saw it. The gash was huge. Spreading from one side to the other.It was a miracle she had made it this far. A trail of blood led all the way to where she was seated now.

Taylor was standing on the porch, obviously awoken by Isaac. "Zac, is she okay?"

"What do you think?"

"Okay, she's not. Just keep her conscious man. The ambulance will be here any second. Just hold on Shelly. Hold on."

I tried to hug her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, but she flinched and moved away.

"Shelly." I cleared my throat. I was now going to ask the most difficult question I had ever asked in my life. It was obvious he had beaten her up, but was there more? "Did...did he rape you?"

In the dim light, I saw her head move up and down, signalling a nod. "Fuck, that's it. That prick is dead." I mumbled to myself.

Mom was now outside to, holding her other hand, well I kept firm pressure on the wound. Something I had learned in the Boy Scouts.

Before I knew what else to think, the ambulance came firing into our street.

"Shelly?" I shook her, but her eyes were closed. She was unconscious. "Shelly, the ambulance. Their here now. Wake up! Please wake up!" I don't remember if I was crying or screaming, or even a mixture of both.

The paramedics were there, right by her side. By then half our street was out too. But that was the last thing on my mind right now.

"I swear, we'll get that bastard, I swear if it's the last thing I fuckin' do."

My mother, who would have taken a fit hearing me swear my brains out like that, didn't care about my cussing. She simply wrapped her arms around me and stroked my hair.

Shelly didn't move as they lifted her into the ambulance. Not thinking twice, still only in my boxers, I jupmed in the back too, holding her hand tight. Tight like when your little, crossing the road, holding your mom's hand like it was your only salvation from those cars. Tight.

"Zac, we'll meet you at the hospital."

I didn't respond, too busy staring into a face. A face of an angel. A dying angel.

"Shells, you just keep away from the light okay? Stay away from the big man in white." I whispered,forcing myself not to giggle. She always liked when I told jokes, and I hoped that if I just told her one, she'd wake up. But, she didn't.

Chapter 4

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