Featured Story Written By: Anna DeWispelare
Amber was the first to hear the pounding on the door. She pulled herself from the enticing thriller novel she was reading and looked up. Amber wondered if it was her roommate Stacy, but it couldn’t be. Stacy worked until 11 p.m. She wasn’t going to be home for another five hours. There came another pound.
Amber sighed in aggravation and got up, tossing the book down on the chair. She walked over and peered through the tiny peephole. Opening the door, Amber found a little 12-year-old boy dressed in a recognizable safari brown shirt. It was riddled with numerous badges, alongside his olive green pants and black dress shoes.
“Hi! Would you like to sign up for the-” the boy started, before Amber shut the door in his face. She rolled her eyes. Boyscouts, always wanting to sell or have you sign up for something. Amber strolled back over to her chair. She’d just started to sit down again with her book when a third knock sounded.
“I just sat down…,” Amber grumbled, turning around to go back to the door. She yanked it open to still find the 12-year old-boy standing where he had been before.
“What?!” Amber shouted in his face.
“Did you want to sign up-” the boy started.
“No! I’m not signing up for any of your Boy Scout nonsense, so leave me alone!” Amber growled and shut the door again. She closed her eyes for a moment until yet a fourth knock came. “If I hear another knock I swear!” Amber shouted, spinning around nearly ripping the door from its hinges. She stopped in shock to find no 12-year-old boy anymore. Instead, Amber was face to face with a broad chest. Her eyes traveled up to meet the gaze of someone she had once known.
Those unforgettable emerald green eyes, dark ashy styled brown hair, the dangerous smirk that lay on his lips and strong masculine cologne.
Amber let out a small scream, stumbled backward and slammed the door. The man was able to force the door back, letting it fly open, colliding against the wall. Amber backed into the room horrified. Ryan, her nightmare of an ex, had returned into her reality.
“What do you want?” Amber asked, swallowing her fear.
“I just want to talk dearest,” Ryan replied. Amber shuddered. Ryan always used to call her dearest when they were together, but now the word made her sick. Amber had never forgotten the night she left Ryan. He’d come home drunk from a party. Ryan had never gotten drunk before. He became mean and aggressive, so aggressive to the point where he hit Amber. Amber touched her right cheek, remembering how much it had hurt.
“Why are you here? Why did you come back?” Amber asked Ryan, trying to keep her anger from breaking free.
“I’ve missed you, Amber. I just wanted to see you again,” Ryan purred. Amber glared at him. “How long has it been since our little falling out? 6 months? A year?” Ryan asked, taking a step forward. Amber remained silent. “Answer me!” he roared, grabbing Amber by her forearms, throwing her into one of the armchairs in the room. Amber watched fearfully as Ryan approached her slowly.
“Ryan, I told you it was over. You promised to leave me alone!” Amber said, her voice rising, tears finally escaping.
“Yes, I did promise, my dearest Amber, but aren’t promises meant to be...broken?” Ryan asked in a sly tone, leaning down toward Amber’s face.
She cringed away from him. “You don’t know how much I love you, Amber. Let me prove my undying love for you,” Ryan continued, getting down on his knees in front of her.
“You don’t love me, Ryan. You never did. All you cared about was using me and stealing all my money! You’re a liar and a cheat,” Amber growled, her eyes narrowing. Ryan was silent for a moment before letting out a small chuckle.
“But, liars make the best promises,” he said raising his brow and smirking. Ryan reached for Amber’s hands, but she pulled them back. He stepped away from her and began to explore the room. Amber stood up, watching Ryan closely.
“You better leave, because I am two seconds away from calling the police,” Amber said, attempting to sound threatening. Ryan turned around to face her.
“They’d never make it in time,” Ryan said devilishly. Amber’s eyes flitted over to where her phone lay on the counter and contemplated her options. She went for it. Amber started for the counter when Ryan plowed into her from behind.
Amber collapsed and put out her hands to catch herself. She turned over on her back to fight off Ryan, trying to keep his hands away from her neck in fear of being choked to death. Ryan swung a fist at Amber’s face, making contact. The blow landed into her left temple and her vision darkened. There was a small audible click of a switchblade and Amber’s eyes widened. Ryan raised the knife and, just as he brought it down, Amber bucked, managing to throw Ryan off of her. The knife was loose in his grasp and Amber wrestled Ryan for it, getting it into her hands.
She stood and backed up towards her phone on the counter holding the knife out in front of her. She took her eyes off Ryan for a split second to grab her phone when he rushed at her again. The knife came forward and Ryan grunted. Both of them looked down to see the switchblade protruding from Ryan’s abdomen.
Amber let go of the knife falling a few steps back. Ryan went to the ground as the maroon stain on his shirt blossomed outward. Amber grabbed her phone and immediately dialed 911.
“911, what’s your emergency?” a female operator’s voice asked.
“I...I’m here...in my apartment. My ex just got stabbed and he’s hurt,” Amber answered, her eyes trained on Ryan.
“Alright, I just need your name and your location,” the operator answered. Amber gave her name and address, then finished the call. A painful fifteen minutes passed before the police and paramedics arrived. They loaded Ryan onto a stretcher and were about to carry him out when Ryan stopped them.
“Amber…” Ryan said weakly. Amber walked over, keeping her distance and looked down at him.
“Promise you’ll bail me out of jail?” he asked, his expression hopeful.
“I can’t promise that I will,” Amber said stiffly and stepped back as the paramedics carried Ryan away.
When the door closed, Amber thought over everything that’d just happened. She looked to the scarlet bloodstain on the cotton white carpet. Amber went to grab carpet cleaner and a rag. Her thoughts reeled to a saying from an English Proverb: “When a man repeats a promise again and again, he means to fail you.” Ryan didn’t just fail Amber, he lied to her... and it hurt. She knelt down by the stain and began to clean.