He could hear a woman crying of pain in the room across the hall. The sound of slapping and punching emitted through the walls and under the doors where the cracks carried all noises of the halls. The woman’s cries weakened after each smack of contact to human flesh. Jack sat in his room with a headache and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was that feeling in his stomach that is like a fist or when your insides are hardening. He heard a loud thud and mentally pictured the woman’s body being thrown across the room into the wall. There she would be lying on the floor where he would most likely kick her or God knew what else. Someone will call the police I can’t get involved. The screaming and hitting seemed to go on for minutes on to nearly an hour. The noise level only fueled his headache and he had nothing to take for the pain. Jack was getting upset and his guts felt like they had begun to rise to a boil. The anger only made him shaky and sick and the crying only made him all the more upset. He didn’t like guys that hit women. Plus, Jack thought selfishly, the guy had no consideration for others in the surrounding rooms. ‘Excuse me, could you be a little more quiet, I have a terrible headache.’ What a joke that would be . . . maybe not. He got up and started walking towards the door. Getting up made his heart beat faster and harder accelerating with each beat was the headache pounding in his brain. He wanted to scream but knew that would only make the situation worse than what it already was, not to mention his headache. He poked his head out the door to look through the hall hoping to see others looking or walking to the door. Or just maybe someone called the police and they would be standing outside the door by now. His headache continued on. He could imagine pain as a flammable liquid with the warning label reading "contents under pressure . . ." when was the last time he ever had a headache like this? He couldn’t remember.

No one it seemed, noticed or wanted to notice what was going on in apartment 21D. Jack took a deep breath, exhaled and looked towards the door. There was another scream as the woman sounded to be scrambling for the door. There were more loud smacks and a grunt. She was whining in a muffled babble for the man to ‘stop, please stop’ but it sounded more like, ‘fpop peef fpop.’ Jack knew what he had to do. The police, if they were coming, would most likely be there too late and she would be out cold . . . or dead. He could just see them standing around her corpse eyeing her body scratching themselves and complaining about their shifts or planning to go to the bar with a few buddies. 'What should we do with the body?' one would ask. 'See if she's got family. If not toss her on the Jane Doe list at the morgue. We'll find her name later and they can take it from there. With any luck it'll be out of our hands. We've got the perp, that's all that matters now,' as the beefy sergeant flicks ash from his cigarette onto the floor of a well kept apartment that would have still been well kept if it weren't for the murderous boyfriend. Jack walked up to the door and nearly knocked when he thought, what if this guy has a gun? It just now occurred to him that he could be putting himself in a life or death situation. Should I barrel down the door and leap for him as soon as he’s in my site? What if he has something in his hands that he was using on her and decides to use it on me? Would this be in my best interest to knock down the door? What if they are just into that strange S&M stuff and it I’m only thinking it sounds like domestic violence? He stood there questioning how he should proceed. His headache seemed to literally make his eye twitch. The man inside yelled at the top of his lungs and slammed something against the floor. The woman screamed hoarsely and Jack’s headache just kept on getting worse (Not S&M). He was clenching and unclenching his teeth. His fist was balling and opening over and over. Muscles stiff, brow damp with sweat, he made his decision, raised his hand and knocked on the door as calmly and nicely as he could.

A voice came immediately, “GO AWAY!” He smacked the woman again and she squealed. Must have been caught off guard from the sounds of it.

“Sir, can you please stop what you’re doing. People are concerned and you're causing a commotion. If you could please stop hurting her and keep the noise down t . . .”

“Get out of here before I start on you next!?” He must have grabbed the woman by the arm because she yelped and there was the sound of a belt whipping her repeatedly. The woman moaned and cried as the man inside 21D were doing all he could for the sake of making noise, or so it seemed. Jack’s body shook with anger for the woman, himself and his headache. He balled a fist and slammed it into the door hard but not his hardest. The man inside taunted him and threatened him.

“You stay right there and I’ll have you screaming like a bitch too! You want to be a hero? You the floor protector?” The man was approaching the door Jack could hear oncoming footsteps.

Jack wound up and nailed his foot to the door of the apartment with all the force his body and leg. Jack was six three and roughly 220 lbs. He was a mass of muscle in the arms and legs. He played football through school and was still making trips to the weight room from time to time to keep his physical condition. He jogged in the mornings and took out most of his aggression on the punching bag he had set up hanging from the ceiling on a special mount in his room. He enjoyed being in shape and physical strength helped a lot when he needed extra money on the side and took up work as a bouncer. He had to veer away from that line of work since it really didn't say much on a corporate level and he didn’t need to put himself in dangerous situations anymore.

When he was younger lifting was one of his hobbies. He wanted to be like Arnold Schwartzeneggar with the twenty-two inch biceps or the sixty-seven inch chest. Jack was pretty big in high school and especially in college. Lifting was most of what he did, aside from the drinking games at the frat parties. He eased up quite a bit knowing that he would have a hard time working it off if he kept up the quantities he was drinking. So he drank enough for a good time and that was as far as it went (usually). There was a few times that Jack let his drinking get out of hand. When it did he was usually not in a good mood to start with. The alcohol helped to escalate his mood (as anyone could testify) and there weren’t too many people that bothered him or got in his way when he did drink like that. There was one guy from another fraternity that grew fond of making life difficult for Jack. They used to hit on the same girls and there was one in particular that Jack felt something for. She went out of her way just to say, ‘hi,’ to him while he was lifting. She was one of those girls that every guy thought was pretty. Her name was Sue. She flirted, sure that was typical of most girls in college. But, Sue nonchalantly hit on Jack every chance she could get and Jack realized it a little too late. When he finally caught on to it he worked up the confidence to ask her out. Tom was the other guy that was there in the weight room benching 160 lbs. and loading his pants from the looks of the veins popping from his forehead and neck. He tried to look tough in front of everyone. Tom was a runt of a guy with a powerful mouth. That is to say he had a sharp tongue. He had a natural gift to lead attention to him. Through the years he used it as a weapon for his insecurity and some people could see it from a mile away. He did have his tendencies to be funny or even remotely nice, but that was when he wasn't putting on an act. Tom also liked Sue and had tried to go out with her in the past. He was put off by the rejection she tried at so subtly, but Tom wasn't used to not getting what he wanted. When he realized that Jack was going for the kill he had to act quickly. It wasn't hard to see that Jack and Sue were right for each other.

“Hey Sue how are ya?” Jack was nervous and thought she could sense it but she didn’t laugh at him. She waited patiently for him to get what she wanted to hear out.

“Fine, how are you? Bulking up for wrestling? Gonna pound all the little guys from East Whensington?” She smiled at him with sweet pleasure and Jack nearly blushed.

“I’m hoping I can. Some of their guys are pretty big but I’m working on building up and practicing on strategy for the tournament.” She knew he had trouble so she opened him up with something he could freely speak on. When Jack was nervous, in front of girls of course, carrying a conversation was as difficult as brain surgery . . . next to impossible in other words.

“Hey Sue, I was wondering if maybe . . .you might want to . . .go out to the m . . .”

“Jack not on the first date!” Tom came up behind Jack and yanked his pants down underwear and all to his ankles for all to see. His shirt was too short to cover any vitals so everything hung out flapping in the wind, as the saying sometimes goes. Sue was a little embarrassed at what Tom had done but couldn’t help but look in Jack’s direction eyes wide. Jack didn’t really notice because he moved as quickly as he could. The delayed reaction made the situation all the harder to deal with. Jack looked quickly around turning red. Guys and girls all around the weight room were snickering or laughing out loud and Jack’s mood changed very quickly to one of a ‘I'm going to rip your head from your shoulders’ look. His eyebrows started moving toward the middle of his forehead and his eyes seemed to almost change color. Tom went around laughing and working off of everyone else's laughter. The laughing died down after people realized Jack was not laughing and Tom was only starting trouble. Typically, Fraternity’s did things like that and everyone laughed it off. Jack was not the person to do things like that to. Until that day, no one really knew just how severely Jack could and would hurt someone the way he hurt Tom. Jack was an even-tempered guy and didn’t want to cause a scene so he didn’t do anything much at first. Most people would have been all over Tom in a heartbeat. Tom counted on Jack just walking away from his past experience with him. He knew Jack was forgiving and Tom loved to take advantage of it.

“Aw, what’s the matter? You can’t handle a joke?” Tom was now pushing Jacks buttons taunting him. Jack ignored him as best he could.

“Tom cut the shit,” Sue was getting sick of his adolescent episodes. “Grow up you jerk.” Sue was one of those girls that couldn’t help but want to stick up for the weaker person. In this case, Jack was both stronger in size and mind. He chose not to make a big deal about things and Sue couldn’t stand to see him made fun of.

“What did you say?” Tom was flabbergasted at her sudden change in attitude. Until now Sue had never spoke to Tom like that before.

“You heard me! You’re not cool, so cut the shit! Just go away I don’t want to see you,” Sue flicked her hand in a shooing gesture knowing very well that she was taunting Tom the same way he was trying to taunt Jack.

“Get the hell out of my face, bitch!” He slapped her hand away frustrated.

“DON’T touch her,” Jack’s voice came from between them. He was sitting on a work out bench with a bar holding 275lbs. He hadn’t started anything because Sue was still standing with him and trying to protect him, except that Tom was not going to leave him alone. He wanted Jack to look stupid in front of everyone. In front of her iespecially, now that Tom was seen as the immature one. He wanted Jack to be seen that way too so then Sue wouldn’t want either of them. If Tom couldn't have Sue, he surely wasn't going to let Jack have her!

“Do you think you’re so tough? Think you’re the big shit around here? I wrestle too and I know I don’t need a ton of muscle to kick your ass.” Jack rolled his eyes and lay back on the bench to start lifting. Tom got more agitated and grabbed Sue’s arm commandingly, “come on, you think he’s better than me? He don’t even stand up for you.”

“Let go!” She grabbed him by the jewels and briefly squeezed. He let go squealing in surprise and cupping his genitals. The whole weight room laughed at that more than when Jack lost his pants.

"Couldn't find it," she said to the room. Tom looked around and felt as if the room was caving in on him. He had nothing else he could do to turn things his way. He looked around helplessly and back toward Jack and Sue. Jack was smiling as he sat on the bench looking straight at him. Tom walked up to Sue suddenly and punched her across her cheek. There was a sudden hush of silence and gasps as Sue fell to the ground holding her face. He hit her hard and quick. She was caught off guard. Blood trickled onto the mat of the weight room.

“You stupid bitch! . . .”

Before he could finish Jack had gotten up from the bench he had been lifting on and went charging toward Tom. His gaze was of lunatic rage. He seemed to grow in his anger to an inhuman mass, fists balled and muscles tense. His shirt was damp with sweat from the lifting and now from the anger. Tom looked toward Jack in what seemed like slow motion. You could have heard Tom’s neck creek as he slowly turned in Jack’s direction much like an old rickety door squealing as you opened it to a dark room. Jack was like a bear and nearly the size of one with his build. The loud almost roar that came from Jack was the last thing Tom heard before the lights went out. He threw a jab into Tom’s face immediately following that was a strong hook to the other side of his face. As his one fist did the hitting, his other hand grabbed Tom's body in position as he landed hits to Tom's face.

People not only heard the punch thud against Tom’s stomach but could see his body heave off the ground. Sue looked up with wide eyes seeing Jack wailing on Tom. She held her red cheek wincing at the pain. The blood was from her inside cheek where the tooth had nicked the skin open to the size of a mouth sore. The last hit was a hook to Tom’s face spiraling him face down into the floor. He didn’t move from that position and no one helped him up or saw to him. His face was already swelling from the bare knuckled fist bruising his face, blackening his left eye and knocking out one of his teeth. He gasped for air as he lay on the floor whimpering silently. No one would know since his face was red with hurt and mixed with blood.

Jack stood back and just watched him for a few seconds and turned around to see Sue. She was still sitting on the floor gaping at what he had just done. She was not upset only surprised. Jack went to her and knelt on one knee looking at her face and grimacing.

“Are you all right? I’ll get some ice. How’s about we get you on your feet.”

Sue nodded looking up at him but not saying a word, just obeying commands. He took one of her arms and lifted her with ease.

“I’m all right now,” she said with somewhat muffled words.

“I know, but I just want to make sure the swelling in your cheek won’t get too bad for you.” She smiled and grimaced but held the smile as best she could for him and looked into his eyes.

“What were you going to ask me before we were rudely interrupted?”

“If you would go out with me on a date sometime,” everything came out so much easier now that there was something to take out his tension and nervousness. Break the ice.

“I was afraid you’d never ask,” looking at him with her wonderful eyes he returned the look unwavering.

“Thank you, for saving me.” He looked at her and put a gentle hand to the side of her face. She watched him as he touched her face gently and almost lovingly. She stood on tiptoe resting a hand in the middle of his chest lightly leaning for balance and kissed him softly but squarely on the lips. “Of course I’ll go with you on a date.” The weight room echoed with cheer and whistling. Both Jack and Sue turned in surprise at the audience they had acquired. The little situation turned into a good-guy bad-guy love story.

Sue turned out to be a sweetheart and Jack stayed with her all through college. They still saw each other once and a while but things died down somewhat after college. Sue wanted to explore and Jack wanted to stick around. He wanted to explore the world too, but he wanted to do it after everything was paid off and had a home to call his own. Sue was too fancy free to stick around for that but stayed single for Jack, as far as Jack knew. Jack stayed single for her too (as far as Sue could tell). Now Sue was somewhere in Paris having some fun with some friends and Jack was staying in a cheap apartment building where he could save his money. Just recently there seemed to be a lot of noise and a guy in the room across the hall with the same problem Tom had just magnified to the power of ten (badly oversized ego and a nasty habit of hitting).

The door Jack kicked came down like a ton of bricks and something in Jack clicked the way things always do when he foresees a fight. His anger escalated in unimaginable split seconds . . .

The guy stood there looking in the doorway at the large man coming toward him. He stood his ground firm but fear was in his gaze. It was the kind of look that says, where did that come from? Or, Are you supposed to be the incredible hulk? The guy held a metal bar in his hands about twenty inches long, give or take. The look in the guy’s eye told Jack he used it on the girl and was planning to use it again for Jack. He planned his attack as best he could, hoping to hit Jack in the right area to knock him to the ground. He swung quick and hard. As angry as Jack was he flinched his head back as the pipe just missed his face. He could feel the breeze of the pipe and guessed the thing was not hollow. This guy was probably doped up on something too from that look in his eye. Jack got closer as quick as he could so he could grab the guys arm before he could come back around to swing again. The guy tried to do a back swing to throw Jack off guard, but it was caught and the guy could see it coming. Before Jack could swing to hit him he had to use his other hand to block the guys free hand. This guy was small but quick and knew what to do to stay on his feet. Jack used a wrestling move to put the guy out of operation. When he blocked the one hand and held the other he stepped aside from any flailing kicks to the groin. Jack twisted the hand holding the bar and whipped him around. He held the guys’ one hand against his chest in an awkward position and slammed him onto the tiled floor of the apartment. The guy had been trying to break free and snap his head back to break Jacks hold, but when he hit the floor he was severely stunned. The stun would only last so long though. This guy was up in seconds trying to shake off the stars in his head. He would stay standing until his legs gave way to faint. The guy stood there rocking in place. He was a sitting duck and Jack could see this plain as day. All he had to do was walk up to the guy and push him over and that would be it. But, Jack swung a hard and fast hook into the guys’ jaw. Like Tom, this guy fell like a rock. Jack didn’t leave this guy lying there though. He found wire from one of the over turned broken lamps and ripped it off. He hog-tied the guy lying on the floor yelling and screaming. He came to pretty quick but not quick enough. Jack had enough time to tie one of the special knots that tightens as you move, but didn't put it around the guy's neck. This guy would kill himself, no doubt about it. As much as he would have liked loosing the world of people like this guy he couldn't do it and feel right in his own mind.

“You wanna yell I can make things much worse for ya!” He stepped on the guys’ arm forcing it the wrong way adding pressure as the guy kept yelling out of spite. Finally he stopped yelling and this time he screamed of pain, “all right, all right!” Jack raised his foot and turned toward the woman. He had only caught a glimpse of her when he walked in but she was terribly battered. Her face was a puffy bloody mess. Her hair was all over the place and bruises were showing on her neck. Where her shirt didn’t cover her body he could see more of the same angry sores. The guy had done a number on her and tore some of her clothes off in the process. She might have been raped had Jack not come in at the time he did.

The woman looked up at him the same way Sue had after he lay Tom out for the count. She couldn’t see him very well, but what little her eyes could see through the puffy bruised mess and blood running in her tears, was enough for her to be sure that she would be all right for the night.

“Don’t try to speak, your mouth is going to hurt a lot. I’m going to put you on the mattress over there and get some ice.” She, like Sue, only stared at him and listened obediently as if being commanded. His deep voice was commanding but gentle to her ears and mind. He bent down and slowly and gently worked his arm under her legs and the other behind her back. She winced and he lifted her up as easily as he had lifted Sue. This woman felt like a child. She was so small it seemed. Her body was thin and her frame seemed hardly strong enough for a slap on the shoulder. She must have been pretty tough if she could handle what he had heard from his room. Despite the ugly mess the guy on the floor caused her face she seemed to be a pretty young woman. She was probably still under twenty-five. There was a haggard look to her facial features on account of the cuts and bruises. She was withdrawn from everything around her after a while. She was shivering but Jack knew it wasn’t from being cold. It was the middle of summer and eighty degrees outside. It must have been ten more degrees just in the halls of the apartment building. Their apartment alone felt like ninety degrees. Jack softly lay her against the mattress where she relaxed a little more. She couldn’t do much of anything without pain.

She tried to speak, “thank, . . .you.” It came out as a whisper and he silenced her when she got it out. “You’re welcome; But, please just rest. I don’t know how often this has happened before but I want you to sit back and let me help you as much as I can." Jack became more disgusted with the guy he tied up as he saw more of her injuries. He was also disgusted with the people in his apartment complex for not doing something. No one confronted the hostile abusive boyfriend and no one called the police. If anyone did call for help he was even more disgusted with the police for not acting quickly to domestic violence. This could have been a homicide.

She lay back and closed her eyes breathing shallowly. That guy could have collapsed her lungs from the hits she sustained. Jack went to their kitchen where he tried to find a cloth to damp and wipe away the blood and one to wrap ice in. Some people don't know that if you damp a cloth just a little, the ice or heat can permeate more efficiently. The whole apartment was a mess and he wouldn’t find anything for her there that would help. He went out to the living room where the guy was hog tied on the floor and grabbed him by the arms the opposite way as a policeman would do after hand-cuffing someone. The man yelled in pain and Jack dragged him into the bathroom.

“This is your new home until the police come to show you to your cell. Enjoy!” He closed the door behind him and walked to the woman on the mattress. The guy yelled and made more noise. Jack looked around the messy apartment and noticed something on the floor. He found some masking tape (conveniently enough) and some dirty socks. He went back in the bathroom sat on the guy's back and stuffed the dirty socks in his mouth. The guy wiggled as much as he could and gagged forcefully as Jack wrapped the masking tape firmly and tightly.

“This will be the last thing you have to say to me, but could you tell me your name?”

“Pamela.”

“All right, Pamela. I want to bring you to my apartment across the hall. I think it would be a little more comfortable under the circumstances. I have some things to help with your sores.”

“Kay.” She said nodding. He picked her up and brought her into the hallway. There were now people populating the hallway silently. They wanted to know what had happened to the guy yelling and hurting Pamela.

“Someone call the police and tell them . . .”

“No. Don’t turn him in. I don’t want to press charges.” Her speech was mumbled and her voice was weak.

“Lady,” an older man from down the hall said, “you’re not going back to him are you?” He was one of those nosy old men. He must have been about seventy. He sneered at her obviously thinking she had it coming to her. Probably a hooker or drug-friend, he thought to himself.

“Everyone please go back to your rooms I’ll handle this.”

“Who put you in charge!” The older man demanded. The old man proved to be as much of a nuisance as a nosy muckraking reporter looking for a Pulitzer.

“The moment I went in there to face the problem and not cower in my room made me the one to handle the problem. Go about your business, please!” The older man shrank back at the authority in Jack’s voice. He turned around and went into his room not looking back. Pamela lay her head against Jack’s shoulder. Jack opened his door and brought her to his bed. “And, if the police haven’t been called someone please at least call an ambulance!”

“No, I don’t need one. I’ll be all right.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll take you into my apartment and you can call whoever you need to call to pick you up or work out whatever arrangements you need to.” She looked at him and nodded but there was something in her eyes that he had seen before. Something that told him she has nowhere or no one to run to.

“You don’t have anyone you can call do you?”

She looked at him with a drawn exasperation and said, “None of my family live around here,” but that didn’t seem to be the only reason. Jack didn’t want to get too personal with her at this very moment especially under the circumstances.

“All right, I’ll take you in to my place and we can go from there. You need your rest more than anything.” If she were happy to hear this she didn’t show too much emotion, but then who would after being beaten the way she was?

He took her into his room and prepared everything for her. “You can stay here on my bed, I’ll sleep on the couch. Don’t worry about imposing or anything cause you’re not. Just relax and let me help you. We can talk tomorrow morning if you’d like that.” She nodded and smiled with her eyes in reply as a thank you. When Jack came back he had the damp cloth, ice wrapped in another cloth, peroxide and ointment. She was tired he could see. He would move softly but quickly so she could get her rest. “Here you go,” he dabbed softly all around her face. She flinched momentarily at the pain. She tensed and he could feel it in the mattress underneath him. She still shivered but not as badly as before.

“My name’s Jack and if you were wondering, yes, I have dealt with a situation somewhat similar to this. You’ll be all right after some time of healing but it will be painful for some time too. But, you already knew that.”

She placed a hand on his other hand and he looked at her. She mouthed the words, ‘thank you’ and he smiled sympathetically. “Moving your mouth will probably have to be off limits for tonight too, but your welcome.” He smiled at her and held her hand in one of his and put the other on top of it. He remembered her shirt was torn and revealing some areas she wouldn’t usually reveal to just anyone.

You should see a doctor,” he insisted. She simply shook her head, no.

“The only reason I bring it up is because they would do a thorough exam of any cuts, bruises or fractures and that would mean . . .” She read what he was getting at and looked down enough to see where the buttons on her shirt were. She didn’t really have to unbutton her shirt much but did anyway to reveal her chest and stomach. She then unbuttoned her top button of her pants an unzipped the fly. When she could do no more she looked at him. Jack’s eyes were showing some surprise but understood that she meant for him to do. “Okay, I got ya. If that’s what you want then that’s what I’ll do.”

She placed a hand on his again and felt his nervousness. He looked at her and she managed a polite smile to comfort him as much as he could be comforted. “I think I need to cut the shirt do you mind?”

Look at me, Ma’. I’m a Doctor! . . . How could I let myself get into this situation so deeply? She shook her head, no, and he grabbed a pair of scissors from a drawer in the other room. He took out one of his smaller shirts and lay it next to her. He found a pair of drawstring sweatpants she could swim in while she lay in bed. He dressed all her wounds and cleaned her off, body, face and arms as best he could without hurting her.

“I’m going to put you on your stomach now to get your back. Whatever you can do to help me go for it but I don’t want you to hurt yourself. You know what ways you can move.” She winced as he rolled her up and on her side. She may have fractured her ribs. When she was on her stomach she breathed sharply for a short while and found a position to lay in that wouldn’t hurt too much. The bruising on her back was pretty bad. Jack had some muscle healers that were creams. The bruises and black and blues were pretty bad and nearly nauseating to look at. He rubbed the ointment in as softly as he could and moved toward her ribs. Her arms went down in reaction to him touching them. It hurt her more than tickled. “You all right?” Her body was very small and thin, which made him wonder if she had been an anorexic or worse (drug addict?). Coke users lost considerable amounts of weight like this (not that he knew how big she may have ever been before meeting her this evening).

She nodded and he smeared a film of the cream along her ribs and didn’t bother rubbing it in. He flipped her back over again and she lay there relaxing more and more as time went by. He had washed his hands and came back to see how the inside of her mouth was doing.

“I just wanted to see if there was any bleeding in your mouth or any teeth missing or . . .you know.” She moved her lips some and Jack flipped her lips around looking at the back and looking at her teeth and gums. He only looked at the ones in front so she wouldn’t be in anymore pain. Everything seemed all right. Surprisingly enough, she had a nice set of whites. She must have had braces or something to make them look so nearly perfect. She was the poster child for crest, was all he could guess. He couldn’t help wondering what her mouth would taste like to kiss (under other circumstances).

“All right, I’ve done enough poking and prodding. I’m going to let you get your sleep. If you need anything let me know. Here is a cat’s collar. It’s the only thing I’ve got with a bell attached.” He started getting up when she rang the bell quickly. Jack turned and looked at her questioningly.

“Bathroom,” she whispered.

“Right across from the living room and kitchen, light switch to your left . . .” She gave him a considering look, “ . . . you . . . need help getting to it?”

“Need help . . .” her voice was hoarse and quiet, but her eyes told him everything.

“Oh . . .okay.” He gave her a look that she read as full comprehension. If she only knew what he was thinking, Oh, God help me! First the ointment rubdown now this . . .

After getting her up and to the bathroom she used one hand to slide her pants and underwear part of the way down and motioned for Jack to pull them the rest of the way down. He audibly gulped and pulled them down all the way. Jack was going to step out for her privacy and his modesty, for her and she grabbed his pant leg.

“Stay, please.” He felt embarrassed and just looked the other way as she finished. She pulled his pant leg like a four-year-old might do and he went to her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he lifted her. He then bent over and lifted her pants and underwear up and she pulled it the rest of the way. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed. He pulled the covers over her body and said goodnight. He again thought to himself, why am I in this position? Doesn’t she have anyone to help instead of a complete stranger? She motioned him to come back a second. He bent down to her and she kissed his cheek holding his face with her hands. There was a tear in her eye as she whispered, “thank you.” He smiled as she lay her head down. He felt lower than anything he could imagine. He kissed her forehead. He left the door open and shut off all lights. He made his bed on the couch and fell to sleep almost immediately.

When he awoke early in the morning he realized he slept undisturbed. He hoped that she didn’t ring the bell. He was uncomfortable not being sure if she did or not. He got up and peeked in on her. It was still early and she was sleeping. Her face seemed to be healing already. The puffiness seemed to reduce some since the night before and sooner or later it would be reduced to bruises and angry sores. She seemed to be all right lying there in his bed, so he went back to the couch and lay there waiting for the right time to call in sick for the day. He knew he would be all right to call in sick, he was a good worker and hardly missed a day to begin with. They would be more surprised that he wasn’t coming in sick anyway or worried he might be on the brink of death. He usually came to work even when sick. But, there was a special reason he wouldn’t be in today.

Around nine o’clock that morning, Pamela awoke to the smell of eggs and toast. She had to reacquaint herself with what happened and where she was. It’s amazing how quickly pain can remind you of the situations you were or are in; and that’s just how she came to remember. She almost couldn’t remember what her new friend’s name was. That would just be typical, when you need to remember something important, whoops it’s gone. Jack came and helped her when Sam was drunk and beating on her. This time was worse than any other time though. Sam would be out with his friends and get drunk as a skunk. Someone usually bothered him that he couldn’t handle so he’d come home and lose it on her. She wasn’t sure if she would get out of it alive this last time. She lifted her arms cautiously and softly touched her face. The bruising there was sore but the puffiness wasn’t as bad as she expected. There were places on her face that would be more difficult and take longer to heal, but for the most part it seemed to be getting better. Whatever Jack smeared all over her body last night really worked well. Out of nowhere she had to pee and had to quickly remember what Jack gave her for the help call. What was it? . . .Where was it? A bell? Cat’s collar! She found the cat’s collar on the nightstand next to the bed and shook it as loudly as she could so Jack would hear it over the sizzle of the eggs. She heard him stop his movement and listen in to be sure he heard what he thought he was hearing. Footsteps toward the door (apparently Jack had closed the door so he wouldn’t wake her up. The door cracked open and Jack’s head peered through.

“How are you doing?”

“I'm doing much better,” her voice was stronger than last night and sounded firm for a small woman’s voice. It was a beautiful voice, soft and comforting to his ears. She found that not only could she speak but she could also smile a little without too much pain. A full smile would come soon enough. Her ribs still hurt but they seemed to get better than when they were freshly chopped at. It would take a long while to heal if either of them were fractured. She didn’t seem to think they were though. They hurt, no doubt about that, but not as bad as they could have if she had broken them. And she had enough experience to know.

“You have to go to the bathroom don’t you?” His face winced a little at the thought of having to go in there again with her. He felt incredibly uncomfortable doing it but he was willing if she needed him again.

“I might be able to handle it on my own if you get me to the bathroom.”

“I don’t want you to think I’m disgusted or anything. I just thought you must feel exposed or embarrassed or something, you know?”

“I understand. I wasn’t embarrassed at you being in the bathroom with me or helping me out. I was more embarrassed at looking like this and being caught in the situation I was in. I’m more than grateful for your help and not embarrassed of anything that you’ve done for me. I wish I looked more approachable.” She was definitely a crowd pleaser. It’s always the ones that want to look perfect for their men and have everything perfect for their men, that end up in situations like hers or worse.

Jack smiled at her and approached her grabbing one of her arms to help her up. “Let’s see if you can manage lightly walking. I won’t give you all your weight until you’re sure of it.” She nodded and flowed with him to her feet. He was careful not to touch her ribs when he held her.

She looked toward him, “my feet should be all right, you’ve done a good job caring for me.” Her eyes glowed with sincerity as she looked in his eyes and smiled. “Thank you so very much. Maybe we can get to know each other a little better since we live so close to each other and especially since you’ve taken care of me, do you mind?”

“No that’s fine with me. I took the rest of the day off to help you out.” Pamela looked at him again with a little surprise in her eyes.

“You didn’t have to take the day off for me! I didn’t know you had to work today, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I had to take care of some things anyway,” motioning to her apartment where the guy was tied and left in the bathroom. “Unfortunately that will have to be something about you that I need to know about before I let him go. You didn’t want me to report him so I’ll let him go, but I don’t want him to mess with you like that again or come back. I can put up with a lot and I can mind my business even in a situation like this, but I don’t want to live near someone like him,” motioning to her apartment. “I will file a complaint if I see him again. I can’t just beat the crap out of him all the time. Plus, he seems like the type that knows no boundaries and my life could be in jeopardy because of that. So you understand me, right?”

Pamela’s eyes looked to the floor and she said, “that guy was a boyfriend. I had told him I was calling things off and didn’t realize he had been drinking so heavily before I told him. He gets crazy when he’s drunk. I don’t plan on seeing him again and would rather not turn him in for something like that. You’ll just have to understand I have my reasons, but I respect your wishes and don’t plan on going back to him or seeing him again.”

“I have no problem with that. I’ll take care of getting him up and out. You guys rent the place together?”

“No, I was staying with him until I found a place for myself. We weren’t crazy about living together yet, but I had nowhere else to stay until something was worked out.” Jack cast his eyes down thinking for a second to himself. He really was developing a fondness of this young woman and since he didn’t have anyone of the female sex to talk to like this, he felt it might be a good idea. Finally he said, “if you need to stay here for a short time that’s all right. I know it would not be a good idea to stay with him and if you have nowhere else then where does that leave you?”

“Jack, you don’t have to do that. I didn’t tell you any of this so that you would have to keep me here. I can work something out if I have to.”

“I wasn’t thinking that. I want you to feel welcome here for the time it would take to find an apartment or something like that, okay?”

She smiled and sighed, “do I have a choice?”

“Not really.”

“Well, if that’s what you want then I guess I have no choice. I don’t think I could find anyone to help me go to the bathroom the way you do anyway,” smiling as she said this. Her eyes were extraordinarily beautiful in the light of the morning sun coming through the window.

“Hey.”

“I could find some other things . . .”

“You’re going to pee all over the floor if you keep that up,” he was smiling out of embarrassment. Pamela laughed and grimaced from the pressure on her ribs. “We’ll have to limit that laughing or I’ll pee and cry from pain in my ribs.”

They walked to the bathroom and she closed the door behind her. Just before she sat down, “you sure you don’t want to come in just for old time sake?”

“I didn’t show you my dog yet have I? He bites strangers.”

“Well, you better show him to me soon, you have seen my cat!” She could hear Jack laugh while waiting for her in the kitchen.

“What have I gotten myself into? Don’t answer that, please!” Jack went back to the kitchen where he set the table and finished with preparing the food for their breakfast. He momentarily thought to himself, she’s awful chipper this morning for a woman that was just beaten by her boyfriend. Maybe that means nothing at all.

She finished and Jack helped her to the table and her seat, which he had padded as best he could using couch pillows and cotton blankets to soften every edge of chair. She sat down comfortably and dug into her breakfast. They sat and relaxed for a little while speaking of each other’s past experiences and what they wanted out of life. Pamela was going to try for Business Management was working on some courses in the evening to finish her Bachelor’s Degree. Jack said he had been working for a firm in the commercial business and was saving up for retirement as ironic as that sounded. “I want to save everything early and go on all the wonderful vacations for extended periods of time when I’m retired.”

“Well, that sounds like a smart idea, but there really is no room for family there if you had given thought to that at all.” She seemed to catch herself after she said this and tried as hard as she could to hide the rosy blush in her cheeks. Jack saw just the slightest bit but didn’t look directly at her hoping she wouldn’t notice.

“At the rate I’m going a family is far fetched for me. I just play things by ear. Not all of my plans are concrete anyway so if I were to change my mind about the vacations that would be all right, I guess.”

Pamela seemed to be fishing for something but wouldn’t come right out with it. “You ever give much thought of having children?”

“I have but until that time truly effects me, I don’t see it happening yet.”

“So, am I going to meet the woman that keeps your life in order anytime soon or what?”

“The only one ever to do something like that was my mother. I’m single and free if that’s what you’re asking,” he had the suspicion that was what she wanted to know about. She blushed again just a little. She was pretty now that the swelling had opened her eyes more and her voice was clear and happy, not screaming for her life.

“Free? As in free of the bondage women or love put on you?”

“Free of the bondage to a woman.”

“Oh, I see,” she said watching. He smiled and she smiled back.

“No, I just don’t have anyone to keep up with or vice versa.”

“So you’re saying it’s a chasing game or follow the leader when you are with someone.” Jack didn’t say anything immediately and Pamela felt she stepped on his toes.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want you to think I’m trying to play you or anything like that. You might think I’m on the rebound, but that isn’t why I eluded to if you had a woman in your life or not. I’m being nosey with you.”

“Maybe we can go out sometime when you start healing some more, I’m open to all kind of options. I haven’t judged you by the incident last night or anything like that. I just want to be careful for myself as well as taking care of you. I’ve had hurts in the love selection and so have you. Right now I’m comfortable with you, though. Let’s just relax for today and get to know each other better.”

“Yeah. I like that idea. Maybe I’m just getting ahead of myself,” she smiled at him showing favor with her eyes like a schoolgirl with a crush. The more he spoke the more she wanted to hear him talk. All the while Jack thought about Sue and how they had said they would stay single for each other as best they could. What can seeing someone as a friend really hurt? And, if something were to come of us well . . .things like that happen. I told her she shouldn’t go anyway. She was the one that decided to go for such a long time and risk something like this. I do love her, but at our age and around others willing to be there for you it’s just too hard. She’s been gone for over a year now and still going strong. Who’s to say she hasn’t found anyone in the same way? He didn’t like thinking about her with other men, but it seemed that in his given situation he could accept it a little easier (not all together but a little easier now that he had someone fall into his life the way Pamela had). I guess it would be better to see other people and get a feel for other women. It can’t hurt. Jack played with these thoughts through his head giving himself the okay to fall for Pamela if it were to happen. He knew that once he reached that pivotal point in the dating game he would either fall for her head over heels or they would just be friends. He was willing to see where it would go, but he would be cautious how he handled things. She was a bird with a broken wing for the time being and he needed to treat her as if she was only with him for his care. After that the options were limitless.

Following breakfast, Jack went next door to release Mike Tyson from the bathroom. He had fallen asleep where he was on the toilet and he didn’t look at all comfortable. Jack went in and woke him nudging him with his boot. Sam woke up and had a sour look on his face.

“Rise and shine shit-head,” Jack said with little emotion in his voice. Sam just sat there on the floor of the bathroom waking up to the day and his hang over-headache. He was sore from what Jack did to him the night before. He knew he was drunk and that he had gotten upset at Pamela over something but he wasn’t sure exactly what. He had a funny feeling if it wasn’t that she had dumped him, then after what he did last night he must have signed anything they once had away for good. Just hopefully not to the gorilla that cruelly beat him and left him tied up like this. His mouth was dry and he was eager to get the gag out of his mouth. Jack ripped the masking tape off Sam’s face quick and easy (but very painfully) and Sam spit the sock out yelling in pain.

“What are you going to do with me?” Sam’s voice was more hoarse than Pamela’s and he looked as if he were in more pain this morning than Pamela. Although he didn’t have bruises all over his body or possible fractured ribs. Sam was lucky he didn’t end up in the hospital or prison for what he did.

“I’m not doing anything with you. But, I will if you ever so much as breathe in the direction of Pamela,” his eyes were stern and Sam looked away.

“Where is she?”

“She’s being taken care of and she doesn’t want to see you. I would advise you find another apartment building to reside. Everyone here knows your business and won’t want you here. That includes me.” Sam only huffed a bit and looked up at Jack with a strange blank stare Jack couldn’t quite read. “I will report you if you come back,” Jack said wishing he hadn’t waited so long to say it. It sounded weak. Like it were an afterthought he needed to use because the threat of Sam facing him wouldn’t have been enough.

Sam looked away and said nothing. Jack mentally shook off his previously thoughtful feelings aside and brought on his bouncer mentality like putting on an old shoe. He approached Sam and flipped him on his stomach with not nearly as much care as he did with Pamela. Sam winced and Jack untied the knots holding Sam’s arms behind him just a little further than comfort would allow. Once Sam was free he sat up next to the toilet staring at Jack and just waiting.

“I have my problems and I’m going to have them taken care of. Tell Pam I’m sorry. She knows I had problems and never meant for this to happen.” There was something in his words that at face value meant little but underneath carried quite a different tune. Jack felt a strange tension in the air. He didn’t like it one bit. All he could do was look at the guy with an awkward glance.

“Get out of here.”

“She wouldn’t report me,” Sam said. There was something in his voice disconcerting but he hid whatever malice may have been underneath the surface. Jack suddenly heard hissing in his head. He had to shake his head quick and jerkily as if trying to shake a dizzy spell. He couldn’t understand what was going on, but he thought he had an idea there was something very wrong happening between him and the person sitting in front of him. They were voices that either echoed or were more than one hissing something. A word. Sounded like they said ‘projector,’ but that wouldn’t make any sense, would it? Where would this or could this so called hissing come from? If Sam is controlling it, how the hell is he doing it? Jack looked over at Sam and saw that he was smiling the smile of a madman. His eyes were changing too. They were no longer the deep brown Jack had seen when he first laid eyes on Sam when he was beating on Pamela. These eyes were very different. Not red like the monsters in those stereotypical horror movies where the bad guy becomes a werewolf or Freddy Kruger. These eyes were more like the eyes of a reptile. The irises looked like thin vertical lines shaped somewhat like black diamonds. The other thing that changed in Sam was his voice. He never spoke, but his laugh was different. Behind the madman’s human laugh was a strange wheezy phlegm wrenched growl. Like the purr of a large sick cat. Jack placed both hands against his head on either side near his temples and applied pressure as if he were experiencing the recurrence of the headache from last night. The strange hissing voices in his head repeated this one thing over and over again. The only difference now was that Jack could understand what they were saying or at least he thought he could. What he heard made much more sense once he heard it. ‘Protector, protector, protector, protector.’

Just before he was about to scream at the top of his lungs and lunge toward Sam to finally finish the job he had hoped someone would do he opened his eyes and looked around. Sam was still sitting near the toilet looking up at him with that same blank stare. Jack slowly lowered his hands from the sides of his head behind his temples. What the hell just happened? Get a grip, Jack! Without another word Jack turned away from Sam and faced the door of the bathroom and hall. The mirror on his side briefly reflected something. Jack turned to look into the mirror and saw Sam’s reflection right in his face with those reptilian diamond-shaped eyes. Jack temporarily froze looking in the mirror, enough time to see Sam’s mouth open wider than any man could have been capable of doing. What he saw was rows and rows of jagged sharp teeth and plenty of drool. His tongue was very thin and split at the ends like that of a snake or iguana. The tongue protruded as the mouth opened and hissed loudly at him. Jack gave a start and whirled around only to see the wall behind him and Sam now standing in the far corner of the room watching him. Got to get out of here and away from him!

Jack took his leave and went back to the apartment where he informed Pamela Sam was on his way out. She took it fine and was glad Jack did everything he had done for her. Nothing was said of what he had experienced or what he thought was going on with Sam. He wanted to forget it happened in a hurry.

“Jack are you all right?” Pamela asked concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said as convincingly as possible.

“You seem funny. And, on top of that you look a little pale. She touched his arm and was a little shocked, “Jack! You’re arm is moist with sweat. Was everything all right over there?”

“Everything was fine. I was just hot standing in that apartment. I don’t the AC was turned on in there last night. It was hot in there.”

“Oh, okay,” she said sounding unsure of if to believe him or not.

“Not many people actually do things like that. I know that if I had been you I probably would have wanted to kick him or hurt him again just for what he did.”

“I wasn’t in the mood, especially since I wanted to come back to you calm and cool.”

“You definitely came back calm. Cool may not be the word for you now though.”

“Hey, don’t spoil my mood. I was just getting the cool part down now that I’m away from him.”

“You have a mood for every situation?”

“Well, last night I had a splitting headache and Sam, over there,” pointing in the direction of her now old room, “made it worse. I asked him to stop. You probably heard what I said, but all he did was piss me off. That’s why I could break the door down and charge in after him. Otherwise I would have tried to get in less forcefully. As it was, everything worked out fine the way I handled it anyway. I end up with the lovely lady and the story seems to have a comfortable ending in that chapter for you too . . . well we’re working on comfortable anyway.”

“No, we’re working on cool. I’m pretty comfortable now that I’m out of there.”

“Well, cool is officially here.”

“So, you were looking forward to getting the girl were you?” She smiled at him.

“Oh, well of course. That was the plan all along,” they laughed and looked at each other for some time. Their eyes staring deeply into each other sharing cognitive conversation for a length of time without uttering a single word. Jack began to realize just how much he missed the touch of a woman or kiss of the lips. Warning signs went off in his mind for some reason. He knew she needed his support first and then the playtime could commence. But, the physical wounds probably weren’t the only wounds she carried.

At that very moment he wanted to kiss her. The only thing stopping him was what he said about waiting until she completely healed. Her mouth, fortunately, was disturbed from the swelling. Her cheek was what was hit and even that was looking much better than what it had been. Just as Jack had held himself back from kissing Pamela, she slowly and cautiously got up and stood in front of him. She rubbed his face with her hands at his cheeks and pressed her lips against his. She looked at him with her eyes that seemed to hypnotize. He couldn’t resist the feel of her lips against his. The very air seemed to sweat with yearning. She kissed his skin like moist sweat across his lips and he could taste the salts of her lips and skin. If a stop wasn’t put to this right now he would have no more control of what could happen. He slipped his arms underneath her and picked her up. She kissed his lips and neck and under his ear giving him that funny feeling in his legs and feet. Goose-bumps splashed across his body and he took her to his bed where he lay her down. He sat next to her careful not to bump her side.

“We shouldn’t do this,” he whispered. “Yet.”

“I know, but I don’t want to stop,” she whispered back as she tried to kiss him again. He reluctantly held her back and she took the hint.

“Think of it as my way of not wanting to ruin what could be even better than what it already feels like.”

“Oh, you’re terrible!” She said playfully.

“I know. The party-pooper.” She smiled and put a hand to his face.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I’m going to take a cold shower for about an hour,” Pamela couldn’t help but laugh at his humor. “You just get some rest and try to heal . . . fast!”

“My protector,” she proclaimed. Jack’s eyes glazed as soon as she said it. Something very strange about that word. Sam said it before I clocked him . . . and . . . when letting him go . . . that incident . . . and now this. Freaking me out here. Something very strange is happening here. Jack’s heart-rate seemed to escalate just a little as he thought and made connections, though only minute ones for now.

“Jack, are you all right?”

“Huh?” His eyes were still clouded with thought. His skin seemed to crawl as he thought about his incident with Sam earlier.

“Jack, you’re acting strange. What’s wrong?”

“ . . . Nothing,” he said quickly. “I’m fine. I just had a lapse of thought for a second there. Nothing serious.”

“I guess I’ll have to get used to that, huh?”

“There are a few things you’ll have to get used to for now. That is just one of the more permanent things to get used to,” he smiled. “No more of that other stuff though until you’re finished healing!”

“We were just making sure that the cat and dog were properly introduced,” she smiled and he smirked.

“Well, they’ll just have to wait a little longer,” he said. A brief silence followed when Jack then switched mental gears.

“I’ll put some more of that cream on you, it seems to be doing the trick.”

“Please do!” She exclaimed. Jack stopped in his tracks and reconsidered his intentions.

“On second thought, maybe you should. You seem to have no problem using your hands,” Jack smiled and Pamela laughed.

“Oh, damn you’re no fun!”

“I’ve also got some Tylenol you can take for the pain. I’ll make a stop at the drugstore to see what stronger medicine there might be for you to take.”

“All right. If you can’t find anything else it’s all right. I think the Tylenol will do the trick, I’m not so bad that I can’t move. It’s just certain twists or turns I have to be careful of.”

“Careful of what you say you may condemn yourself to a lot longer of a healing process, a-hem (clearing his throat),” he smiled and winked.

“ . . .Oh, I’m doing just fine,” she smiled back.

“I’d say forget the Tylenol but . . . what if you get another headache?” Jack’s smile became a pleasant expression of being dumbfounded. He smiled ear to ear and she squinted her nose at him with a smile.

Several days following the incident in the apartment Sam was far from where Jack could toss him around like a sack of beans. Did Sam take offense to what Jack did? Oh, yes he did! Was he going to do something about it? That is a good question to be asking but too early to say for sure. With nowhere left to go now that King Kong had taken his dwelling and his girl he would have to make a stop over at G's. George was his name but everyone called him G. The girls always got a kick out of it and asked what it stood for all the time. It was their ice-breaker you might say. Great for making them laugh too. If you could tap into a woman's humor you could tap into her pants. And that, ladies and gentlemen, ends the game of all games! At least according to Sam and G it did. They made a habit of finding young women to pimp throughout the upper-level areas of the city. Where there was large business deals swinging in the city there was always a good deal to make with the multimillion-dollar businessmen. They just didn’t have enough time spend with their wives and were forced to turn to the call-girls for their needs.

Copyright ©2002 Kurt Thomas Echols