Saving At's Life

This is my first attempt at writing a story for this site. It's seventy percent factual with about thirty percent artistic license and fiction added. It's turning into a multiple part story so be patient. Names have been changed to protect the people involved. All characters are over 18 years old. Thanks to LaurieLou for the editing help

Thank you!

My phone rang as I was leaving the police department. Two junkies had apparently taken what they thought was clean heroin. It wasn't. It had been cut with Fentanyl. That's a very deadly mistake and it ended their life. Their roommate had found their cold bodies, one with the needle still in their dead arm. He had called the police.

I had just finished interviewing the Public Information Officer at the scene when I got the call for my next assignment. I was sent to get video of teens smoking and/or vaping because of the new age restrictions laws coming for our state. Sure, no problem. Now, where can I find these kids and convince them to let me shoot video of them hanging out and smoking?

I guess I should introduce who I am and what I do. My name is Allan Thomas and I'm fifty-one years old, 6'4", around 225 lbs. and I wear glasses. Yeah, I've got a dad bod. I'm also bald (shaved) with a goatee (aren't all bald guys supposed to have a goatee?). As for my profession, I'm a news videographer for a local TV station in town. I'm also a widowed father of two boys that are in college. My oldest son is a senior, going for a B.S. in Engineering, and lives out of state. My youngest is going into his sophomore year at our local University majoring in Indifference at the moment. He's away at football camp, staying in the dorms with his teammates. He's a starting tight end.

My wife Anne and I were married for twenty-two years. She was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago and passed away quickly within six months of her diagnosis. It spread quicker than they thought, and the chemo treatments did nothing but cause her more suffering. We had a loving marriage, but it was too short of a marriage in my eyes. Yeah, I missed her. She and I were soulmates, but I guess God had other plans for her. It wasn't fair.

So, back to my new assignment; find kids smoking. A school? No, it's summer. The mall? Nope, private property. I'll get kicked off as quick as I got there. Then it hit me...our local coffee shop, The Jitters!! There were always teens hanging around drinking coffee or smoothies or whatever drink was the rage. Also, there were bound to be smokers hanging around there. I turned out of the police department and headed in the direction of the university.

I arrived at The Jitters in five minutes, the traffic lights in my favor and found a parking spot on the street. I got out of my heavily decaled news vehicle and spotted a group of five kids sitting on a wall, near the coffee shop. And they were doing exactly what I needed them to be doing: smoking. I left my camera and tripod in the car for now so I wouldn't scare them off and walked over to them to try and sweet talk them into letting me get them on video.

As I approached the group, I noticed that they were a group of goth kids, dressed all in black with dark makeup and piercings in their faces. One girl had straight purple and black hair that hung down to the middle of her back. Another girl had jet black hair; the third girl had electric blue hair in a bob style cut. The two guys with them looked almost identical. Black hair combed down into their faces, black t-shirts showing bands I'd never heard of and ripped jeans. I thought to myself that I had my work cut out for me but in for a penny, in for a pound. I stepped up to them and their conversation stopped, their heads turning and looking at me in unison.

"Hello! Sorry to interrupt your conversation. I was hoping that you all could help me with something?" I asked them.

"No. Beat it," said the bigger of the goth boys.

"Hey, that's not nice Dax!" said the blue haired girl. "What can we help you with?"

"Well, my name is Allan Thomas and I'm a cameraman for Channel 20 and I need to get video of young adults smoking and vaping. Plus, if I could get your opinion on the age increase of the sale of tobacco and vaping products?"

"What, you mean like be on TV?" the purple haired girl asked, her heavy black made up eyes getting wide.

"Yep," I said. "It will take maybe ten minutes total. Promise."

"Not interested. Leave," said the guy called Dax. He stood up and tried to look tough.

"Dax, you're being rude!" protested the purple hared girl. She smiled at me with her black lipstick. She was cute. I noticed she had a pierced nose. "Sure! I'll help! I'm Kat."

Kat held out her hand and I shook it. She had long nails shaped like coffins and each finger alternated black and purple polish. I also noticed she was wearing long sleeves despite the summer heat. At least she had shorts on. She had torn fishnet stockings and some type of chunky heeled boots. She was short, around 5'2", thin but healthy thin. Nice chest, from what I could see.

"That's Angie," Kat pointed to the girl with the all black hair. "And that's JJ," she pointed to the girl with the blue hair. All the girls were cute in their own way. Kat was the prettiest of the three girls in my opinion.

"That's Owen on the left and Dax is the butthead on the right." Kat laughed, causing the rest to chuckle, except for the butthead. He just seethed at her joke.

"Hi everyone. Like I said, I'm Allan. I'll just run back to my news car and get my gear; we can do this quick and I'll be out of your hair."

I walked back to my Explorer and was getting my tripod out of the back when I looked over and saw Dax and Kat arguing. He was standing over her and pointing in my direction and shaking his head. I could see Kat talking back to him and pointing a purple nailed finger at him. He reached down and grabbed her wrist and started to pull her up. I quickly grabbed my camera and ran over to them.

"No! Let me go, asshole!" yelled Kat. "You're hurting me!"

"Shut up, bitch! We're leaving!" snarled Dax.

"Problem?" I asked as I ran up to them.

"Fuck off old man!" Dax said as he tried to get Kat to stand up.

"DAX STOP IT!" cried JJ. Angie and Owen yelled in stereo to let her go.

I stepped up within inches of Dax, towering over his 5'10" height. "If I were you Dax, I'd let go of the lady's wrist. You're hurting her and you're starting to PISS ME OFF." I leaned down closer to his face and growled, "NOW."

I saw his eyes flash with a second of defiance then it passed, replaced with clarity. He released Kat's wrist.

"Fuck you bitch!" he said. "We're done!" He tried to push past me, brushing my arm. I didn't move. He looked up at me when I didn't flinch. He had to move around me.

Kat was holding her wrist and crying a little. JJ and Angie slid over and were comforting her.

"Is he always that personable?" I asked Owen.

"He's always been a hothead. Thinks he's the leader of our group. He tries to boss us around. He hurts Kat," whispered Owen.

Kat's head shot up. Tears in her eyes, she said a very quiet, "Don't Owen."

I realized I still had my tripod and camera in my hands. I put them on the ground and knelt in front of Kat. "Is that true? Does he hurt you?" Kat put her head down and didn't say anything. I looked over at JJ. She nodded a sad yes.

I put my hand under Kat's chin and asked her to look at me. She slowly looked up, sniffling. I saw fear and pain in her eyes. "Kat, you don't need to take that. You don't deserve to be abused. No woman should ever be afraid of a man like him. He's a coward, plain and simple. I'm going to call the police."

"No! Please don't! I'll be alright!" she coughed and sniffled out. "I'm just a little shook up. I need a cigarette."

Kat went to open her purse and I suddenly remembered why I was there.

"Hold on, remember I'm supposed to get shots of you incorrigible youths smoking," I said with a smile. "Let me get set up."

I set up my tripod and latched my camera into the plate, telling them to go ahead and light up. I noticed Kat shaking a bit as she lit her cigarette. JJ and Angie also lit up. Owen vaped. I shot close ups, wide shots, extreme close ups. Everything I'd need for about forty seconds of B-roll in total. They had all seemed to calm down and were chatting quietly making it a more natural scene. I then set up to interview them.

"Hey, if you don't want to be a part of this, I won't interview you, you know? Especially after what just went down," I said to Kat.

"What? And give up my ticket to Hollywood?" she batted her lashes at me and smiled. I laughed and so did she. "No, I'm okay. Thank you for being considerate," she said, flashing that smile again.

I mic'd her up and asked a few questions. Then did the same with JJ, Owen and Angie. I finished shooting then told the kids I'd be right back. I walked over to my news car and put my gear away then reached in and got some business cards and a pen.

I walked back to the group of goth kids and thanked them again. I wrote my personal cell phone on the back of the cards. I handed them out to the group. "This has my personal cell phone on the back. If for any reason you need help, call me." I looked directly at Kat as I was saying it, to emphasize my point. I also handed her a card with the number of the local domestic abuse center on the back. She looked at it and her smile left her face. She looked up at me. I wasn't sure what her look meant.

I thanked them again for their help, told them it was nice to meet them and said to watch the news tonight between five and six and they'll see themselves on the news. They all seemed kind of excited about that. I pointed to the cards and said, "Keep in touch."

I saw Kat put the cards in her purse and look at me as I started to leave for my car. I wondered if she would be okay and if she knew that she was in a very dangerous situation. I hoped I was wrong, but I didn't think I was.

A week went by and I'd sort of forgotten about the incident with the goth kids. I had been busy covering fires, a shooting, three car accidents and the other stories that make your nightly local news. I was happy to see the weekend arrive.

Saturday morning, I woke up at 7 o'clock and showered, went downstairs to have breakfast. English muffins would do. I went to make coffee when I discovered much to my horror, the coffee can was empty. I guess it was really good to the last drop, because I didn't remember using it all up. Oh well, guess I'll have to make do with milk.

After breakfast, I jumped on the internet for a bit, checking up on Reddit, Fox News and a quick visit to my fantasy baseball team lineup for the weekend. I had planned on driving around to a neighboring county to scout possible sites for metal detecting. Yeah, boring I know but, it's solitude for me and passes time. I also enjoy the possibility of finding an old coin or two.

I hopped into my car and thought I needed to get coffee for tomorrow as well as get a cup for my journey. I drove down to The Jitters and parked. Much to my surprise I saw two of my favorite goth girls. Well, in reality I only knew three goth girls in the whole world, and JJ wasn't there.

"Hi ladies, remember me? Your favorite news cameraman? How have you both been?" I asked.

Angie looked up and smiled but Kat didn't. Kat was wearing large sunglasses, a blouse with long sleeves again, a black skirt, black hose, a black velvet choker with a white cameo on it and black flats. She didn't look at me.

"Hi Mr. Cameraman!" Angie said in a little laugh. "I'm doing well. How about you Kat? Are you doing okay?" Angie's tone had changed.

Kat sighed a little and wouldn't say anything. She was really avoiding my gaze.

"Kat, what happened? C'mon, look at me," I begged.

She slowly looked up at me, her sunglasses, big and out of place on her pretty face. Two large tears trickled down from under the plastic lenses. A cold chill ran down my spine.

I slowly reached out to remove her sunglasses, knowing what I'd see even before they came off. Kat started to lean back, away from my reach but then she resigned herself to the inevitable and allowed me to take her sunglasses off her face.

Two black and blue eyes looked up at me and it just about tore my heart out. Her eyes pooled with tears and overflowed. A lump formed in my throat; I tried to say something, but no words would come out.

I looked over at Angie. She was crying too. She said, "Three days ago he did this. Dax. He showed up at our apartment and Kat let him in. I heard them talking. I didn't want him there and said so. He told me to fuck off, so I went to my room."

"Ten minutes later, I heard him yelling at Kat. Then she screamed, then I heard the door slam." Angie started to sob.

"Did you call the police, Angie? Did you Kat?" I asked.

Kat looked away, silently letting tears drip down her face. Angie said she started to, but Kat begged her not to, adding it was her own fault that Dax hit her. I was incredulous. I looked at Angie as if she had lost her goddamn mind. Angie looked away. She knew she should have called the authorities.

"I'm going in and getting us coffee. I'll be right back. Stay here," I stated. I handed Kat back her sunglasses, turned and went inside to get coffee. I was seething and could feel the acid rising up from my stomach. I was so upset that I missed the clerk asking me what I wanted, twice. I finally shook myself out of it and ordered three coffees and paid for them.

Walking out to the patio, I sat down on one of their heavy iron chairs at the table and handed the girls their coffee cups. I took a sip and realized I forgot to add sugar and cream to mine. Looking over at Kat, she had lit a cigarette and with her big sunglasses, she looked like a sad, out of place Italian model, smoking and drinking coffee.

"So, what are you going to do now, Kat? Wait for him to put you into the hospital? Or better yet, kill you? Is that what you're waiting for?" I semi-whispered to her. "Do you want your parents to get that phone call from the cops that their daughter was murdered?" My jaw was tight and getting sore.

I saw a small jolt go through her and Angie. "That's what is going to happen as sure as I'm sitting here. And guess what? I'll be the one shooting your murder scene! You think I want to do that? You think I want to see them carry your body out of your apartment, covered with a sheet?

"I've covered so many murders due to domestic situations. Husbands that can't control their rage, wives that can't take the abuse anymore and kill their husbands. It's senseless. And the worst part? You'll be the next woman murdered because you still 'love him and know he loves you too, and he'll change.'"

I took a deep breath, cleared my throat and added, "It won't stop. He won't change. If he raises his fist to you, if he yells at you, he doesn't love you. All he wants to do is control and hurt you. And you're too good to have that happen to you."

Kat started to sob. She needed to hear this. Angie was crying and pleading for Kat to listen to me.

I held out my hand to Kat. "Please let me help you. Please trust me. I'm a stranger to you, you have no reason to trust me, but I can help you meet people that can get you out of this situation. I hate men that beat women. They're scum." I put my hand on the tabletop.

"Please?"

She slowly looked up at me and reached out, her hand trembling, putting her hand in mine. I slowly put my other hand over hers and firmly held it. "I promise not to let you down. I won't let you be hurt anymore."

I wished I could see her eyes through the sunglasses, but I think she could tell I meant what I said. I saw Angie smile though her tears for her friend.

Kat finally spoke, "It's Allan, right?" I said I was happy she remembered. Her voice wavered through her tears when she asked her next question. "Mr. Allan, can I, uh...can I have a hug? I'm so scared right now."

"Of course, honey. Of course," I answered. Kat stood up, walked over and sat on my lap. She wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her head in my shoulder and cried. My paternal instincts kicked in and I softly rocked her, making shushing noises like I did when my sons were scared. Angie stood up, bent over and kissed me on the top of my head. "Thank you for getting through to her," she whispered. It was surreal. I had this little waif of a woman sitting on my lap, arms around my neck, bawling her eyes out. We got stares. I didn't really care.

Angie went inside the coffee shop, leaving me alone with Kat. I could feel her tears cooling on my neck and my shirt was wet, but I didn't mind it one bit. Kat's breathing slowed down and it seemed she had stopped crying for the most part except for her sniffling.

"Oh God I'm so sorry for making a mess on you," she stammered. I told her she needed to let it out and it probably wouldn't be the last time she'd snot all over me. Kat laughed a little and smiled a tiny bit. She stared at me for what seemed an eternity, but it was more or less ten seconds. "So, what do I do now?"

"Now, you and Angie pack a bag for a few days. You'll both come over to my townhome this evening and we will talk about what steps need to happen," I explained. "Don't hang around your apartment for too long. Stay in public places with lots of people around. If anything happens, don't yell for help. Shout FIRE, instead. No joke. Yell fire, fire, fire. People will run to help for a fire. If you yell HELP, people are reluctant to come. And take an Uber to my place by 5:30 tonight. Any later and I'll start to worry. I'm not a serial killer, I promise. Plus, you know who I am and where I work."

I couldn't see her eyes, but I could feel the eyeroll. "Okay daaad," she said in a drawn out but playful way. I hadn't realized that she still had her arms around my neck, but she was still sitting on my lap. Kat looked at me and gently asked, "You want me to stay with you? What about your wife?"

"Oh, no... no wife. I'm a widower. And well, I was thinking more of getting you a motel room and keeping you out of sight for a few days," I stated. "Unless you feel safe enough staying in my son's room at my townhome? The doors lock from the inside. I promise you I'm not a pervert. I let my membership in Perverts of America expire."

"Hah! No, I don't think you're

that

much of a pervert!" she answered. Touche I thought. "I think I'd like to be somewhere with someone else around just in case something happens. Plus, I'd go crazy not having someone to talk to."

I was stunned to be honest. I didn't plan on having her stay with me, but she was actually right. It would be better to have her stay with someone, even if it was me and just for a couple of days until the cops could pick up the Dax kid.

"Say something Mr. Allan," Kat said.

"Oh, sorry! I was just thinking about what I need to get for house guests," I said rather lamely.

"Comfy, are we?" Angie asked, walking up to us, making us both jump.

"Yep," said Kat. I replied, "I'm not complaining." Angie smirked.

Kat leaned in and kissed me very softly on my cheek and whispered, "Thank you for caring," into my ear. She gave me a tight hug. I quivered a bit and started to get tears in my eyes when she did that. I'm sure she felt my shaking.

She finally moved her arms from my neck and stood up and smoothed her black skirt out. I told Angie my plans and gave her my address to put into her phone. I told them to be careful when they got home. I said I'd see them tonight and got up and went about to get prepared for my visitors tonight. Groceries and phone calls were on the agenda and I had to clean my townhome.

I stopped at the grocery store and got the most essential of essential of items: coffee. Also, I had to stock up for the week for groceries and since I was having a temporary house guests, I bought a little extra.