The street light would often shine through my window dully when they fought. I always wished to invest in a better set of blinds but I never did. I also contemplated ear plugs but I never bought them either. When they fought it sometimes got violent. I would hear her fall. She would break something, and I would hear the door slam. It happened three to four times a year at the least. When I would come home from work I would try to get a glimpse of her. Some fights she could hide the bruising. Most of the time she couldn't. I contemplated phoning the police. I never did.
On a late evening I saw her sitting on her door step. She was drinking a beer. The beer also doubled as an ice pack. He had hit her again. Her cheek was bruised and she smiled at me. I had never seen her do that. I had never talked to her. I walked out onto the step and walked slowly and silently across the street to her house. The lights were off and he was gone. I knew this because the car was gone. It was a nice car, a guy car really. I don't know what kind of car it was.
"How you doing?" I tried to ask nonchalantly. My hands where in my pockets which happens when I talk to a woman. She was attractive in her own way. She had fierce eyes and forceful lips.
"I can't complain" was dragged from her quiet lips. I waited a moment. "Beer is great in that it numbs the mind and the fingers." I stood for a moment. I didn't know how to respond.
"Yeah." I felt so stupid. A one word answer. I hate one word answers. I hate myself sometimes. She smiled at me. It was a bitter smile. One of regret. I could see some blood on her lips. He really hit her hard.
"When he hits me I make sure my eyes are open" she said dramatically, "it ensures he knows that I expected it and more importantly that I can take it." I blinked to myself. Once again the comfortable motif of speechlessness encompassed me. I stood for a long moment considering what to say.
"You should phone the police." I stood in silence as my words flickered in the fading light. I know it was a stupid thing to say to her. She knew it. I knew it. She just smiled at me. The smile had a little more warmth. She appreciated that I cared.
It was like any other fight. The screaming, the crashing, and the running. This time was different. She took his car. I saw her drive off and his anger boil to a point I had never ever seen. He screamed so loudly. He was a brute.
I decided to get my car and try to follow her but it was no use. She was too fast. I slowed down and just drove around for a while, thinking about it all. I didn't understand how he could do that to her. I couldn't understand a lot of things. As I drove I went on the main freeway wanting to let the speed of the car parallel the speed of my mind. I saw some hazard lights on a semi in the opposite lane so I slowed down. The front was bashed in. Clearly he was in a car crash. It was a bad one. The other car was in the ditch and the wheels where spinning in place.
At first I didn't want to stop but I recognized the car immediately. I don't know what possessed me but I pulled over. I don't know CPR or anything. I rushed to the car. It was her. She was obviously dead. She died instantly. I was crying. I looked down and saw that her eyes where open.
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