Does Your Lack of Conscience Tell You Everything's Alright?

Jeffery's hands continue pressing on my neck. I can feel his fingernails penetrating the skin. His hold is off by a fraction of an inch, probably because he's drunk. Regardless, it's taking longer for me to die.

Why couldn't he just shoot me?

The sound of the front door breaking meets my ears.

I must be hallucinating again.

"Freeze, Baltimore P.D.," a man yells.

The pressure on my throat is released. Unidentifiable shouts meet my ears. The world is a complete blur. Oxygen slowly enters my throat through shallow breaths. My body is lifted to a seated position. Light pats hit my back. My breathing returns to normal; my eyesight is cleared. There are cops on either side of me. Jeffery is no longer in the room.

"What's going on?" I croak.

"He won't hurt you anymore, hun," the female cop says.

"Let's get you outside," the male cop says, placing an arm under my shoulder.

I jump away at his touch.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he reassures.

Should I trust him?

"Get another girl in here," his female companion instructs.

He nods and rushes out.

"How did you know to come?" I ask.

Magic?

"A man by the name of Alex Gaskarth called the police station. He told us what he thought he saw happening through the window," the cop answers.

Alex really was outside? How did he get this address?

Another cop walks in; this time the cop is a girl.

"We're going to bring you outside to the ambulance now to do a quick check and we're going to ask you some questions," the cop slips her arm under mine.

The other does the same on the opposite side. They raise me to a standing position, careful not to cause anymore damage. My legs feel like noodles. I lean on the cops, feet dragging as they lead me out of the house. The sun is bright overhead. It can't be past lunch time. I scan the surroundings. Police cars, an ambulance, a bunch of people behind yellow tape.

Alex, August, Jack, and Aaron are standing next to a cop inside the yellow tape.

And Jeffery is nowhere in sight.

"Alex," I exclaim, pushing out of the hold of the cops.

I run towards him on unsteady legs. He meets me halfway, catching me in his arms before I fall.

"I'm so glad you're okay," he says into my hair.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Calling the cops."

He saved my life.

"You're welcome."

August, Jack, and Aaron appear on both sides of Alex.

"Are you okay? Alex called us after he called the police saying you were in trouble," August says.

"I'm fine now," I assure her. "How did you find this house?"

Alex smiles sheepish, "I wanted to see you so I convinced your instructor to let me see your information."

Very stalker-like, yet very sweet.

The police who were supporting me walk to us.

"Ma'am we need you to get checked in the ambulance," one says.

"Okay," I say.

"Can we go with her?" Alex asks.

"If you can keep yourself calm and refrain from attacking the suspect again, sure."

"All I did was punch him a few times," Alex says, a smile on his face.

Alex punched Jeffery?

The police woman sighs and motions for us to follow. As a group, we walk to the ambulance not far away.

And, for once, I feel safe and I feel hope.

Once upon a time, Prince Alex went on a search for the princess known as Elizabeth. After much searching, he found her in the evil monster Jeffery's lair. He was unaware of the evil's he would see when he scaled the tallest tower. When he saw Jeffery, he rushed to Elizabeth's rescue, vanquishing the monster. The prince became Elizabeth's hero that day, her savior when she thought no one cared.