Landfill

I wasn't surprise that Ryan wasn't at the airport. I was glad he didn't waste his time waiting for me. But, I was a little worried when he didn't answer my phone call on my way home.

I tried to remember his shift hours; he didn't have to work this late in the day. I frowned as the cab driver drove the way to my apartment. Once he pulled up, I paid, grabbed my bag and went up the steps and unlocked the doors to get inside.

Just as I got to the elevator, the second opened and three bulky men in black rushed out. They were big, blurry masses of black as my head spun. They ran with a duffle bag and without words. I suddenly felt uneasy. I wondered if they had robbed someone, or if they hurt someone.

My mind immediately thought of Ryan. My heart raced as the elevator doors opened and I hurried inside, pressing my floor number. The doors seemed to close slower than usual, and the elevator, too, moved at a snail's pace.

Once it dinged and the doors opened, I stepped out into the hall. My neighbor across the hall, his door was opened, and you could hear his seeing eye dog bark. I rushed down the rest of the way, to my door and saw it opened. I pushed it in, seeing a mess among the hall and things that belonged to Ryan scattered about. Jimmy hissed at the sound of dog, perched on our counter. "Ryan?" I called out in a shaking, panic filled voice.

"Is that you, Nicole?" My neighbor, Mr. Wade, asked. "His bedroom, we're in here."

I dropped my bag and ran to Ryan's bedroom. I stopped at the threshold, seeing him on the floor, small groans emitting from his mouth. I ran over, kneeling at his side; his mouth was bloodied, and his face red; one eye was forming a bruise. I placed my hand to his cheek, "What happened?"

"You were robbed." Mr. Wade answered, "I tried to help, but my eyes..."

I placed my hand on his shoulder now, "Mr. Wade, thank you."

"I wanted to call the police--"

Ryan shot up, "No!"

It was too late. As if on some eerie cue, sirens sounded. I looked at Ryan worriedly, "What's wrong?"

Ryan's chest rose and fell rapidly, heart beating fast and panicky. The policemen rang the buzzer, and Mr. Wade got up; he went to it, while I tended to Ryan. I couldn't look around, I felt violated in a way.

"What happened?" I asked him.

He groaned as he sat up, eyes shut, "They took my shit."

I slowly landscaped the room; his father's old army bunker chest was tipped over. The iron chest's lock had been broken off, and the lid was nearly broken as well. His bedding and mattress were pushed over off the box spring. His drawers were pulled out, mostly from his desk, with most of his pens and papers on the floor. I turned my attention back on him, "Are you okay?"

Ryan nodded, "Fine."

The police officers came up, coming in, "Robbery?" One asked.

As if it weren't obvious enough.

I stood up, helping Ryan to his feet. He swayed, holding his mouth, "They came in... Went through my stuff."

"Do you need an ambulance, sir?" A short one with blonde hair and dark eyes asked, taking his cap off.

"I'm fine," Ryan said sharply, "I'll live."

"Did you see anything, ma'am?" The taller one, his badge read Bridges, with red hair, nudged his head toward me.

I shook my head, but then I instantly remembered those three men that ran out the elevator. "Yes! Yes," I uttered quickly, "I came in and as soon as I stepped towards the elevators, these three big men came running out--"

The shorter one, badge read Carson, cut me off, "Hold on." He pulled out a small note bad from his uniform's breast pocket, "Did you see what they looked like?" he asked.

"Not really," I explained, taking Ryan's hand in mine, "They wore all black, they ran so fast by me."

"How big would you say?" Bridges questioned.

"Big... Uh, maybe in the 200 pound range. I couldn't really tell. They were like big black blurs."

The two officers looked at one another. And then Bridges motioned to Ryan, "Come with me to make a report on what's missing."

Ryan put his hand up, "They took $1600 in cash I had stashed in my dad's footlocker. They took..." Ryan exhaled, "I had a, uh, ring."

I looked up at him with a furrowed brow. He frowned, "It was a surprise," he looked down at me, "For you, Nick."

I blinked, and frowned back, "Oh."

Ryan sighed deeply, "It was a princess cut diamond ring. I bought it last week, I still got the receipt and everything--"

"That's not necessary right now, sir," Bridges said, "Anything else?"

Ryan rubbed his eyes with his free hand, "Nikki's old laptop."

My brow shot up, "They took my old laptop?!"

Ryan looked and turned to me, "I'm so sorry... I forgot to put it back into your room--"

"Oh fuck." I growled, "Oh fuck!"

"What's on there?" Carson asked.

He was obviously new.

"My fucking rough drafts! I write my books--" I stopped myself, "Oh Goddammit!"

Ryan took hold of my forearms as I felt myself on a slow brink of tears, "I'm sorry, Nikki. You let me use it before and I never thought this would happen."

I exhaled, letting angry tears fall. "I'm fuckin' screwed. That's my new book. My important documents, my receipts... My everything. I thought with this new laptop, I would be okay if this new one got stolen." I spoke out loud and mostly to myself. "Oh fuck."

"Ma'am, do you have the serial number?" Bridges stepped forward, "We could trace it, just in case it gets pawned."

I nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, I have it."

"Did they take anything else?" Carson asked.

Ryan rubbed his neck, letting go of my hand, "My phone, but I can get it replaced. That's it... I think."

I was so angry, I didn't even bother to continue to listen to them speak. All I thought about was the fact that my saved writings were gone. I had bought that computer years ago, and it still ran like a champ. I only used it to write, I had a newer MacBook, and only used it to browse the Internet, an insurance almost, to counter my older one. I wouldn't have minded if that one had gotten stolen, but I had taken it with me, just in case.

"Nick?" Ryan's hand touched my elbow, "They're leaving now."

I hummed, leaving the bedroom. Ryan sighed again, showing the policemen out. I picked up Jimmy, petting him back, to keep my mind from going off. I picked up my bag, as well, and entered my bedroom.

There wasn't a thing out of place. My bedroom was still the little mess I had left it. Bed was unkempt, some dirty clothes on the floor near the hamper and the window open. It was obvious that I wasn't the target, only Ryan, and it got me thinking.

"Nikki, I'm really sorry, baby." Ryan said as he entered my room.

I turned to look at him, "Why didn't you want the police to come?" I questioned him swiftly.

I wasn't sure what tone I had; my heart was beating inside of my ears.

Ryan just looked at me blankly. The blood from his mouth was dried and flaky, his cheek and eye were puffy and starting to turn a faint purple. He swayed again, "I don't know."

"How did they get up here?" I looked around, "You have to be buzzed up unless you know the code or have a key."

Ryan furrowed his brow, "I don't know, Nick. Why are you asking me all this?"

"Because, I'm pissed. I'm... I don't know what to think, alright? I'm not mad at you, I'm mad at what happened." I was beginning to cry again, "I never cry, but I mean, I feel violated! They took my work and they hurt you..." I pet Jimmy again, my heart beating erratically, "They could've killed you or something!"

Ryan came over, his hands grabbing my shoulders, "I'm fine. I'm sorry about this. I... I don't know how they got in here, they just came up and came in."

I shut my eyes, "I need to sit down."

Ryan maneuvered me with Jimmy still in my arms and sat me on my bed. He took Jimmy and sat him on the floor, where Jimmy scampered away. I watched him rush out of the room and into the kitchen again.

"Did you eat?" He asked, placing his hand on my lower back.

"Airplane nuts." I answered.

"Your mom called earlier, she wanted to bring you some cupcakes. She told me to tell you to come over. You wanna do that?"

I shrugged, "I don't know. I don't feel too hot."

"We should go," he urged softly, "Get out of this apartment... Get fresh air. The police are gonna call us as soon as they know anything."

I looked at Ryan, "You're gonna meet my old man with your face like that?"

He smiled, "If you want me too."

I sighed, nearly forgetting all that had happened. "Okay. Okay, c'mon."

Ryan and I got up, he took my hand and led me to the living room. I stood by the couch, watching him open the sliding door, and letting Jimmy out. He pulled on his shoes, and I couldn't help but to wonder if Ryan knew more than he was telling me.

So many questions swirled in my head. I felt sick at my own accusations. Ryan couldn't have known those men. Could he?