The Guy Next Door

Chapter 3

Pic of  Vanessa

Vanessa sat on her couch curled up with the bear that was her sons. It was the only thing left of the things she had bought. When she lost him she gave everything to her neighbor Mrs. Sheldon but not until she moved out of the old apartment after she was released from the hospital.

Now she sat with the bear on her chest, her head on a pillow and an ice pack on her face to try to get the swelling down. She couldn't believe that he had found her after six months. She thought that everything was finally going her way until he showed up at her job two days ago. She worked at the fancy new Italian restaurant in town called 'The Vineyard' and loved everything about the job. She was a waitress and made pretty good money and even better when you included the tips.

It was a complete surprise to her and by the look on his face it was just as much of a surprise for him to see her as well. He had tried to act friendly and strike up a conversation with her but she just answered as quickly as she could and moved on to the next person. She had thought he was gone for good this time. How wrong she was.

Two nights ago she had worked a ten hour shift to help cover for one of the girls that had come down sick. It was ten o'clock at night when she clocked out and headed home. She didn't have a car so she just hopped on a bus and it dropped her off thirty minutes later and two blocks away from her new apartment. She was tired and her feet and back ached from her long shift so she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. She climbed the four flights of stairs because the elevator was down since earlier this week. By the second flight of stairs she just wanted to sit down and sleep right there. She thought she heard footsteps behind her but she was to tired to care and just figured it was someone else who lived there.

She got to her door and put the key into the doorknob only to be pushed into the door itself roughly banging her face against the solid door. She went to scream but a big hand covered her mouth and ordered her to open the door. She did as she was told with trembling hands and was pushed to the floor as her door slammed shut. She turned around and confirmed her worst fears as George stood there red faced with his fists balled at his side and breathing heavily.

She didn't remember much after that but she did remember him yelling something about her leaving him and his big balled up fists punching her face and anything else he could hit. She blacked out after the third or fourth hit to her head but again woke up in the hospital a few hours later. Once again he was gone and nowhere to be seen.

She was released two hours later and told to take it easy for a day or two and if she had any more problems to contact them immediately. Shy works as a nurse there and was on her way to work when she stopped by to drop of the boots she had borrowed and found her friend on the floor out cold and called 911. She was there when she woke up and let her use her car to go home when she was released. Tears came to her eyes as the throbbing in her head got worse and her face still felt like it was on fire.

The phone rang and Vanessa picked it up."Hello?" she said through her tears.

"Ness I have good news. George is in custody and the cops want you to come down and file a report on what he did to you. They can't hold him long if you don't. He will be out in the morning if you don't do something to stop him." Shy said as gently as she could.

"I can't Shy he'll kill me when he gets out."

"What more has to happen to you before you do something about it Ness?" Shy snapped harshly. She didn't like to snap at her friend but she had to get over this fear of George and put him behind bars where he belongs or she would never be rid of him. She just wished she'd wake up and see it for herself.