Pepper

By Jason A. Wendleton

The black van sped down the quiet suburban streets, kicking up a cloud of smoke and dried leaves in its wake. It was a little after five in the afternoon, but already it was near dark outside. Summer had faded, plunging the world into a dismal gray. Ruth Cassidy griped the van’s steering wheel tightly. She was running late, as usual. Today was Monday, and Mondays were always a bit rushed for Ruth. The houses blurred past her, soon she began hitting traffic lights. A crimson eye winked to life, stopping her dead in her tracks.

“Shit.”

Before she could complain any further, her ears filled with the sound of bells. Frantically, Ruth searched her big floppy purse for the cell phone.

“Hello?”

“Hi Ruth,” It was her best friend, Stacy Giles.

“Oh, hi Stacy-I’m on my way right now.”

Stacy was babysitting for Ruth, something that she did almost every afternoon. Ruth had one daughter, a seven year old named Elizabeth.

“There’s no rush,” Stacy said. “I just wanted to remind you that it’s your turn to cook dinner tonight.”

Crap.

She’d been so busy at work that she’d forgotten about having to cook dinner.

“Did Don mention that when he dropped Liz off this morning?”

Stacy cleared her throat, “Yeah, he might have mentioned it once or twice.” It was no secret that Stacy loathed her husband, Don Cassidy. The animosity between them was so thick it could be cut with a knife. He and Ruth had been married for a little over ten years now, and in that time he’d managed to alienate Ruth from almost all of her friends.

“I forgot all about it Stacy…is it okay if run to the store before I swing by your place?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it; me and Liz are having fun.”

Ruth thanked her friend and switched lanes so she could turn into a grocery store parking lot.
She swiftly slid the dark colored van into a parking stall, and then killed the engine, her hands shaking. How could she have forgotten about dinner? Don wasn’t going to be very happy with her. Ruth looked up at herself in the review mirror; her face seemed much older than it should have been. Thirty-two was beginning to feel more like fifty-two and a half.
Ruth ran a brush through her lengthy, black hair. She rooted through her purse and pulled out a pair of dark sunglasses. She put them on, even though it was already dark.

**********************************************************************************

Elizabeth sat on the rug in Stacy’s living room; a mound of paper and crayons surrounded her. The scattered pages featured multi-colored scribbles and drawings. She’d been waiting for her mother to pick her up for the past four hours. For nearly the entire time, Elizabeth had been happily doodling. Stacy watched the young girl busily create and marveled at how much she looked like her mother. The same shiny, coal black hair. The same delicate nose. And the same fragile ears that stuck out just a little bit more than normal.

The sight made Stacy yearn for a child of her own. Thoughts of babies were dancing through her brain when she heard the front door bell. Ruth was here and it was time for Elizabeth to go home.

“Thanks so much for watching her Stacy.”

“It was no problem, it never is.” Stacy noticed that her friend was sporting dark shades. She furrowed her brow, but held her tongue in front of the child.

“Hi mommy!” Elizabeth’s soft voice called happily.

Ruth smiled weakly, “Hi sweetie. I hate to rush you out of here, but we need to get home. Pick up your mess and let’s go.”

The little girl nodded happily and began to slowly put away the crayons. As soon as she was out of earshot, Stacy exploded:

“He hit you again, didn’t he?”

Ruth frowned but said nothing.

“How many times Ruth? How many more times before you either wise up…or he kills you?” Stacy’s expression softened, and her anger was replaced by quiet concern. “He still hasn’t touched Lizzy, right?”

“Of course not, he knows I’d leave him if he did.”

“I swear to God Ruth, I’m going to kill you both if I find out he’s hurting that little girl.”

Ruth nodded but didn’t say anything else. Elizabeth returned to the living room, she was wearing her fuzzy pink coat. Ruth smiled at the sight of the little girl wearing the floppy coat. Her smallish hands could scarcely hold all of the artwork she’d produced.

“Take care of yourself Ruth,” Stacy turned to Elizabeth and said goodbye. All that night, Stacy would laid awake and worried about Ruth and her daughter.

**********************************************************************************

They were speeding along in the van now. Elizabeth was sitting in the back seat quietly whispering to herself. Driving along the wide city streets, Ruth tried desperately to keep from crying.

“Guess what? I made a new friend today,” Elizabeth beamed.

Ruth sniffled, “That’s good baby, what’s your friends name?”

Elizabeth whispered something to herself then said, “His name is Pepper.”

“Pepper?” Ruth said. “That’s not his real name is it?”

“Yup, his Mommy and Daddy named him Pepper.”

“Where exactly did you meet this Pepper?”

Elizabeth giggled, “I met him on the monkey bars at school.”

Before Ruth could question her daughter any further, her cell phone began ringing.

“Hello?”

“Well hello sunshine…where the hell are you?” It was Don.

“We’re on our way home right now…”

“Is my dinner going to be ready when you get here?” His voice was icy and distant. Fear marched into Ruth’s heart as she heard him speak.

“Have you been drinking again, Don?” She could barely utter the words.

On the other end she heard him laugh a little, it made her queasy.

“Don’t you worry about nothing, except getting you little ass home and making me dinner.”

There was a click, then the dial tone began it’s monotonous drone.

**********************************************************************************

Don ended up sleeping through dinner that night. At least, that’s what she told little Elizabeth. Once again, Ruth found herself thankful her daughter didn’t know the difference between asleep and passed out. And once again, Ruth prayed silently to herself that Don wouldn’t wake up. Maybe he’d die, like a rock star and choke on a bit of crusty vomit in his drunken slumber.
Ruth didn’t exactly hate Don, after all- it wasn’t his fault he was sick. Instead, she saved her hatred for herself-the woman who was too afraid. Too afraid to really confront her husband. Too afraid to spare her daughter’s childhood. Too afraid to save them both. She punished herself that night by not eating dinner. Ruth fed her daughter, then tucked her into bed.

“Tomorrow we’re learning about fish at school.”

Ruth grinned, “Really? Then maybe we’ll have fish sticks for dinner to celebrate!”

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose, “Eww…fish sticks are grossy-gross Mommy.”

They both laughed, then Ruth pulled up the covers tightly around the girls little frame. She shut the bedroom light off as she slowly closed the door behind her, leaving it open just a crack.
Ruth dreaded going to bed, and decided to do the dishes before crawling up next to her inebriated husband. As she cleared the table, Ruth noticed the pile of Elizabeth’s drawings. She smiled as she thumbed through the small collection. All of the pictures featured a tiny stick figure girl labeled “Me” or “Elizabeth.” Many also featured what looked like a yellow and red monkey Elizabeth had labeled “Pepper.”

**********************************************************************************

Ruth was relieved the next morning when she woke up alone. Don had apparently slipped off early, no doubt to do a bit of drinking before work. She took a hot shower and contemplated calling a divorce attorney. Elizabeth was up and eating a bowl of sugary cereal by the time she was done showering.

“Good morning!” Her daughter’s cherubic face shinned with the promise of a new day. Ruth couldn’t help but grin as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“Good morning sweetheart, are you ready for another day?”

Elizabeth nodded then shoveled a large spoonful of cereal into her mouth. Chewing nosily, she tired to mumble something but Ruth held up her hand.

“Finish chewing dear, you wouldn’t want to choke.”

Swallowing, Elizabeth said, “Can my friend Pepper come home with me today?”

“Well that depends,” Ruth said. “Will your friend Pepper behave himself?”

“Oh yes Mommy, Pepper always behaves himself at school.”

“Well then I suppose it’s okay-just as long as it’s okay with Pepper’s Mommy and Daddy.”
Elizabeth jumped up and down in her chair. She then ran out of the room excitedly, returning with a few of her latest drawings.

“I drew this before bed, it’s a picture of me and Pepper,” she handed the paper over to her mother.

Drawn in crayon, it depicted a stick girl holding hands with a gargantuan ape. The Gorilla was smiling and licking an ice cream cone.

“Does Pepper like ice cream?”

“Oh yes, he likes candy too.”

Ruth looked at her watch and frowned, “Well I can’t wait to meet him. Are you finished eating? It’s time to get ready to go.”

Elizabeth and Ruth walked upstairs and got dressed. Within fifteen minutes they were out the door, and back on the road.

**********************************************************************************

Ruth left the office building where she worked as a secretary and climbed into the black van. Smooth jazz wafted out of the radio as she pulled out of the parking space and headed for Stacy’s house. Tuesdays were much more relaxed than Mondays were. The daily stress was slowly eroded away, and by the time she reached Stacy’s gray and yellow house, she almost felt normal.

Ruth climbed the steps leading to the front door and rang the bell. Inside, she heard music softly playing and the sound of Elizabeth giggling. Stacy answered the door, a smile painted across her face.

“Oh, look Lizzy it’s your Mom. Come in Mom!”

Elizabeth was twirling around the room dancing with a nonexistent partner.

“You’re just in time to meet Pepper.” Stacy said with a wink.

Ruth returned the wink and said, “I can’t wait, I’ve heard so much about Pepper.”

“Mommy look! Look! See what a good dancer Pepper is!”

The two women nodded and watched the girl dance round and round the small living room. Stacy glanced at her friend from the corner of her eye, she saw that Ruth was wearing an awful lot of eye make-up. Ruth noticed her friend’s gaze and sighed.

“I love her.” Stacy said quietly.

“I know.”

“You need to do the right thing. If not for you Ruth, then for her.”

“I know.”

The music swelled, and Elizabeth danced her heart out.

**********************************************************************************

Elizabeth climbed into the van, Ruth watched her carefully fasten her seat belt. Then, with equal care, she fastened the seat belt next to her.

“For Pepper.” She said.

“Of course, we don’t want Pepper to get hurt,” Ruth said, in all seriousness.

As she drove, Ruth thought about what she was going to cook for dinner. They’d driven only a few blocks when Elizabeth shrieked in the back seat.

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Ruth slammed on the brakes, “What! What is it!”

“Pepper has to potty.”

“Elizabeth!” Ruth said, both relieved and annoyed. “Don’t ever do that again, you scared the living daylights out of me.”

“I’m sorry, but Pepper had two glasses of milk before we left.”

“Is this an emergency?”

Elizabeth shook her head. Sighing, Ruth pulled over and opened the van’s sliding door. Normally she wouldn't have indulged the child's fantasy to such an extreme level...but Ruth was feeling guilty. She watched as Elizabeth unbuckled the seat belt next to her.

“Move Mommy, you’re in his way.”

“Sorry,” Ruth mumbled stepping to the side.

Several cars passed by, Ruth had never felt more foolish in all her life.

“Pepper’s not going on the road is he?”

“Of course not,” Elizabeth giggled, “He went behind a tree.”

“Oh, okay.”

A few minutes passed, then suddenly Elizabeth said Pepper was done and back in the car. Her daughter whispered to herself for a few minutes, then laughed.

“Pepper says ‘thank you’ Momma.”

Ruth rolled her eyes and headed for home.

**********************************************************************************

“Oh Honey…I’m home!” Don was standing in the doorway. He was holding a briefcase in one hand, and brown paper bag in the other. Ruth quietly acknowledged him, then continued cooking. “I had one of the worst days ever…” He trailed off as he headed for the bedroom to change.

In the living room, Elizabeth and Pepper were watching cartoons. An animated cat was chasing a mouse around a doctor’s office. Don emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later; he threw himself onto one of the living room couches. Elizabeth seemingly ignored him.

“How’s it going little lady?”

She didn’t respond, her attention not leaving the television screen. Don cleared his throat, then tried again.

“Did you have a good day at school?”

Again, his daughter seemed to not hear him.

“Alright, cartoon time is over…I’m watching some news.” He got up and grabbed the remote from Elizabeth’s hands.

“Daddy! Pepper and me want to watch cartoons.”

“Who the hell is Pepper?”

“He’s my friend from school. Mommy said he could come over tonight.”

Don looked around. He smiled when he saw that no one was really there.

“Too bad for you and Pepper, I’m watching the news.” He changed the channel; a woman was interviewing a Senator involved in the most recent sex scandal. Suddenly, the screen changed back to the cartoons.

“What the hell?” Don changed the channel back to the news program. A few seconds later they were back on the cartoon channel again. “What’s wrong with this thing?” He smacked his hand against the remote control. Again and again, the TV flipped back to the cartoons. He gave up in disgust and stormed into the kitchen. “I can’t believe that fucking TV is broken again.”

Ruth was pulling a roast out of the oven when he came in and sat down at the dinner table.

“That’s odd, Elizabeth and I haven’t had any problems with it.”

Don snorted and ran his hands through his curly brown hair. Ruth set a kitchen timer and gazed over at the man she had married. He was just a month shy of forty-one. Don Cassidy had the look of a cruel man; sometimes she wondered what it was she had seen in him. His thin lips were pursed as he struggled to regain his composure. She suddenly recalled their wedding day, and how it had rained and rained.

“So what's the deal with this ‘Pepper’?”

Ruth smiled and shrugged at the same time, “You know kids.”

“Well I hope she doesn’t expect me to play along. I’ll be damned if I waste my time with that crap.”

The timer went off. Ruth reached back into the oven and pulled out a cookie sheet with dinner rolls.

“Lizzy!” Ruth called in the direction of the living room. “It’s time for dinner.”

Elizabeth came into the kitchen, her demeanor subdued around her father. Ruth fixed her daughter’s plate while Don wolfed down his food.

“I gotta hurry, me and the boys are meeting at Tommy’s house tonight.”

Ruth didn’t say anything, she just kept fixing Elizabeth’s plate.

“Did you hear me?” Don asked, as if he were daring Ruth to object.

“Yes, I heard you.”

“Don’t forget to fix Pepper a plate Mommy!”

Don turned and coldly stared at his daughter. For a minute, Ruth was afraid he’d start yelling, but he didn’t. Instead, he resumed shoveling food into his pale lips. By the time Ruth sat down to eat, he was getting up to leave.

“Don’t bother waiting up for me, I’ll probably be out all night.”

“Alright,” Ruth said. “Just don’t come home drunk please.”

He put his plate in the sink, then turned slowly.

“And what if I do Ruth, what if I do?” His voice was menacing and low. “Don’t you think that I’ve earned some relaxation?”

Ruth didn’t say anything.

“Huh? I work very hard Ruth, and if I want to get drunk…” He was yelling now. “…If I want to get stinking wasted tonight-I ought to be able!” Elizabeth’s eyes were tearing up. Soon she was sobbing quietly.

“Now look what you’ve done.” Ruth said as she tried to console her daughter.

“Daddy, Pepper doesn’t like it when you yell.”

“Is that so? Well that’s too Goddamn bad for Pepper.” He knocked a glass of water on to the linoleum floor, and walked out of the room. A few moments later, they heard the van pull out of the driveway.

**********************************************************************************

He came home at four in the morning. The van screeched to halt just outside the garage doors, a few inches more and he might have ploughed right through the house. Jangling his keys, he stumbled around the darkened house, cursing everyone and everything.
Ruth crawled out of bed and found him in the living room sitting on the couch. She decided to leave him alone, but he spotted her before she could make a retreat to the bedroom.

“Hey, you get yer ass over here!”

“Quit making so much noise, you’re going to wake up Elizabeth.”

“Oh, sorry…I wouldn’t want to WAKE UP ELIZABETH!”

He sprang to his feet and grabbed her. She backed away from him as he tired to kiss her. Angered, he slapped her hard across the cheek. The sound echoed through out the house. Immediately, Ruth fell to the floor crying. She looked up at Don, his eyes vacant and glazed over with hate.

They both heard a sound from upstairs, Elizabeth was awake.

“Please go to bed Don...”

“You don’t tell me what to do!” He grabbed her by the hair and threw her onto the couch. Again, he tired to kiss her-her resistance fueling his drunken rage. He balled up his fist and was about to strike, when he saw Elizabeth standing at the foot of the stairs.

“Get back to bed missy…”

The little girl didn’t move or say anything, she just stood and stared.

“I said GO TO BED!” Don staggered over to where she was standing.

“Don’t you touch her Don!”

He spun around and faced her, “How dare you speak to me that way. She’s mine too ya know!”

He flopped over to where Ruth was standing and hit her hard in the stomach.
Elizabeth started crying and ran back upstairs.

“That’s right!” Don yelled up the stairs. “You run along to bed now!”

Winded, Ruth struggled to her feet. She limped towards the telephone, determined to finally call the police. However, by the time she had reached the receiver she saw that Don was laying on the couch-passed out again.

She gripped the cordless phone, debating what she should do. Don had never hit her in front of Elizabeth before. Her head and her heart both told her to call the police, but something inside her just couldn’t bring her to do it. Ruth set the phone down and went upstairs to check on Elizabeth. She got halfway to Elizabeth’s little bedroom when the sound of her daughters quiet, sobbing voice made her pause.

“…Please Pepper, please.” She was talking to her invisible friend. “I know that Daddy’s yelling scares you…but please don’t let him hit Mommy again.” Ruth started to cry; she stifled herself so her daughter wouldn’t hear.

“You have to be brave for us Pepper…you have to be brave for Mommy and me.”
Ruth went back downstairs; she picked up the telephone and started to call 911. But again she stopped herself and hung up. It seemed that Pepper wasn’t the only one who was too afraid.

**********************************************************************************

The next few days were cold and dark. Thick black clouds rolled in from the west, bringing the promise of a cold autumn rain shower. Ruth decided that Don was only getting one more chance-after that she was leaving him for good. She told this to Stacy, who was both glad and skeptical. Though it had been a week since he’d hit her, she still carried a violet bruise on her cheek. Elizabeth hadn’t mentioned what had happened to anyone-expect of course Pepper. Ruth wasn’t surprised to learn that Pepper had decided to move in with them. Elizabeth had also become careful not to mention him as often, especially around her father.
Ruth and Elizabeth were having breakfast one morning when out of the blue Elizabeth said something rather shocking.

“I know you don’t believe in Pepper.”

Ruth nearly choked on her cereal.

“What makes you say that sweetie?”

Elizabeth stopped eating and looked her mother in the eyes. “It’s okay, Pepper told me that as people grow up their eyes get weaker and weaker.”

“Pepper said I have weak eyes?”

“Yep.” She munched on cereal. “Pepper thinks that you might be able to see him in the moonlight, though.”

“Oh really? And why is that?”

Elizabeth looked very thoughtful for a moment, then said, “Moonlight’s got some kinda magic in it I guess.”

“Well the next time there’s a full moon-I want to see him for real.” Ruth started eating again. They ate in silence. When Elizabeth finished her cereal she started talking again, as though their earlier conversation had never stopped.

“I guess, if you want to.”

“Want to what?” Ruth said slightly confused.

“See Pepper, the next time there’s lots of moonlight.” Elizabeth smiled. “You don’t have to worry anymore, Mommy.”

“Worry about what?” Ruth asked.

“About anyone doing…things to us. Bad things.”

“Like when Daddy hits me?”

Elizabeth nodded, “Pepper said he’s not going to let anymore bad things happen.”

“I’m not going to let anymore bad things happen either.”

Later that day, on her lunch break, Ruth called a divorce attorney.

**********************************************************************************

Ruth and Elizabeth got home shortly before six. The clouds made good their weeklong threat and poured rain down upon the quiet suburbs. Ruth didn’t feel like cooking so she ordered a pizza. She walked upstairs to tell Elizabeth, who was coloring in her room.
The place was a disaster area. Toys were strewn across the floor in little haphazard piles. Crayons and paper snaked their way through the mess like a waxy river.

“Elizabeth Ann Cassidy! This room is a pig sty.” Ruth put her hands on her hips as she scolded her. This was the same tactic her mother used when she was a child. “You need to stop coloring and get this place picked up right…” The telephone began ringing in kitchen. Ruth went downstairs to answer it.

“Hello?”

It was Don, he was calling from the office where he worked as an accountant. He was just letting her know that he’d be working late. She told him that was fine and hung up. Ruth wasn’t surprised that he wouldn’t be coming home anytime soon. Ever since their last fight he’d been carefully avoiding her. Part of her wondered whether or not he was telling the truth about having to work late. Another part didn’t really care.

Ruth went back upstairs to see how the clean up effort was going. Elizabeth was still coloring away, oblivious to the immaculate room that now surrounded her. Ruth was nearly stunned beyond words.

“Honey…how did you do this?”

Elizabeth looked up from her picture, “I didn’t do it, Pepper did.”

“Excuse me?”

“Mommy I told him not to make a mess, but that silly monkey did anyway.” She shook her head and put her hands on her hips like Ruth had done. “I told him to clean up his mess. So he did.” She picked up her crayon and resumed coloring.

**********************************************************************************

As the night wore on, so did the rain. Soon it was eight-forty, time for Elizabeth to go to sleep.

“Want me to leave the door open a crack tonight?” Ruth asked after she’d shut off the lights.

“No thanks, I don’t need it with Pepper here to protect me.”

Ruth said goodnight and closed the door. ‘Pepper’ was beginning to worry her. Elizabeth wasn’t playing with other children like she should. Her teacher had called to say that all Elizabeth did was whisper quietly to herself all day. Stacy told her it was all related to what was going on between her and Don. That made sense, kids have to have some way for dealing with stress. Ruth figured that Elizabeth would probably forget all about Pepper once she finally left Don.
Ruth decided to watch a little television before going to sleep herself. Fatigue and the sound of the rain smacking the roof put her fast asleep in no time.

**********************************************************************************

“RUTH! RUTH!”

She woke up to the sound of him screaming her name. Don stood outside in the rain; he was so drunk that he kept dropping his keys on the wet ground. Eventually he’d given up and started pounding on the door-screaming her name. She debated on whether or not she should let him in. Ruth decided to go ahead and let him in before he woke Elizabeth up. She flung the door open, and in he fell. He was soaking wet and stunk of beer and cheap perfume.

“What’s the big idea locking me out of the house?” His speech was slow and slurred.

“It’s late at night, I wasn’t going to leave the front door unlocked,” She said forcefully. “Besides, you have a key.” She pointed to the set of muddy keys he was holding in his right hand. He stared at her coldly.

“You think ‘yer real smart don’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…look it’s late, you’re drunk…”

“I AM NOT DRUNK!” He screamed and beat his fist against his chest.

“Shhh…you’ll wake Elizabeth.”

He grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her close, “Don’t you EVER tell me what to do. Do you hear me? Besides, I'm her father...”

“Stop it…you’re hurting me.”

“I’m your HUSBAND I can do whatever I want to do!” He tossed her to the floor and laughed. She fell onto a coffee table breaking one of it’s legs. “Now look what you’ve gone and done…”

Ruth lay on the floor sobbing.

“That’s it Don, I’ve had it with you and your bullshit.” She slowly got to her feet, hot tears streaming down her cheeks. He saw her head towards the telephone.

“What the hell do you think ‘yer doing?”

“I’m calling the Police, I don’t want you sleeping here tonight-or ever again.” This was the wrong thing to say. Don frothed with rage. He wrestled the phone from her and used it to beat her in the head.

“You ungrateful bitch!”

Ruth slid down to the floor, her head bleeding. She couldn’t fight back and she couldn’t get up to run away. Ruth couldn’t even scream. Don took off his belt and was about to use it to hit her, when Elizabeth shouted from the top of the stairs.

“Stop it Daddy! You stop it right now!”

Ruth was shaking with fear now, not fear for herself but for her daughter.

“Get out of here baby!” She cried out, but her voice was too soft to be heard.

Don was practically foaming at the mouth, “Who d’ya think you are? Huh? You of all people don’t tell her... ”

Tears were running down Elizabeth’s cheeks and her lower lip trembled-but she didn’t move.

“Don’t you dare hit Mommy again!”

“'er what?”

“Pepper’s not afraid of you anymore Daddy…he’s not going to let you hurt us anymore…” She started wailing.

“Well Ruthy…Ruthy,” He shook his head slowly. “…you’ve managed to totally fuck up our little girl. I hope you’re happy…. I guess after I’m done with you I’ll have to straighten her out.”

He was about to strike Ruth with the belt, when he felt something strange on the back of his neck. Hot air…like a rabid dog’s panting breath. Don turned but saw nothing behind him.

…must be drunker than I thought…

A low growling sound filled the room. Suddenly Don was knocked off his feet and onto the carpet. He lay there for a few seconds stunned, then he staggered back to his feet. But before he could take a step, he was again knocked down.

“What the hell’s going on here…”

He was hit in the head with the phone-as he had done to Ruth only moments before. A large bloody gash on his forehead oozed thick, syrupy blood. His body twitched, then went limp. Ruth fainted from shock, the last thing she remembered was being picked up by someone. Who it was, she couldn’t see.

**********************************************************************************

Flashing lights cut through the crisp night air. The rain had ceased by the time the police arrived. A white ambulance arrived and took Don to the hospital. Ruth had regained consciousness just moments before the paramedics arrived on the scene. They told her that her injuries were relatively minor, only a few scrapes and bruises. Don, they said, was not so lucky. He had a severe concussion and a few cracked ribs. The police talked to her outside in the front yard. She told them basically what happened, although she had to fabricate the parts she herself did not fully understand. Like what had happened to Don. The young faced policemen who were questioning her could tell she was holding something back, but they didn’t press the issue. One of the officers photographed her bruises with a Polaroid camera. The experience was very surreal to Ruth.

“Well it’s late miss,” one of the officers said. “We’ll let you and your daughter get some rest now. We’ll come by tomorrow in the morning and finish filling out all the necessary paperwork.”

Ruth nodded weakly, “Thank you, that’s very considerate.”

The clouds had all but evaporated by the time the last patrol car sped away. Ruth and Elizabeth were standing in the wet driveway, staring at each other. Ruth bent down and hugged her little girl.

“I’m so sorry…”

They both cried. Finally, after what seemed like ages, Ruth pulled away from her daughter just enough to look her in the eyes.

“Baby, tell me what happened in there?”

Elizabeth looked as though she were about to try and explain what had happened, when her eyes suddenly lit up. The little girl smiled weakly and pointed at the top of the house behind them. Wincing in pain, Ruth slowly turned. There sitting on top of the roof, was a yellow and red gorilla—his colored fur shimmering in the moonlight.