A Friend Indeed

"Janine?" Lyse said.

"Help." A weak voice came from over the phone.

"I will be right there!"

Without waiting for any more to be said, Lyse jumped out of her chair and looked around for her bag, stuffing her car keys and wallet into it and ran out the door and into her car and she sped off until she came to a stop.

Lyse's heart pounded in her chest as she raced down the familiar street, she had parked her car a street away so that Max Janine's husband would not know she was around.

She had promised Janine that she would be there as soon as she could, and she knew every second counted. Janine had been living with Max, her abusive husband, for far too long despite how he treated her. Lyse had tried everything to get Janine away from the brute but she had always resisted however, it seemed that tonight was the night she was going to escape.

As she reached Janine's house, she paused to catch her breath. The lights were off and the house was eerily quiet. Lyse took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A moment later, it creaked open and Janine stood there, her eyes wide with fear and relief.

"Lyse, you're here," Janine whispered, pulling her friend inside. "I am so glad that you came."

"I said I would didn't it?" Lyse said as she hugged her and examined the bump on her head and bruises on her face.

She cussed underneath her breath and wondered what other bruises were covered by the clothes but she did not have time for that, the most important thing was to get out of the house first.

"Come one, let's go. We don't have much time." She urged.

Together, they gathered Janine's belongings into a small suitcase. It was filled with essentials, a few cherished photographs and some of her clothes.

Just as they were about to step outside, they heard a familiar sound: the rumble of Max's truck pulling into the driveway. Janine's face paled and she looked panicked. "We have to hurry," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Lyse nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that Max with his tendency toward violence would not be very happy to see her in his house, she grabbed Janine's hand and pulled her towards the door. As they stepped outside, they heard Max's booming voice calling out, "Janine! Where are you?"

Panic surged through Lyse as she and Janine scrambled to hide. They ducked behind a couch, their hearts pounding in their ears. The front door swung open, and Max's heavy footsteps echoed through the house.

"Janine?" he called out, his voice thick with anger. "Where are you?"

Lyse squeezed Janine's hand tightly. She knew they had to act fast.

"We have to go," she whispered. "Now."

As Max's footsteps drew closer, Lyse grabbed Janine's hand and pulled her towards the back door. They burst through it, the cold night air hitting their faces. Lyse glanced back just as Max appeared in the doorway.

"Don't you dare take my wife away you bitch!" he shouted, his voice filled with rage. He lunged forward, his fist swinging. Lyse instinctively raised her arm to protect her face, but Max's punch connected with a sickening thud.

Lyse stumbled backward, her vision blurring. Pain shot through her head as she fell to the ground. Janine screamed, her voice filled with terror.

Lyse tried to get up, but her head was spinning. She could hear Max's footsteps approaching. She reached out for Janine, but her hand missed.

"Lyse!" Janine cried. "Are you okay?"

Lyse managed to nod, her vision clearing slightly. She could see Max standing over her, his face contorted with fury.

"You're going to pay for this," he growled, raising his fist again.

Just as Max was about to strike, Lyse heard a sound—the wail of a police siren. Max froze, his eyes widening in shock and Lyse said a prayer of thanks for foresight. She had feared running into Max at the house and had called the police on her way there.

"It's the police," Janine gasped. "They are here."

Max turned and ran, disappearing into the darkness. Lyse lay on the ground, her head throbbing. She could feel tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Janine asked, kneeling beside her. "Do you need help?"

Lyse nodded weakly. She was in pain, but she was also relieved. They had escaped and Max was gone, for now at least.

A few minutes later, a police car pulled up to the house. Two officers got out and approached Lyse and Janine. They asked them what had happened, and Janine told them everything.

The officers examined Lyse's face, their expressions grim. "You are going to have to get you to the hospital right away," one of them said then he looked at Janine and added. "You both need to go to the hospital."

"I will go to the hospital later, thank you officers."

As they helped Lyse to her feet she shook her head while Janine looked down at her friend with a mixture of sadness and gratitude. Lyse had risked her own safety to help her escape, and she would never forget it. She was a friend indeed.