From Writer's block... write a story that begins with a phone call at 3 am.
Pop. Pop. Pop. I am staring at the ceiling.
Pop.
The chickpeas that was was soaking overnight for hummus were making their signature sound. It took me almost a year to figure out the sound. I even had an electrician come out and check our kitchen to see what was causing the sounds.
One day doing dishes I was started by the tiniest pop.
Pop.
I look at my cellphone. It's nearing what I call bewitching hour. I set it down. If anything is evil is going to happen in the world, it would happen between 3 and 4 a.m.The bars have let out. The third shift doesn't let out for hours. The streets are empty. It's so quiet. Which makes it impossible to get back to sleep. My mind scans the audible landscape for something to focus on. Something to think about besides my racing thoughts which have been waking me up around 2:30 every night. For months. A year? Who knows. Sleep was elusive and I was a zombie walking through the daylight hours.
Bzzzz. Bzzzz. My phone startles me.
I pick it up though I'm nervous about who would be calling me at 3 a.m. What if it's my mom? Or my sister? What if something happened to them? Maybe my friend Simon who had been struggling lately. Did he need me? My hands tremble as I reveal the name: Lena.
"Hello?" I whisper because that's what you do at 3 am even when there's no one else in your home.
"Mel, it's Lena."
"What's going on? You ok?"
"You're up."
I think about that for a second. "I couldn't sleep."
"I figured you'd be up. I need your help." My mind started racing. What on earth could Lena need? She worked in marketing for one of the local tech firms in town. She put insane hours. She probably hadn't even gone to bed yet.
"Ok. What's going on?"
"I clocked my boss and I don't know what to do."
"Wait. What?" I immediately thought of the old 80s movie 9-5 were Lily, Jane, and Dolly basically kidnapped their boss. It was funny. At the time I imagine it was even funnier. Watching it last weekend, it's made me nervous. It was a legal nightmare.
"We were out meeting with THE CLIENT. You know, my biggest account. We were at Moby's - fancy fish restaurant - "
"Yes, I know." I felt the need to show her that I was on par with her money and her success when I wasn't even close. Why do we even do that?
"And THE CLIENT left and I was talking to Mark about our next steps, our plan with them, it was great. We each had another drink. No problem."
"Ok."
"Well, he followed me out to my car. And I asked him if he wanted a ride and grabbed my arms and kissed me! He pushed me against the car - "
"Oh god!"
"I know. And you know - you know I'm a boxer. You know I got to the boxing gym like - "
"What did you do?"
"I knocked him out. I got out of his hold and clocked him. I didn't mean to."
"Oh god. Of course, you didn't. Did you call the police? Or an ambulance?"
"No! No! I would lose my job! My career would be ruined. It would be his word again mine. I was parked outside. Not in a garage. There were no security cameras."
"Lena." I hadn't realized that I was standing up next to the bed putting on the jeans that were on the floor, and looking for the mustard top that I had worn earlier in the day.
"He's in the car with me. He's alive. I mean he's breathing. And he has a pulse."
"Oh my god. Why - "
"I didn't know what to do!" I bit my lip. What the hell?
"Ok. Where are you?"
"I'm outside your apartment." I froze.
"What?"
"I'm outside your place. I need your help." I felt an acid bubble in my throat. I was cold with panic. Terror is the word that comes to mind. I couldn't be implicated in the assault of a giant in the marketing world - I mean it was his fault. Why would anyone try that on Lena? Why didn't she call the police? Or go back into the restaurant.
"Mel?"
"I'll be right down."
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