The Thread: Next Door
by Jessicanm (Member) - published: September 30, 2004
Word Count: 493 Word Bytes: 2802 Viewed: 1393 times
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Julie pushed the key to her apartment into the lock and turned until she heard the familiar click. She was about to push open the door when her next door neighbor came barreling out of her door and down her walkway. Julie stopped to watch, captivated by her eccentric neighbor, Tammy. Tears streamed down her face, her hair flying out behind her as she dashed down the steps towards her car.

This was the third time this week Julie had watched this scene play out. Twice this week though she had heard odd sounds coming from her house. Noises that scared her and made her wonder exactly what was going on. Julie had tried getting to know Tammy when she had first moved in but all attempts had failed. She’s brought her cupcakes the second day she’d arrive Tammy had all but shoved them back at her in her haste to slam the door in her face. Julie had been out weeding her small flower bed next to her walk way when Tammy had walked by, caught up in her own world. Julie had offered up a small hello and Tammy returned the hello with an angry bitch look. Julie had given up after that.

Then things started getting weird. Often time Julie would pass by her front windows the same time Tammy was pulling things out of her car. Shovels and pick axes, large bolts of string, and trash bags full of only God knows what. It intrigued Julie, but set her on edge too.

Now Tammy was in her car, starting it up, and pulling recklessly into oncoming traffic. Wonder what that was all about. Julie pushed open her door and was about to walk in when a man came out of Tammy’s apartment. Just mind your own business, Julie said to herself, you don’t even know these people.

It was the site of blood though that made her stop cold in her tracks. He was bleeding profusely from a cut on his forehead. It was streaming down his face in rivulets, running into his eyes and soaking into his shirt. He stumbled on the porch, grabbing on to the porch railing and giving himself a minute to gather his strength.

“Are you ok?” Julie had to say something.

The man looked around as if unsure where the voice had come from. When his eyes landed on her his they narrowed.

“Do you need any help?”

He waved a hand towards her, brushing her off or reaching out for help she couldn’t tell. She pushed open her door and stepped off her porch into the yard below where he still stood on the porch, looking bewildered and hurt.

“Did Tammy…”

“God…she’s crazy….A real…psycho.”

Julie waited, part of her wanted to hear if he had anything else to say, part of her wanted to run into her small apartment lock the doors and call around to find another place to live.

------
Jessica@Lit.Org or Jessicamg@gmail.com

~How vain it is to sit down and write when you have not stood up to live.~

Henry David Thoreau

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The following comments are for "The Thread: Next Door"
by Jessicanm

Next Door... Part # 2
She decided to try again, "Is there something I can do? Call someone for you, or..."

He seemed dizzy, and about to fall. She only just got to him before he fell through the screen door and helped him to sit down.

"We were yelling at each other again, and she came from the bedroom into the hallway and when I turned around, BAM. I'm not sure what she hit me with, but it rung my bell." He said.

"Let me get something to take care of that, your bleeding badly." She said, as she left him sitting there on the stoop, while she got something for the wound.

She brought a small bowl of warm water and a hand towel and washcloth. Handing him the towel she dipped the washcloth into the bowl and rung it out slightly, wiping the wound of the blood and trying to keep from hurting him. He winced and jerked back slightly; she followed and continued to clean the wound dipping into the now darkening water.

Worried, she again asked "should I call someone for you, the police perhaps?"

"No, no, she has done this before, but we always worked it out somehow." he said.

"I don't want to intrude, but are you and, Tammy, isn't it? Married?" she asked

He did not directly answer her, but instead, said "Yeah her name is Tammy"

"We were married for 6 years, and divorced 3 years ago. We started seeing each other again a year of so later and have lived together for the last year of so." He offered in reply.

"You said she did this before, did you mean when you were married?" She ask, now finished cleaning the wound. It was not dripping blood any longer and looked to be coagulating at the sight of the wound.

"Yes" He offered in reply.

Should we call someone or have someone look at that, it is pretty deep. Let me call the police."

"No, that's all right, I'll go to the emergency room. It's only around the block." he said.

That's funny, she thought, he knows where the Hospital and emergency room are already and they haven't been here a week. Her car had an out of state license plate. Maybe one of them lived here before.

He stood up and seemed to be all right for the moment and she watched as he walked to the end of their sidewalk. She seen him wobble again and sprung to help him back to the stoop. Just then Tammy pulled up in the car, wearing a scarf over her head and a tight sweater, smoking a cigarette; she exited the car yelling something. Her dark sunglasses she pulled off her face and was swinging her arm that had removed them into the air and again screaming. "What's this?" she repeated more clearly, two times, louder each time.

Julie gathered the washcloth and bowl and was retreating to the safety of her apartment. She didn't even get his name she thought as she walked hurriedly in to the building. They were arguing again and Julie wanted no part of it. It was too late. They were both headed in right on her heals.

( Posted by: daprdan [Member] On: September 30, 2004 )

Next Door, Part 3
He was TOO adamant about not wanting to call the police. Even in his weakened condition, he was definitive. Tammy was scary. She looked as though she could eat her young. Julie really did not want to pry, but her curiosity was nagging at her mind. What was going on in there? For some reason it didn't seem like a regular "abuse situation".

That night on the phone Julie talked to her boyfriend, Trey, who started laughing when she recounted the tale.

"Did it ever occur to you that this was something consensual?" He said still laughing, "that it might be some form of a fetish that you know nothing about? “

Julie couldn't even imagine. Her only experience with sex had been the missionary position with a guy she dated for five years. It was incomprehensible.

"No, I don't think that's it", she said with conviction in her voice, but not in her heart. However, now her curiosity was aroused and she had to find out.

When darkness fell, she quietly exited her front door and stationed herself beside the only open window so that she could hear. Tammy was barking orders like a drill sergeant, and the man seemed to be complying. Was there more to this than a relationship? Maybe it had a more sinister underpinning. Julie really wanted to call the police, but she was unsure. Her naiveté got in the way of her judgment.

Then she heard Tammy bark “You aren’t getting out of here until you tell me where it is. “

Now Julie was sure there was more to this situation than met the eye. What was Tammy looking for, and why did this man put himself through this to protect it?

It was dark, the moon was full, and Julie, with all her nervous energy fell asleep sitting beneath the window. When morning came it was quiet. There was no sign of Tammy, of the man, or of anything. Could she have dreamed all this?

Feeling slightly foolish, she hurried back to her apartment to shower and get ready for work. She chastised herself for her ridiculous imagination and more ridiculous imagination of her boyfriend. As she locked her apartment door and walked the breezeway to the stairs, she heard muffled voices through the open window of Tammy’s apartment. She briefly thought to herself “I would suck as a spy, ” because she couldn’t understand anything they were saying. As she tried to listen, it almost sounded like a foreign language, but she couldn’t be sure.

Julie walked down the concrete steps and on the next to the last step was a small piece of paper, wadded up, but it hadn’t been there last night. She always noticed things like that.

Julie proceeded to her 2001 Saturn and as she unlocked the door and sat down, she tentatively opened the piece of paper which said nothing but “call 202-456-2122. I need help.” If this was something sinister, she needed to call the number or someone. But there was nothing she hated more than looking foolish, and the fear that the authorities would laugh at her was worse than whatever was happening in Tammy’s apartment. She picked up her cell, but hesitated.

( Posted by: Clairesbest [Member] On: October 1, 2004 )

Next Door - #4
Julie looked at the piece of paper again, as if it were some cryptic code in need of deciphering. She recalled Trey's words and wondered if she was being being dragged into something unsavoury. I might be late for work if I call right now. It was a discarded note after all. He can leave anytime if he wants. Julie thought as she stared at the hastily scrawled words. She tossed the note onto the upholstered seat beside her. Forcing herself to forget about the couple, she started her car.

Julie's Saturn was tightly sandwiched between two cars and as she reversed, she lightly bumped the vehicle behind her. "Damn!" She tentatively looked in the rear view mirror as she shifted into drive. There was someone sitting in the driver's seat. "Hell!" As Julie inched forward, cranking the wheel, she kept checking her mirror. Just when she'd nosed her car into the street, a burly man lumbered out of the Audi behind her. He stalked towards her but paused to inspect his front bumper. He leaned down and rubbed the bumper with the sleeve of his grey trenchcoat. Julie couldn't leave without acknowledging her action and speaking to the guy but she wasn't going to get out of her car. She hit the rolldown button and called out to him.

"I'm really sorry. Is everything okay? Did I do any damage?" Julie called in her best helpless female voice.

The man straightened up and proceeded to walk towards the driver's side of the car. "Ma'am? Do you have a license to drive or are you just playing park cheesy?" he said as he came parallel with her open window. His voice had a sarcastic drawl and he grinned at her in an insufferable manner.

Oh great! A machismo jerk! Just what I need after the night I've had. "Um, I'm really sorry. Is there any damage?" Julie smiled, tossed her hair a bit and tried to mask her immediate dislike for this oversize cretin.

"Nah, it's okay honey. You get a freebie this time. I've got other things to occupy my time. Say, do you live here?" He asked her in a casual but curious manner.

Julie hesitated for a second and then nodded.

"I was just wondering if you knew Tammy and Jed. They haven't been here too long but I swung by on my way through town hoping to catch them at home. Do you know if they're at home? My name's Jerry and I'm a friend of theirs. Shucks, I'm almost a brother of Jed's if truth be told." Jerry said, as he leaned his elbow on the window frame.

Julie began to feel that her space was being encroached upon as she replied. "Yes, I know Tammy but if I've haven't done any damage to your car, I'll be on my way. As it is, I'm going to be late for work."

"Sure cupcake, no problem. Just tell me which apartment they live in. I forgot their address at the motel this morning." As he spoke, Julie realized he'd spied the note laying, face up, on the seat. His slick delivery hadn't shifted a bit but she could sense him tensing up as he read it.

( Posted by: Penelope [Member] On: October 3, 2004 )

Next Door #5
Within an instant, the paper was snatched up, crumpled into a tiny ball, and thrown in the ashtray.

“I’m honestly not sure. Sixth floor? Seventh maybe? Sorry I can’t be of more help. Now if you wouldn’t mind moving your car; I really must be going.” Looking up at him, she was terribly tempted to wink, but thought better of it. She was very impressed with herself in that moment. Her instincts—which had never previously been tested in her entire sheltered life—were simply impeccable.

After having driven a safe distance, the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush took hold; she began shaking and was forced to pull the car to the side of the road. She took a couple of deep, flittering breathes, but they did little to steady her nerves.

“I couldn’t go to work now anyway in this condition,” she thought to herself. “Besides, this could be more serious than I thought.” And innumerable other excuses flashed in her head, but the last one was the only one that mattered. It mattered so much in fact, she elected to say it aloud, and damned the consequences: “For once, something interesting is happening in my life, and I’m not going to let it slip away.”

The self-assuring smile she had earlier suppressed could no longer be contained as she realized that she had serendipitously pulled-over next to a payphone. A sudden calm swept through her as she coolly turned and pulled the key from the ignition. She stared down at the little note in ashtray for a moment, brushing the hair back from her face to gather its full glory as she plucked it from its nest. It seemed to her an entire little world was in that crumpled note, a world which she previously never even knew existed, and was now being held god-like between her thumb and forefinger.

She made the call and an automated voice chimed in after the second ring: “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service—“

Chortling as she hung up the phone, “What a fool I am, making up this whole little adventure in my head.”

***

After having been thoroughly chastised by her boss for being late, Julie decided to take her lunch break early. She found that no matter how bad her day had been going, a lightly frosted cupcake always cheered her up.

***

He had read and recognized the number on the note, and as soon as Julie pulled out of the parking lot, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

“We’re sorry, the number you have—“
“Cut the act; it’s Logan. Ya hear me? Turn off the damn tape recorder.”

( Posted by: eleutheromaniac [Member] On: October 7, 2004 )

Part 6: Next Door
Logan heard the click of the phone being picked up and the machine being turned off.

"Logan, what the hell is happening there?" We are sitting here in the dark, wondering if we are fucked"

Logan quickly explained the situation as he knew it, reported that he was on his way up to the apartment and would report back.

"Be damn sure you do, you have an hour". If we don't hear from you by then, we are sending in the big guns."

Logan scoped the parking lot. Those going to work had left already, and there was no activity that he could see. He reached into his car and grabbed a clip and slid it into his pocket. Hopefully, it was an unnecessary gesture. What the hell had he gotten Tammy into? Cursing himself, he thought, she should have never been put in this position alone.

He remembered when she started at the agency. She seemed so strong, so determined to fulfill her role, that when this job came up, he convinced the higher-ups that she could do it. It was going to take a woman to disarm this man and gain his trust.

All the others in the ring had been killed in the agency's last attempt to get the information, the punk upstairs was their only hope.

Logan walked stealthily up the stairs and paused at the door to the apartment. There were no discernible sounds. There was no back door. This was the only way in. Through the cracked window, he could see Tammy on the couch but couldn't see the man. He was taking a big chance barging in their like some superhero; he could get both of them killed. A deep breath and a massive hit at the door from his 6'4, 250 pound frame popped the cheap hollow door like a toothpick. Tammy immediately jumped up aiming her pistol right at Logan's head, then lowered it when she realized that a friendly had come to help her.

She looked like shit. Her black eye had turned green, her dark hair was disheveled, but her reflexes seemed sharp and in perfect order. With her gun hand she waved over at the floor where Jed was asleep. He looked worse than Tammy. Logan felt a twinge of pride.
He hadn't moved at the splintering of the door.

"Is he dead?" Logan asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Not yet...I don't suppose you brought any coffee?" she grinned. Getting up to make some, Logan shoved Jed with his foot, but he barely stirred.

"I was so pissed off with him last night, I almost just put him out of his misery, but that wouldn't get us any closer to the nerve gas. We have to find it before it winds up being sprinkled in a populated place, and he isn't talking. He volunteered that he'd die first."

"Well, we'll see if we can't change his mind," Logan grinned, relieved he was still alive.

"You took a chance leaving that note. One of your neighbors found it but I think she dismissed it as just something someone dropped."

"I knew you'd be along, and was trying to get you a message since I couldn't call," Tammy pouted. "Besides, yesterday, I would have taken any help I could get. He was finally thirsty enough to drink a soda loaded with sedatives."

"I have to report in or there will be a gang of very strange looking people surrounding the place in about thirty minutes....I'll have a cup of that when it's ready," and he dialed the number once again.

--------

In the meantime, Julie couldn't get the thought of the events out of her mind. The man made her nervous, the phone number could have been somekind of a contact number, and she felt as though she had to do something.

She gingerly picked up the phone and called the patrol station closest to her apartment, and asked for the officer in charge.

The officer listened patiently, but there was something in her voice that wouldn't dismiss the call. "How about we send a car over there and see what's going on"?

Julie breathed a sigh of relief, "that would be wonderful, officer, I really appreciate it."

------------

When Logan saw the cop car pull up and the armed, uniformed officers exit the car and point toward the apartment, his mind started spinning. This was going to take some fast footwork.

( Posted by: clairesbest [Member] On: October 12, 2004 )

Next Door... Part # 7...
Tammy and Logan lifted Jed to the couch and positioned him to appear as if he had laid there in a drunken stupor. Logan retrieved a bottle of scotch and spilled a little on Jed’s shirt and put some on his lips. He picked up the parts of the door jamb and put them in the umbrella stand next to the door.

Closing the door to check that it would close, though not latch any longer, and quickly outlined the cover story Tammy and he would offer.

They could hear the police officers on the floor below. Within minutes they were knocking on her door, which opened as they knocked. “Police” one of the officers said, loud enough for all to hear. Tammy rose from the chair and went to the door pulling it all the way open.

The officer asked if anything was wrong, seeing the condition of the door jamb. Tammy offered a brief story of how Jed, her ex husband, had arrived home drunk and had broken the door in, very early this morning.

She further explained that though divorced, they lived together off and on for the last three years. The officer that was in the hall now entered the room as well. A quick summation was offered by Tammy of the night’s events. One of the officers’ checked Jed’s condition, which revealed the presence of alcohol and substantiated that part of her story. Tammy offered "he does this every once in awhile."

The officer questioned her, about the now greenish black eye and she explained that she was about to answer the door when Jed had broken it down. He had left the key on the dresser, and must not have heard her attempt to unlock the door. The officers accepted the story as the lock was not bolted and only the latch part was broken.

The officer questioned Logan. He offered that he was friends of both Tammy and Jed and was his best man at the wedding. That Tammy had called him to talk to Jed when he finally awoke.

With only a few more minutes of questions, reassurances from both that there was no immediate danger, and of Jed’s normal passive nature. The officers took notes of names and other pertinent information, to satisfy all their questions needed for a full report.

When the officers had enough for the report, they thanked them for the information and handed a business card to her. Tammy assured them she would contact them if there were any problems and the officers turned and left.

As they walked down the stairs Tammy closed the door and leaned against it. Logan smiled and offered “That was pretty good for your first time”. She smiled and thanked him.

They moved quickly to get Jed to Logan’s Audi, which he had moved around the side of the building.

They drove to the safe house Logan was staying at and pulled into the garage attached to the house closing the door with the remote.

They moved Jed to one of the bedrooms before he awoke, and gagged, restrained and secured him to the bed.

With in a few minutes another car pulled into the drive and an older gentleman with a doctor’s bag walked to the front door and rung the bell, all innocent looking enough.

The older gentleman was let in, and Logan, Tammy and he shook hands all around.

“Is he restrained?” asked the man.

“Yes” Tammy and Logan replied in unison.

“Good” he replied. “You can call me Doc”, the man said.

“So, what do you want us to do” Tammy asked.

“Nothing yet” Doc said, “ I will let you know when I will need your help, I'll look in on our little man, while you two make us some coffee, as we will be here for awhile getting the information.” he said.

They nodded and went to the kitchen as Doc headed into the room.

Opening his bag he removed...

( Posted by: daprdan [Member] On: October 12, 2004 )

Next door : Part 8
a small pocket knife and ammonia from inside. He knew he only had a few minutes to get Jed out of here before the other two came in with the coffee. It must have been his lucky day, arriving at the same time as those cops. If not for them he may have been spotted. Perfect distraction and they hadn’t even been part of the plan.

He tried shaking Jed, nothing, not even a flinch. Damn, they drugged him good. He might as well have been dead. He tried the ammonia, Jed opened one eye trying desperately to focus. “What the hell…” Doc barely had time to cover his mouth when he heard Tammy calling out to him. “Do you take cream and sugar?” “Yes, two teaspoons would be great.” Doc realized the only way to get him out of here was going to be through the window. He didn’t think he could pull this off. Jed wasn’t fully awake and even if he could walk, his babbling would surely be heard.

“Jed you have to be quiet, you’re going to have to trust me. We have to move fast. Do you think you can climb out that window?” Reluctantly Jed nodded. He knew this man but from where? For some reason he couldn’t put his thoughts together. He knew one thing though, Tammy had given him something and he wasn’t going to wait around to find out why.

The old man helped Jed up. His feet felt heavy like they had been hammered to the floor and that window seemed awfully far away. Doc threw his arm under Jed’s and together they managed to walk to the other side of the room. Doc moved pretty quickly for an old man. He had the window open and just as Jed was climbing out he heard the bedroom door open.

For a second a thought went through Jed’s mind or was it a memory? Hadn’t he and Tammy discussed him taking the drugs? Something about making sure it looked like she had things under control? It was too late, he wasn’t clear and he had already taken the plunge.

( Posted by: nae411 [Moderator] On: October 13, 2004 )

Next door #9
It didn’t matter, within minutes he was in Doc’s car, off to…somewhere.

“So how are they doing?” Logan asked Tammy.
“Doc’s got it under control.”
Logan chortled, “I almost feel sorry for Jed.”
“Don’t feel too bad for him.”
“Do you have any idea where the Doc’s taking him? Hmm, why so surprised? You’re whole little operation was so amateur. The Doc’s working for us.

***

“You’re a what?” Jed asked, more confused than ever.
“I’m a quadruple-agent.”
“Uh-huh.”
“It’s pretty simple. I’m an agent for the CIA, who works undercover tricking people—well, like you and Tammy—into thinking I’m a dirty agent or double agent. But really I’m not. Only this time I am and the CIA doesn’t know it. Get it?”
“No.”
“Good.”

***

“Right now he’s feeding your partner some nonsense about quadruple-agents and God knows what else. He really is a master. After all, he fooled you.”
“So what are you going to do with that gun, Logan?”
“What this? Just a precaution; don’t worry, we want you alive.”

***

The cellphone began to ring, but it wasn’t the ring Doc was expecting. “Cupcake?” He thought. “Not now.”

***

Julie’s father didn’t pick-up the phone. When he announced he would be in town this week on business, she was so excited. And after the day she had, she was really looking forward to seeing him tonight.

( Posted by: eleutheromaniac [Member] On: October 14, 2004 )

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