Closer To The Edge

[Ethan Matthews]

Being on call constantly was difficult; more so when while on duty your head wasn’t exactly in the right place in time. Ethan had a lot on his mind right now, most of which circulated around his daughter and the little time that he had spent with her recently. Still he was anticipating the end of his shift, because he would finally get to spend the weekend with Ella. Life as a single parent was tough, especially when the only income coming in was provided by yourself. He was lucky to have Sofia’s parents around to offer a helping hand and take care of Ella when he had to work. It sure made things simpler when it came to providing for his child.

Unfortunately, as he was the sole provider, he did have to work many hours and spend less of them with Ella. She wouldn’t notice it while she was still only a baby, but he hoped that things would get better as she got older. He didn’t wish to become one of those parents who fobbed their child off on everyone; he wanted to be a good parent.

Most of the night had been spent taking care of minor incidents, little outside fires here and there mostly stuff caused by kids. It was annoying but what could you do?

Finally the time came and his shift was over. Ethan couldn’t have possibly moved quick enough to get out of work, with a quick shower and a change back into casual clothes he was out of the building like a shot and on his way to pick Ella up from her grandmothers. It was a 30 minute driver, 45 if you counted traffic but it was getting late so traffic wasn’t too much to be concerned about. When he did arrive Ella was already sleeping. He was grateful that Lizzy and Joe were around to help him out. It had been a long while since he’d spoken to his own family and without them he’d have surely been at a loss of what to do. They were a great relief to him; he really wasn’t sure what he’d have done without them.

Taking Ella, he gently slipped her into the car seat in back before heading back to the driver side and getting into the vehicle again. He set out for home, another hour or so drive. With Ella asleep, the drive was pretty boring, but he couldn’t help but glance in the mirror every so often, a wide grin on his face as he eyed the little girl behind him. Eventually he reached home and pulled up into the garage situated under the apartment complex. Ethan took the car seat out, with Ella inside and began to carry her into the building.

As he entered he could already hear booming sounds coming from one of the apartment; music. Saturday nights, the residents couldn’t be blamed and as it was only 10:30pm, they still had an hour and a half left before they’d have to turn it down due to regulations. With the noise about now, he opted to take the elevator, despite their apartment being on the first floor because he didn’t want to disturb Ella’s sleep. Once the elevator reached his floor, he stepped out carrying the car seat and set toward the front door.

Ethan glanced over his shoulder hearing commotion coming from the apartment across the hall from his. It was like that every night, the couple inside were constantly arguing. Ethan had bumped into the woman a few times in the hall, she didn’t go out much so he rarely saw her but when he did she was always covered in bruises. He’d asked her on more than one occasion if she was okay but she often just made excuses for her injuries, you know the usual ‘I fell over’ excuse. It was disheartening for him. Sure, he didn’t know this woman but he knew what was going on, what really had occurred and it pained him to know that he couldn’t do anything.

He could effectively do something but, who was he to intrude where he wasn’t welcome? She was scared and he understood that, but he couldn’t just charge in there and beat her boyfriend to a bloody mess without really knowing what was going on. God forbid a guy his size did something like that only to find he’d gotten the wrong end of the stick. Yeah, he doubted as much but he still had no real proof to back his suspicion of domestic abuse. Finally tearing his attention from the apartment he let himself into his, opened the door and flicked the lights on before stepping inside.

Closing the door behind him, he placed the car seat down and took Ella out, careful not to disturb her. Ethan carried her to her bed and gently placed her in. She’d already been dressed in her pyjamas at her grandparents, one less thing for Ethan to do. Having tucked Ella into bed, he turned and headed out of the room. As always, he kept the door open ajar so that the slightest noise could be heard. He’d still pop his head in the room, every so often to check on her like he always did.

He moved across the lounge and toward the kitchen, just about getting to the door when he heard the commotion next door getting louder. From his kitchen he could hear the yelling perfectly, he could even make out the words exchanged, he was ranting on about some guy supposedly calling her up and then began accusing her of sleeping around. Ethan sighed heavily, shaking his head and trying his best to ignore the yelling next door. Some of the words exchanged were shocking, he’d have never dreamt speaking to Sofia like that and to be honest, he wasn’t favourable having such people living next door to him. God forbid, if Ella heard any of this crap he’d have had to have some serious words with the neighbours, because this wasn’t acceptable.

Ethan opened the cupboard to take out a glass, but stopped once more. There was a loud sound, which could have only been mistaken for a slap of some kind and a hefty one at that. A thud followed and then the distant sound of crying. He’d grit his teeth by now, and clenched his fist tight. So tight that his knuckles were turning white and now, the glass in his grip shattered within his balled fist. Ethan tossed the shards to the side letting the pieces of glass fall away from his skin. It hurt, sure, it hurt like a son of a bitch but he was seething right now and hardly noticed the pain that came with.

The stocky man pulled his door open and strode across the corridor. His teeth were grit, his face red with fury. Ethan came to the door and instead of knocking, he kicked his foot against the wood and bust the door wide open. Those doors in this place were a whole load crap, made of ply wood mostly and easy to break. As soon as the door broke open, the commotion ceased. He stood in the doorway looking pissed. Ethan was as tall as the door and his shoulders almost as wide as the frame, a pure sight for sore eyes.

Evidently the man within the apartment wasn’t too pleased about the uninvited guest. His girlfriend was on the ground receiving kicks to her upper and lower body, she was on the ground writhing in agony. Ethan glanced at her, before sending a vicious glare toward her partner. He cricked his neck as the boyfriend came charging toward him. This piece of shit needed being taught a lesson and Ethan was the one who was going to do the teaching.

Ethan pulled his arm back toward himself, his fist balled ready to punch the guy clean out. The man stopped in his paces, staring in sheer surprise at his fiery guest. His legs trembled, a flurry of vowel sounds left him before Ethan’s fist drove toward him. He struck him straight in the jaw knocking him to the ground with one swing. He watched the man hit the floor, writhing in agony before finally sitting up. Ethan pointed at him, taking two steps toward him “Next time you wanna throw your fists around, come and knock on my door...or I’ll come and knock yours down again...” Ethan threatened him. After a moment or so, he turned and began to walk out of the apartment and headed back inside his own.

He wasn't interested in hearing any god damn excuses from this moron, there was no fucking excuse for beating up a woman. As far as Ethan was concerned, if you hit a woman you were in for a whole world of pain. He would not, for a second stand back and watch any man beat on a woman. After dealing with that scum-bag, he walked back across the hall and into his apartment, closing the door behind him.

He didn't go to bed right away, he kept an ear out for the neighbours waiting for that piece of shit to start up again...he didn't and instead decided to take a walk. Ethan looked through the spy hole on his door, seeing the man come out of the apartment with a gym bag over his shoulder...it looked like he was planning a night away. Good, that meant Ethan wouldn't have to kick his door down again and pummel his face.

The next 25 minutes or so everything was quiet. So, with that, Ethan decided to go to bed. He was beat, and it showed when his head only had to touch the pillow before he was dead to the world. Once Ethan was asleep, he was gone,he slept heavily and barely awoke by his alarm at the best of times. Ella played well as an alarm, she'd often jump on him until he woke up and if that failed to work she'd awaken him with the TV.

Unlike most mornings, Ella did not come bounding in...but the dog did. He felt the heavy weight of the Pitbull dive on his bed. Ethan grumbled, he wasn't ready to wake up yet but Duke wasn't having any of it. The dog began licking his face, nudging at him and whimpering "Uh..What..stop.." Ethan grumbled, pushing the dogs face away as he tried to roll over. Duke continued to whimper which eventually got Ethan's attention. Groaning in frustration, Ethan sat up looking at the dog who lay on the edge of the bed, with his head between his paws peering at Ethan.

"What?" Ethan asked quietly, Duke was being weird...just staring at him all doey eyed. He raised a brow "You need to go out?" he asked, Duke jumped up and barked starling Ethan, that was probably a yes then. Ethan sighed and climbed out of bed, prompting Duke to jump off. The dog immediately ran to the front door, scratching at the wood as he did. Ethan pulled his jeans on and peered his head out of the door, scolding Duke for scratching the door. They lived in an apartment, which meant that Ethan had to take Duke out himself and he wasn't going out in his underwear.

The dog was being really weird right now and Ethan couldn't understand why. Once telling the dog off, Duke resumed position as before laying down with his head between his front paws. Ethan eyed him for a second before going back into the bedroom and pulling a T-Shirt on. He stepped out and walked toward Duke who sat up and began panting at the door, eager to get out. Ella stepped out of her room, wearing her pink pj's and bunny slippers "What's wrong with duke?" the tired child asked. Ethan looked at Duke "I guess he needs to go." he told her, assuring her that the dog was fine but he wasn't so sure...Duke never behaved like this.

"You wanna come out with us? or are you going to stand on the balcony so I can see you?" Ethan asked her, Ella rubbed her eyes "I'll go get the lead." she yawned. Ella often stood on the balcony when Ethan took Duke out, so that he could keep an eye on her but this morning she'd opted to come with him. Once Ella returned with the leash, he placed it on the dog and got her to put her jacket on, it was a little cold out today. As soon as Ethan opened the door Duke began to pull at him, again something he never did.

"Woah, easy!" Ethan called at him, half pulling Duke back. He glanced his eyes down to Ella as she took the keys out the door and pulled the door shut behind them, placing the keys in her pocket. She took a hold of Ethan's free hand and began to walk alongside him and Duke. As they moved from there front door, Ethan let his eyes linger on the facing neighbours door, the guys who'd been beating on his girlfriend...there door was slightly open. Duke focused his attention on the door too, sniffing at it before growling. He raised a brow, letting his eyes glue to the door as he urged Duke away as they passed.

It wasn't until Ethan got outside that he glanced down at his watch on his wrist '6:30am', so much for a lay in. Ethan sighed, walking Duke a little away from the apartment complex so that the dog could do his business. Whilst he kept grip on the dogs leash, Ella turned to the mail box outside, unlocked there apartment box and took out the mail stuffed in the pigeon-hole. The young girl squealed a little, prompting Ethan and Duke to both snap there heads around to her. She came bouncing over to them waving a parcel in the air "Oh it came! I've been waiting for so long! I never thought she'd get here"Ethan laughed at her "She? What is it?" he asked, fleeting a glance to Duke before looking back at Ella who was ripping into the parcel like a hungry fox in a dustbin.

The streets were empty this early in the morning, which didn't surprise Ethan all too much. You didn't get much traffic on this street because it was not only a one way but a back street so there were no real access points or hidden short cuts and it was nowhere near the central area of Brooklyn where most of the living occupied. They lived in a quiet neighbourhood, with mostly families or elderly couples but you did get the odd one of two ass-holes like he who lived at number '25'.

Once opening the parcel she waved a doll in Ethan's. Bratz dolls, he thought they were absolutely ridiculous, ugly too but Ella loved them so...he dealt with his issues. "Very nice." He simply said, with a smile. Ella rolled her eyes at him and put the packaging in the bin, before handing the remaining letters to her dad. Duke was finally finished and they were able to take him back inside, Ethan knew the chances of going back to bed now were slim so he'd have to get rid of the hopes of a lay in.

They had taken the stairs to come down but went to take the elevator back up, unfortunately, it seemed to be broken. Ethan sighed and shook his head, that was three times in one week now. So, they took the stairs. Coming to there floor, they walked toward the apartment again, once more passing the door of there neighbours where Duke began going wild again. Ethan tugged at his leash trying to shut him up and get him back inside before he woke anyone on there floor.

Once inside there apartment, he let Duke off the leash and closed the door. Ella made herself comfy on the couch in front of the TV playing with her new Bratz doll and eating a bowl of frosties. Ethan headed off to get showered and ready for the day ahead. He'd just stepped in the shower when Duke started up again. Ethan let the water beat down on his face and chest, before throwing his head back in annoyance. He could hear Ella trying to calm Duke down, to of no prevail.

Ethan grabbed a towel off the side and quickly hopped out of the shower, he pulled his boxers on and left the bathroom seeing Ella trying to drag Duke away from the door. She looked at Ethan keeping her grip "I don't know why he keeps barking" Ella explained. Ethan looked down at Duke who just stared at the door, growling again. He quietly instructed Ella to let go of Duke and once more the dog bounded for the front door, only this time as he scratched frantically at the wood he began to bark and snarl. Now, Ethan was alarmed by his behaviour...something wasn't right. He looked at Ella, before grabbing his clothes out of the bathroom "I'm going to take a look, stay inside and keep Duke with you okay? don't come out and don't open the door unless I say otherwise." Ethan told her, pulling himself back into his clothes.

Ella simply nodded, pulling Duke by his collar again to hold him back as Ethan moved his way to the front door. He opened the door and looked back at Ella "I'll be back in a second." He assured the now worried little blonde. Stepping out, Ethan closed the door behind him, turning his eyes into the corridor. As he did he saw someone run past into the conjoining corridor. He stayed by the door, watching in silence...waiting for the figure to show up again, but they didn't.

His attention turned to the neighbours, Ethan let his eyes scale the door, which had now been pushed open a little more now. He watched quietly, his eyes cautious as he slowly stepped toward the door "Um..excuse me?" Ethan called out quietly, he wasn't really sure what to say. He stepped closer to the door "Is everything okay?" he asked again, as he gently stepped across the corridor to the door.

It wasn't until he got closer that he saw the smudge on the wall. Was that blood? Ethan tilted his head eyeing the bloodied, smeared hand print on the wall beside the door frame. "...Sarah?" he called out gently to the female who lived in the apartment. Ethan stepped up to the door now, glancing over at his door where he could see Ella peering through the letter box and the faint sounds of Duke barking from the next room.

Ethan felt funny, kind of...panicked in some sense. Something really wasn't right here. The man let his eyes view the door which also had a bloody stain on it, only this time hand prints. Hesitantly Ethan bought his hands to the door and slowly, and gently began to push the door open "Sarah?" he called again, almost in a whisper. As the door opened, he saw nothing but darkness, there was a slight light coming from under the heavy curtains at the back of the room but nothing that made it easier for him to see inside.

He wasn't sure whether to carry on inside, after glancing at Ella who continued to peer through the letter box. He turned his eyes back into the apartment, took a deep breath and braced himself...he was certain, that whatever he was going to find in here...may not have been pretty. Ethan took a step inside, the apartment was still and quiet. Once he was inside, there was no going back. The man took another step further this time, extending his hand across the wall beside him to find a light switch.

The man flicked the switch, lighting up the room and it was then that he got a clearer image of what had happened here. His eyes widened at the sight, the apartment was trashed, there was furniture strewn across the place and broken glass everywhere. Someone was injured, he knew that much from the state of the door but stepping inside here it became ever more clear. There was blood smeared on the ivory living room wall and a patch on the ground that looks as if someone had been crawling to get away.

He braved it out and slowly began to follow the blood trail, trying his best now to step in it. It stopped at the bedroom, the door once more only open a crack. Ethan took a deep breath, before pushing the door open. The man almost fell backward at the sight that he was greeted with. There was Sarah slumped in a heap between the bedside table and wall, her eyes frozen open in fright. Ethan took a step back, his mouth falling agape and the colour draining from his face. She hadn't just been murdered, she'd been practically butchered, you couldn't see anything beyond crimson but from what he could see...she'd been practically mauled to death.

His face was colourless as his eyes just stared at the body laid out ahead of him. Ethan felt sick, clasping his hand over his mouth as he heaved. But soon, he was ripped away from whatever took place in this room by the sounds of shrill screaming coming from his little girl. Ethan spun around so quickly that he slipped on the blood trail, and fell forward into it. He scrambled about before jumping to his feet and bounding out the door hearing Ella yelling "Daddy! he's here!...he's coming! he's coming!..." the girl cried. Ethan grabbed the door and broke out the room coming into the corridor.

He turned to face the end of the corridor where the man from Number 25 was stood. It was like an old western stand off, the opposing parties waiting on opposite sides ready to draw. Ethan glared at him "What did you do to her?!" he shouted at the man, but merely got a vacant stare back. He said nothing, just stared at Ethan. His face was dripping with blood, his clothes stained and nothing but a look of emptiness in his stare. Ethan took a step back "I'm calling the police.." he threatened, he turned on his heel and walked toward the door. Ella continued to stare through the letterbox as he did so.

As he neared, the man let out a loud almost feral screech. Ethan stopped and turned his head looking over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes on Number 25. The man snarled, the blood dripping from his lips and then, he set off. He wasn't running away, no, he was running toward Ethan, arms flailing, legs moving as quick as they could carry him and the look of sheer hate in his eyes. He honestly didn't know what to do right now. He'd have happily taken this fucker down but he wasn't about to let Ella see that. So, Ethan bounded into his apartment and slammed the door behind him.

He heard the man smash against the door, where he began pounding heavily trying to get inside. Ethan locked the door, bolted it shut and urged Ella away from it. The young girl began to tremble and cry behind Ethan as the two stared at the door, as the banging continued. Duke was growling at the door again scratching and barking trying to get at the man. Ethan kept Ella behind him, in case he did happen to get inside. Suddenly, the banging stopped. Duke continued to bark and scratch at the door.

Ethan didn't move for a moment and urged Ella to sit down on the couch, the young girl was in frightful floods of tears now. She pointed out the blood on Ethan's clothes and he assured her he was okay. The man picked up the phone to call the police, but the line was busy. It was 7 in the morning, how many crimes were committed at 7am? Ethan held the line, pacing as he did with the phone at his ear. Ella sat on the couch, Duke now calming and laying by her feet. She turned the TV on to find most of the channels out, the only channels running were all news bulletins.

He stared at the TV seeing the headlines scrolling at the bottom of the screen as the reporter spoke. The man moved the phone from his ear, his face dropping as he viewed the bulletin. There were reports of violent attacks in the New York area, people being killed and those who were...soon returning back to life. Ethan couldn't believe it, his face contorted with confusion. "Ella, go to your room.." he muttered, the little girl didn't argue back...she knew something was wrong when he said that.

From what he had seen just now, he quickly learned that outside this apartment building was no better. Something big had happened, and seemingly over night, New York was not how he'd left it before going to sleep and now it seemed that the only thing people could do, was try to escape this hell hole.