-Yes.
Dapa jumped forward in his chair.
—Emma, are you in a safe place where he can hear you?
“I’m in my closet,” Emma whispered. “I’m very quiet.”
Dapa slowed the rate of his breathing, letting it dictate the pace.
—You're doing exactly the right thing. I'm proud of you for calling me.
The words seemed to calm Emma, even though they paid no attention.
—She got angry when I asked for the Scorpio pajamas. She said I didn't need them. Then she changed my bed.
“How did he change it?” asked Dapa.
“I don’t know,” Emma said. “I’m already in bed.”
Dapa's fingers moved over the keypad. The phone rang softly in his ear as he headed toward the address displayed on the screen: Maple Grove, Willow Street.
—Emma —said Dapa in a calm voice—, did Todd hurt you?
“No,” Emma replied quickly. “But he locked the door.”
Dapa closed his eyes for half a second and then opened them again.
—Your bedroom door?
-Yes.
—From outside?
-Yes.
Dapa took it, clenching his jaw.
—Okay, help is on the way. I need you to stay by the phone with me. Can you do that?
Emma was surprised to remember that Dapa couldn't see her.
-Yes.
To keep her feet on the ground, Dapa asked her little questions: what color were the walls, which stuffed animal she liked best, if the television was on in the living room.
Emma responded to every whisper, clinging to the sound of Dapa's voice like a tether pulling her away from something dark and shapeless.
From behind, Dapa heard the faint click of his radio, confirming that the officers were on their way. The sirens hadn't sounded yet, but he knew he was dreaming.
Before letting that moment pass, Dapa asked him the question that was on his mind.
—Emma —he said calmly—, can you tell me what your bed is like at this hour?
There was a long pause. Dapa heard Emma gasp and the fabric rustle as if it had moved from the closet floor.
“It’s different,” Emma finally whispered. “It’s terrifying.”
Dapa swallowed with difficulty.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “You’re not alone anymore. I’ll stay here with you.”
On the other side of life, Emma stirred in the cramped darkness. Her knees rested on wool coats and old shoeboxes.
Suddenly the closet seemed too small, too narrow, but he didn't dare let the phone slip from his hands.
Very slowly, still listening to Dapa's voice, he carefully opened the door and slipped onto the rug beside the bed, curling up there, from where he could hear both the hallway and the woman in the bed.
As the call ended, a distant sound came clearly through the phone: distant sounds, but getting closer. Emma was breathing heavily, but she didn't stop. She remained in bed, listening, while Dapa watched the scream and waited for help.
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