After
The shrill tone of sirens fills my apartment, I have my landline ringing off the hook, and my eyes glued to the glowing blue and red ceiling waiting anxiously for my cell phone call to be answered on the other side.
It clicks over, dial tone disappearing "Why are there cops at my apartment and at my parents house?" I seethe through the phone line, before he can think to defend himself.
I don't hear much on the other side, be it because of the blaring sirens on my end or the fact that his guilty conscious was keeping him quiet.
"You need to leave, pack a bag, go to Amsterdam Central, they won't have police there yet. Get on the train from when we first met. I'll call you and we can meet up somewhere, I promise" He says through the line - voice calm as ever.
I can’t be calm, there are police outside the apartment building, my only defence being my small landlord promising to hold them back for as long as she can. My parent's voices are shouting through my answering machine, telling me there are even more at their house; looking for him.
"Please go. Hurry" He says again, voice neutral and calm. Then the line goes dead.
I knew he was going to screw up somehow, I knew I was going to end up caught in the middle of this whole thing but I ignored the red flags. I ignored everything while I was with him.
There is only one thing I can do now, and that is to get out.
Run.
"Niet Bewegen!" The police shout in their native tongue; standing outside my door.
"Don't Move!" They then shout again in English.
It’s time for me to leave. I push my phone into the side pocket of my bag. The same bag I packed weeks ago in preparation, in fear, that this would happen.
I shove my camera and all the cash from last night in the top and swing it over my shoulder. Rushing to the balcony, I push the door open, unclipping the ladder that leads to the room.
I don't dare look down as I quickly climb up the ladder, taking two rungs at a time until I reach the top. The sun is just coming up, and as it shines its rays of life on the city and people below, I jump.
