Dumped in the Dark, Saved by Myself

I sat wrapped in the blanket the officer had given me, clutching a paper cup filled with hot water. Ripples appeared in circles on the liquid due to my trembling hands. The water reflected my pale face.

When I gave my statement, I was so terrified that even the simplest one-syllable words got stuck in my throat. They were reduced to nothing but ragged breaths.

Seeing my condition, the officer didn't rush me. Instead, he brought me a stack of blank paper and a pen. With trembling hands, I wrote down everything that had happened. I recounted everything from the moment the three drunk men began following me.

Two long hours later, hurried footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.

Hugo Sheridan strode into the room, with Lorelei Judge close behind him.

He was still wearing the dark gray hiking jacket he'd put on while camping. "Well, Andrea, look at you. We asked you to buy some water, and you somehow ended up at the police station. Do you have any idea how long I've been looking for you?"

The irritation in his voice was unmistakable as he stared at my hunched figure on the bench. He didn't even ask if I was hurt.

The officer who had taken my statement stood up and frowned as he stepped in front of him.

"Are you her family?" he asked. "Three drunk men nearly dragged her into an alley while she was walking alone, yet you didn't even ask if she was hurt. How can you just start scolding her the moment you come in?"

The words that Hugo had been about to say died on his lips. His gaze dropped to my scraped knee, where a large patch of blood had seeped through the torn skin from my fall.

His Adam's apple bobbed twice before his tone softened slightly. "How did you run into those drunk guys? And if you were in danger, why didn't you call me? You never say a word when something happens, but you sure knew how to call the police."

Lorelei poked her head out from behind him and patted her chest, looking genuinely shaken. "My gosh, Andrea. So you didn't manage to keep up with us. Hugo was trying to help you get over your fear. Who knew you'd be so unlucky? It was just a short distance, but you ran into a bunch of creeps.

"Honestly, you could have just run back as soon as you got scared. You shouldn't have troubled the police with a late-night call."

I lifted my head and quietly looked at her innocent face. Then, I turned to Hugo, who stood silently beside her.

Once, I had gotten lost in the school library. Because I stuttered and was too afraid to ask anyone for directions, I hadn't known what to do.

Hugo had searched for me for three hours in the pouring rain. When he finally found me, he hadn't blamed me even once. He had simply pulled me tightly into his arms and kissed the top of my head again and again.

He'd comforted me, "Don't be afraid, Andrea. From now on, I'll be your voice. You never have to bow your head to anyone. If anyone dares make fun of you, I'll shut them up."

But now, he knew perfectly well that I had a stutter and was afraid to speak. Still, he'd left me alone on a completely dark mountain road.

And it was all in the name of helping me build up my courage. In reality, he'd only done it so he could play a stupid bet with his childhood sweetheart, Lorelei.

I set down the paper cup and slowly pushed myself up from the bench. My legs were so weak that I swayed unsteadily. Hugo instinctively reached out, wanting to hold me by the shoulders like he'd done so many times before.

I turned away and avoided his touch.

His hand remained suspended in midair, and his expression visibly darkened.

I picked up the pen from the table and wrote four words in the empty space on the paper. Then, I pushed it toward him.

"I want to go home."

Hugo stared at those four words for several seconds. Then, he took a deep breath and forced down his anger.

"Fine. Let's go home."