Total indifference
Help! Someone, please! Help!
The shriek shattered the pre-dawn hush, slicing through double glazing and yanking Alice out of a deep slumber. She shot upright in bed, not yet grasping the situation, but already certainthis wasnt the usual rowdy crowd outside, nor a neighbourly spat. This was the kind of scream reserved for genuine terror.
Help! Oh God, someone! Please!
Alice flung off her duvet and dashed barefoot to the window. Decembers chill bit at her as she wrenched it open. Icy air flooded the room, carrying more criesclear now, teetering on the edge of panic. The courtyard glowed under the orange streetlights. Squinting, Alice finally spotted the source: the fire escape on the neighbouring block. A slim figure in a pale jacket dangled from rusty rungs. And below…
A dog. Big, lean, ribs poking out. It prowled beneath the ladder, barking hoarsely, occasionally leaping up, snapping its teeth mere inches from the swinging feet. The girl tucked her knees up, but her arms were clearly losing strength.
Get it away! Please! I cant hold on much longer!
Alice glanced at the neighbouring balconies. Three. Four. Five glowing rectanglesphones. People stood filming. Filming as a terrified girls grip slipped, inching her closer to the snarling jaws. A bloke in a vest on the third floor even crouched for a better angle.
Have you all lost your minds?! Alice bellowed into the darkness. Will someone at least call the police?!
No response. One phone swung her wayapparently, she was now the latest attraction.
Alice recoiled from the window, snatching her mobile off the bedside table. Her fingers fumbled, but she managed the right numbers.
Police, whats your emergency?
A dogs attacking someone! The courtyard between fourteen and sixteen Riverside! A girls hanging from the fire escapeshe wont last long!
She didnt wait for follow-up questions. She tossed the phone onto the bed and sprinted to the hallway. Coat over nightieno time for buttons. Slippers on bare feetthe bunny ones Mum gave her for Christmas. In her pocket, she found her trusty sprayparanoias silver lining after that dodgy tube incident.
Alice flung open the door and hurtled down the stairs, skipping steps.
The front door slammed against the wall. The freezing air scorched her lungs, snow instantly soaking her slippers, but Alice was already charging across the courtyard, scanning for something hefty. Therea fist-sized chunk of kerbstone, pried loose from the old border.
The dog heard her before it saw her. It spun, baring yellow fangs, growling deep in its chest.
Oi! Oi, mutt! Over here!
Alice yelled so loudly she surprised herself. Something primal, wordless, all low notes. She drew her arm back and hurled the stonenot at the dog, but close enough. It smacked the tarmac by its front paws, ricocheting off the wall.
The dog flinched. Its bark turned to a confused whimper. Alice stamped her foot, brandished the spray, and shouted againjust noise, just threat, just Im bigger and scarier.
That did the trick. The mutt turned tail and trotted off, glancing back, but the menace was gone. It vanished behind the garages, and the barking faded into the distance.
Hold on! Im coming!
Alice dashed to the ladder, but she was too late. The girls fingers slipped and she tumbled downluckily, it was only about five feet. She landed on her side, curled up like a hedgehog, and burst into sobs. Loud, ragged, the kind of crying little kids do when theyve run out of self-control.
There, there, its over now
Alice knelt beside her, right in the snow. The wet cold seeped through her nightie, but who cared? The girlbarely out of her teens, maybe twentyblonde hair escaping her hood, sticking to tear-streaked cheeks.
Can you stand? Lean on me.
The girl clung to Alices coat, and Alice helped her up. Her palms were scraped raw. Jacket torn at the elbow. But she was whole. Alive.
Alice glanced up at the balconies. The phones had vanished. Windows blinked out, one by one, as if nothing had happened. No screams, no fear, no one on the brink. The show was over, content captured, time to resume interrupted sleep.
Lets get you inside. I live just next door.
The girl nodded, still sniffling. They staggered to the entrance. Alice practically dragged her, the poor things legs wobbling with every step.
Inside, it was warm. The girl slumped against the wall, eyes closed, sliding down. Alice barely caught her.
Hey, dont pass out! Fourth floor, just a bit further.
My names Victoria, the girl mumbled, teeth chattering. Victoria.
Alice. Well, nice to meet you. Come on, Victoria, theres hot tea waiting.
They climbedslowly, pausing at every landing. Alice supported Victoria by the waist, feeling her tremble ease. Maybe warming up, maybe the adrenaline was wearing off.
The flat greeted them with chaosunmade bed, phone on the pillow, hallway light still blazing. Alice settled Victoria in the kitchen, on a battered stool, and dashed to the kettle.
Kettles nearly boiled. Ive got honey, want some? And sugaryou need a glucose boost.
Victoria nodded. Alice noticed her staring at her handsscratched, filthy. Her palms shook.
Well sort those out. Ive got a proper first aid kit, plasters, the lot. Nothing serious, just surface scrapes.
The kettle whistled. Alice brewed strong tea, nearly black, dumped in three spoons of sugar and a generous dollop of honey. She set the mug in front of Victoria, then rummaged for the first aid kit.
The peroxide fizzed on the cuts, Victoria winced but endured. Alice dabbed each scrape with a cotton pad, all the while sizing up her unexpected guest. So young. Pretty face, even nowpuffy from tears, mascara streaked. Stud earrings in her ears.
Howd you end up on that ladder?
Victoria sipped her tea, burning her tongue but not caring.
Was walking home from work. Usually fine, quiet area She came out from behind the garages. At first I thought, just a dog. But she followed me. First just walking, then running, growling. Tried to get into my buildingmessed up the code, panicked. She was right there. The ladder was the first thing I saw
Victoria trailed off, clutching her mug.
I screamed for ages. Twenty minutes, maybe more. No idea. My arms hurt, then I couldnt feel them at all. Thought, thats it, Im done. And those those people just filmed.
Alice sat opposite. Victoria suddenly snorteda weird, almost laugh.
Youre brilliant. I thought, thats it, nobodys coming. And then you showed up like, I dont know. Like in a film.
In bunny slippers. Very heroic, Im sure.
Now both of them laughed. Nervous, shaky, but laughter all the same.
Listen, Alice rummaged for a pen and notepad. Heres my number. Just in case. Maybe the police will want a statement, or something about the dog. Or you know, if you need to talk. Sometimes after a shock, it hits you laterI read that somewhere.
Victoria took the note carefully, as if it were a precious document.
Thank you. Really, thank you. I dont know how else to say it.
Oh, dont mention it, Alice waved her hand. Anyone wouldve done the same.
No. Not anyone. There were ten people out there, and none of them did. Just filmed.
They sat in silence.
You know what I thought, hanging up there? Victoria spoke quietly, staring into her empty mug. I thoughtif I get out of this, Ill never be like that. Never walk past someone in trouble. Never film instead of helping.
Alice nodded.
Thats a good thought. Hold onto it.
Alice walked Victoria home. Only then did she take stock of herself. Her slippers were two soggy lumps. Nightie under the coat clung to her like a cold compress. Nearly morning. Work at nine.
Alice trudged back inside, up to her flat, and peeled off her wet clothes. Hot showerfive minutes of bliss. Dry pyjamas. Fresh woolly socks.
She crawled into bed, still not quite believing what had just happened. Alice closed her eyes and drifted off almost instantlydeep, dreamless, as if sinking into warm darkness. She smiled in her sleep. This day would stick with her for a long time.
