Little Duckling
Ruthie's POV
A slow scary sound that chills my blood, chases sleep from my eyes. It's coming from the door but it sounds more like a thump than a knock. It is late in the night and I squint at the clock. I swear that the pounding in my heart can be heard echoing through the walls.
Slowly my blanket slides off my shoulders as I sit up.
“Who's there?” I whisper.
Nothing.
With bare feet cold on the ground I tiptoe toward the sound. The noise seems to increase with each step. My heart isn't beating as quickly as my mind. Perhaps it is an intruder. I don't even want to consider the possibility that it might be—oh God.
I move forward one more step. Then another. Now the sound is directly below me. A creak, a heavy thump and then quiet. I become motionless. My thoughts drift off. I couldn't even breathe. I feel weak in my knees.
Then without warning, my eyes begin to blur and the room tilts and I pass out because that's the only thing that comes to my mind.
The floor suddenly turns into both my ally and adversary.
—
“Ouch,” I groan, sitting up the next morning. My head hurt as I remembered last night.
I think it's a dream for a moment. After that I notice movement. I can hear someone pacing my room while whistling softly and looking at something on the shelf with their hands behind their back.
I feel my chest tighten.
The killer is here.
Who should I call? Aiden or Eliot. I can't die now, my birthday is in October, my thoughts crashes stupidly in my head. I reach for a thick psychology textbook that would easily knock a grown man out cold is
Trembling, I stand and swing it. And then, BUMP. I slam into someone.
Shit!
“Aiden!” I yell.
A dust cloud is released into the air as the book collides with the wall missing him by an inch. Like a soldier giving up Aiden freezes his hands raised.
“Good morning, Ruthie,” he says blinking with a startled yet amused expression. “What's the meaning of this?”
My knees give out. “Who else is breaking into my apartment at—at this hour? You scared me half to death.”
He gives his neck a rub. “You passed out. You made me knock for complete thirty minutes.
I had to force the door open.”
“Really? Really?” I wave the book screaming. “Is that how to knock? I thought there was an intruder.
He laughs and shakes his head. “Your reflexes are like those of a tiger—a very frightened, very awkward childish tiger.”
I drop the book trying to look angry and cross my arms but the tension between us dissolves and I can't stop laughing. “You’re impossible,” I murmur.
“I’d rather be charming,” smirks Aiden. For a few more minutes we argue, joking and making sarcastic comments. I gesture toward the coffee table.
“And why does the blanket on the floor look like it was used for—”
“You were too heavy and by the time I lay you on the bed, I had lost every bit of strength. I had to crash here.”
“I choose to believe you.” I said laughing.
“I am a hero. You should take me shopping.”
“Yes, hero.” I smile, rolling my eyes.
Finally the teasing stops and Aiden takes a seat next to me on the couch. He becomes softer.
“How are you feeling really?”He asks with sincere concern in his eyes.
I shrug. “I think I'm better. I simply can't believe I passed out in that way. “
He makes a quiet laugh. “I can imagine you shivering and praying to God.”
I nudged him playfully.
“You are scared of everything and most likely every frightening idea you've been cramming into your mind. You are not going to die so don't worry.”
“I don't think I have any plans to die,” I murmur.
He leans back smiling. “All right.Since I still depend on you to ridicule me every morning.”
I take a seat against the couch and snort. “I'm lucky.”
A relaxed silence descends between us. Its odd how effortless and sweet being with Aiden is. Despite the short time we've known one another it feels like forever. Somehow he's always here. In the right place at the right time every time, as in the thumping of the floorboards, such as when I was on the ground and needed someone to find me.
“It's not just the stress or the knock. It feels so real.” I whisper. “The thumping sounded as though it came from the floorboards. directly beneath me.”
“I was knocking.”
“No, It sounded too loud as if someone was strolling through the apartment below.”
Aiden smiles loosely. He sits up looking intently. “The apartment beneath ours? Have you looked?”
I shook my head. “No,I simply lost consciousness. But it's so real. It was someone. Not you.’
He nods slowly obviously thinking. “All right. Well investigate it later. Don't stress over it right now.”
He abruptly stands up with a small brown paper bag in his hand. He takes out a few items and says, “ Oh by the way. I went shopping for you a little while you were unconscious. Your favored pastries. A tiny cup of coffee and a few fresh fruits. You'll need energy for today.” He smiles.
My eyes dart to him. “You did this for me?”
The corner of his mouth shows a hint of pride but he shrugs as if it were nothing. “Yeah,” he says. “I cannot allow my roommate to starve and faint continuously. That is a double tragedy that I will not tolerate.”
I shake my head laughing. “You're a fool.”
“And you love me,” he teases.
We grab coffee and the pastries and settle down on the couch. He raises his eyebrows as he watches me nibble on a croissant. “You're eating too slowly,”he says.
“I prefer to savor things.”I reply, “not like some people who finish their coffee in ten seconds and then complain about the day.”
The sound of his laugh is warm like sunlight streaming into the room. I temporarily forget about the danger and stress that surround us. Ignoring the outside world Aiden and I are laughing like teenagers.
He tells me about a ridiculous suspect he had to interview last week who attempted to conceal a stolen parrot in his pants. With each moment we spend together the fear from the previous night fades away as I laugh until my sides hurt. I want to tell him about so many things.
About the opera, about Eliot , about him asking me to marry him but definitely not about moving out.
“We got something on Greta Johnson.”
I sat up.
“Her husband is the prime suspect. We got him.”
My eyes open wide then I sigh. “Thank you, lord.”
“But something feels off.” He say.
“So he's the one killing the lawyers.”
Aiden shrugs. “Not quite sure but we will get to that bridge.”
My stomach churns but I nod trusting him. It weighs heavily on my chest to think of him out there close enough for the police to catch him but not close enough. I consider Eliot who has been so aloof lately absorbed in his own world of work and stress. I question whether he is aware of any of this Big Ray or the danger.
Aiden stretches while we finish the coffee and pastries. “I'll return to the precinct. You need to rest.” He brushes my hair out of my face.
“Perhaps avoid fainting tonight as well.”
I smile while rolling my eyes. “Noted. Aiden the hero thank you.”
He threw his head back and laugh. “Whatever. Just be careful. The house will be lonely.”
“Be careful too,” I say quietly. “If the case gets hard. Come back home, resign, I'll find you another job.”
We laugh.
“If we learn anything about Big Ray, I'll give you a call.” he says.
I nod.
“I have something to tell you,” I say looking excited.
He squinted. “You won a jackpot?”
I roll my eyes. “ It's Eliot, he said—”
But I couldn't finish as Aiden's phone rang. He looks disturbed as he stare at the screen and place it to his ears.
A pause.
“Are you for real?” He asks bewildered.
He gulps the coffee in his cup.
“Something came up. I have to go.”
He stand up.
“I have to tell you about the wedding, about Eliot.”
I was sure the only thing he heard was Eliot and he spins around.
“One more thing. I don't want your boyfriend to use my blanket. Period.”
“All right.” I murmur .
I watch the door close behind him as he walks out the sound of his footsteps echoing throughout the apartment.
Shit.
I wanted to tell him that Eliot proposed.