The Neighbour

THIRTY-ONE

🌷Ana🌷

Everything happens in the blink of an eye. I don't recall taking action or having any thought process whatsoever. Yet somehow, I find myself bent over the railing, clutching at Josh's hoodie with one hand and grappling for Charlotte with the other.

"FREDDIE!" I scream. "FREDDIE, HELP!"

The officer previously talking to Josh joins me, desperately clawing at thin air.

"Baby!" I yell, "Get the baby!"

He extends his arms towards Josh's dangling body but he's nowhere near reaching Charlotte. Sweat gathers on my forehead as I use every ounce of strength and grip I possess. Dropping him isn't an option. If Josh goes, Charlotte goes with him.

"Don't drop her, Josh," I warn. "Don't you dare fucking drop her."

My voice is venomous as I say this.

"Hold her up!" I scream.

Charlotte shrieks, hands and legs kicking. I hate that she's in distress. That she's scared.

"Josh—hold her the fuck up!"

I hear pounding feet behind me, followed by desperate pants. Freddie comes into view, seamlessly leaping over the railing. He uses one hand to hold himself up and the other to grab Charlotte. Josh—however—has other ideas.

"Get the fuck away from me!" he spits.

Freddie ignores him, laser focused on Charlotte as she sobs. He effortlessly punches Josh in the chest, winding him enough to loosen his grip. He then wraps his arm around Charlotte and pulls himself up, accepting help from the officer beside me.

"Josh!" I shriek, unable to let go.

His hand is wrapped around my arm in a vice-like grip, pulling me towards him.

"JOSH, STOP!"

My feet leave the ground, the weight of him pulling me proving too much.

"If I can't have you, no one can," he spews, gaze vacant.

It's the same look he'd give me right before pounding his fists into my face. I hate that look and I hate that it's going to be the last thing I see before I plummet to my death.

"I always win, Anastasia,' he insists, smiling. "Always!"

I close my eyes, blocking out his face as my feet dangle in mid hair. I can feel myself slipping further away, the metal railing pressing into my stomach. I fight with everything I've got to loosen his hold, but nothing works. Nothing ever works with him.

"Not this time!" assures Freddie, leaping over the ledge again.

I go to protest but can't speak past the fear in my throat. It's one thing to accept my own dismay, but to accept Freddie's. That's something I will not do.

"Hold onto his arms, baby," he instructs.

My heart thumps as I wrap my hands around Josh's forearms, catapulting forwards as I do so.

"FREDDIE!"

"It's okay, I've got you, Ana! I've got you!"

It's Nic's voice in my ear, her arms wrapped tightly around my stomach. My feet find the ground again, offering instant relief. Freddie—seeing this—then kicks Josh in the face repeatedly.

"Hold onto him, Ana!"

He pounds his face twice more before Josh finally goes limp, unconscious.

"Pull him over!" he yells, helping Nic and me by dragging him over the ledge.