I took a deep breath and held it looking up at the sky, feeling the rain cool against my warm skin. I tried to feel bad that I killed the man, but I was so high right now I couldn't feel much of anything and he was a bad person. It didn't matter that he was drunk, he was going to kill that girl. I could feel his intention, I could smell it. My eyes popped open and I looked down. The girl! I looked around. She was still in the corner, trying slowly to inch her way out to the main street. I rushed over to her and she squeaked and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut.
"Are you alright?" I asked crouching down in front of her. She opened one eye and then the other. I wiped the rain off my glasses as best I could and placed them back on my face. The girl hesitated for a moment and then nodded. She pointed at my chest with a shaking hand and then made a few movements with her hands that I recognized as sign language. I touched my chest, feeling smooth skin beneath the holes that had been ripped into my shirt. Feeding had healed me. I nodded and tried to remember American Sign Language. I had taken the time to learn it, once upon a time, but it was hidden in the depths of my mind.
I hesitantly signed, "Can you read lips?" She shook her head and replied, "I am hearing. I am speech-impaired." I think I caught most of that. I stood up and held my hand out to her. She looked at it for a moment and then took it and let me pull her up into a standing position. She looked over at the dead man and frowned. She was shaking, but I didn't know if it was from cold or from fear.
"Is there anyone you can call?" I asked. She stared at the dead body for a moment and then shook her head.
"Do you live nearby?" I continued as gently as possible. She nodded and signed, "Just a mile or so that way." She pointed out of the alley and to the left.
"Center Park Apartments?" I inquired and she nodded. That was where Sissy and I lived. I looked back at the dead body and bit my lip tasting rain and death. What should I do? I looked back to the girl and asked, "Do you want me to walk you home?" She blinked at me incredulously. I understood. Who would want a murderer to walk them home? I shook my head to clear it. I did it to save her. He was going to kill her. It was self-defense...still I could have stopped him without killing him. But after being wounded I couldn't control myself. Then I saw her move her right fist as if she were knocking on a door. Yes.
She moved past me towards the dead man and crouched down before him. She stuck her hand in the outside pocket of the man's light jacket and pulled out a set of keys. I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. She stood up and looked back to me, gripping the keys in a shaking fist. She started towards the mouth of the alley and then looked back at me staring at the body.
I turned to follow her and asked, "Who was he?" She looked at me and after a moment she raised her open hand and pressed her thumb against her forehead. My eyes widened. I just killed this girl's father.