Chapter 43
Lane (August 2023)
...
Lane recognized the sharp, glimmering knife that Atlas gripped in his hand. It was a butcher knife that was part of a set that Altas had bought Lane for Christmas one year. Lane recognized the design along the side of the stainless steel blade. Ophelia pulled Lane back away from Atlas after she had already dialed 911. Lane knew that she was on the phone with an operator but couldn't hear what was being said. All Lane could hear and see was Atlas. Their vision went slightly blurry and they felt dizziness take over. Lane's heart rate rose and their body stiffened significantly.
"You thought you could get away from me?" he said to Lane.
"Atlas," Lane said slowly as they continued to back away, "you can stop this right now. You can do the right thing."
Atlas laughed. "Oh I will do the right thing. I am stopping it, Lane."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because you hurt me!" Atlas screamed. "You hurt me and you keep hurting me! Everyone asks me about you and I can't get you out of my fucking head!"
Lane began to breathe heavier. "You were hurting me, Atlas! You are fucked up!"
"You're going to be the one who's fucked up. Believe me!" Atlas lunged at Lane with the butcher knife and Lane managed to dodge the attack. The butcher knife was aimed at the left side of Lane's body but it barely missed when Lane moved out of the way. Altas swung the knife over his head, with the intention of slicing the blade into Lane's shoulder. He missed again when Lane moved quickly and spun Atlas around. Lane kept moving and getting out of the way just in time before Atlas could strike them with the butcher knife and Atlas screamed and grunted with every lunge and jolt, getting more and more furious with every missed attempt to harm Lane. He had finally nicked Lane on the right arm and while Lane applied pressure on the shallow wound, they continued to get out of the way from Atlas' knife. Lane could see that Ophelia was watching in horror from across the room. She was no longer on her cell phone and Lane barely had time to think that she had finished speaking with someone from 911. Lane hoped that the police were on their way. Lane heard Ophelia scream as she rushed toward Atlas, hitting him over the head with the crowbar that Atlas had dropped on the floor in the living room. Atlas groaned in pain while he brought his hand up to his bleeding head. He gripped the knife tighter and Lane rushed to kick him straight in the stomach. Altas gasped for air while dropping the knife and Lane quickly picked it up. Atlas fell to his knees while clutching his abdomen with one hand and his head with the other. For a moment, no one moved. Lane held out the knife with both hands, waiting for Atlas to make his next move. They knew that Atlas wasn't finished. Ophelia stood behind him, ready to strike him down if he even flinched.
Atlas began to laugh. "See? You're hurting me again." He continued to laugh as he pressed his palm on his bleeding head wound. Lane and Ophelia looked at each other for a moment before Atlas pressed up off of the floor in what seemed to be an instant. He lunged for Lane with his arms stretched forward, ready to grab them, but it was too late. Ophelia had struck him over the head once more with the crowbar and Lane planted the butcher knife cleanly into Atlas' right shoulder. He fell to the floor and did not get up again until the police and an ambulance arrived.
The EMTs loaded him into the back of an ambulance while Lane and Ophelia spoke with the police. Lane's wound on their arm was treated at the scene. After giving their statements, both of them went down to the police station to file their full police reports. Lane intended to press charges and get Atlas put in prison. A few days later, Lane learned that Atlas was recovering in the hospital and was now under police custody. Things with Atlas were finally coming to an end and even though Lane knew that they would have to face him in court once more, they were relieved that the worst of it was over and that now everyone knew the truth. Everyone now knew the real Atlas, the one that Lane dealt with in private during their relationship. Some of Atlas' friends had contacted Lane to apologize while a few others doubled down and sent death threats. Those individuals were also reported to the police. Lane also knew that they would have to recount the events and bring back memories that lead to this horrible incident but Lane didn't care. They wanted it done. Lane and Ophelia hoped for a life sentence for everything that he had done and they now just had to wait for the justice system to run its course.
Lane and Ophelia sat outside of the police station after it was all over and Lane couldn't help but burst into tears. Lane had held in their tears as best as they could during the altercation with Atlas. They didn't want him to see them cry. Lane didn't want to be seen as weak in Atlas' eyes ever again. Ophelia held Lane tightly.
"You did so good," Ophelia said calmly. Her voice was soothing to Lane. "It's all over. You don't need to worry anymore. It's over."
Lane sniffled. "I'm so tired."
Ophelia nodded. "I know. Me too." She rubbed their back and they gently rocked back and forth. "Do you want to grab something to eat before heading home?"
Lane nodded. "Yeah. Are we going back to my place?"
"Sure. I'll nap on the couch with Petri."
"Do you think she was scared when it all happened?"
"She was hiding. At least she wasn't in the way. She's okay."
"Am I okay?" Lane sounded so tired as Ophelia held them.
"You're okay."