Excerpt from "The Handyman" by Alan Jade

It was just another evening. The new moon was . . . somewhere up
there in a starless sky. He chuckled. In the dim glow of the street
lamps, he saw that the apartments were just ahead. It was so nice to be
able to go out for a walk occasionally, he thought as he stepped off the
curb to cross the street. Absently, he noted that there wasn't much
traffic out tonight; just that one car down at the end of the street. He
guessed he'd have time to get across.

As he came within just three steps of the other side, he realized
something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. That car. He
looked, transfixed by the headlights bearing down on him. "Damn -"
The pain seared from his head, down his back, across his left side,
and into his gut. There was a hum of noise in one ear. His eyes were
dazzled by those bright lights. He felt himself moan, and then blacked
out.
***
Dierdre looked at the clock. Twelve-thirty. With a sigh she set her
book on the night stand and reached to turn off the light. The darkness
blanketed the room as she pulled the sheet over her shoulder and
closed her eyes. The sound of the air hissing intruded for a few
moments, then, it too, stopped. The muffled sounds of the city drifted
in and around her, its dull hum lulled her already tired mind closer to
sleep.

Her eyes shot open as she heard the crash of something big - and
worse - nearby. She bolted out of bed, threw on her robe, and headed
for the door. The locks fought her but opened, releasing the door. She
spun and grabbed her cell phone. The door clicked closed behind her
as she headed for the roadway at the front of the complex. She
rounded the corner of the office and stopped short.

An old caddy lay across the sidewalk, the drivers door up to the
center of the hood was buried in the brick from the building. In the
drivers seat, a middle-aged woman was still. On the other side of the
car, a hand rested on the hood. A pit formed in her stomach as if the
settling dust were collecting there, its weight growing oppressive as
she walked around the car. She could see a left leg and arm, but the
rest was buried. She reached to pull some of the bricks away revealing
a face. She gasped.

Her phone appeared in her hand and a 911 operator answered.
Dierdre took a breath to steady herself then gave what she knew. The
operator thanked her and said an earlier call had triggered emergency
dispatches.

"Thank you." Dierdre hung up the phone as sirens came into earshot
behind her. She reached across the car, checking the still woman's
pulse. Nothing. "Damn," she cursed. She turned and checked the
man in the rubble. Her breath caught in slim hope. Alive! She
feverishly began flinging bricks behind her. "Oh God ... If ever .."

"Maam ... Miss ... " She felt a hand on her shoulder.
Without looking up, "The woman's dead - he's not - help me."
"No - here!" Two pairs of arms pulled her away as three firemen
jumped to the man's side. She had uncovered most of his leg and
torso, revealing a mangled body. As the men began checking the
victim, she was led away.

"Lets get those hands looked at ..."

She looked down. Her fingers were scraped and bloody, covered in
dust.

Melissa appeared at her side. "Dierdre ..." Her eyes saw the bloody
fingers. "Your hands ..." The men set her at the back of the
ambulance. "It's Gil," Dierdre said as she watched the men return to
the car.

"Oh my God!" Melissa sat with a thump beside her.
Mrs. Shiller appeared. "Girls, do we know anything?"
Melissa looked up with tear filled eyes. "It's Gil."

Mrs Shiller spun. "In the car?"

"No," Dierdre mumbled. "Under it."

The older woman took a sharp breath, and steadied herself with a
hand on the fireman's arm. "You okay, miss?" He had both hands
under her arm.

"Yes - Yes," she smoothed her clothes. and pushed him away. "I'm
okay." She looked at the scene then looked at Dierdre's hands. "How
about her?"

The medic had washed her hands. "Mostly scrapes, nothing
serious."

"Can we take her home?"

"Sure. Just take care of her."

"We will. c'mon Melissa, let's get her inside." The three women
stepped around the car's rear and re-entered the comples.

"I need to get dressed," Dierdre said. They stopped at her door.

Mrs. Shiller looked hard at her. "You sure?"

"Yes." She touched both women and took a breath. "I see this often
enough, but when it's someone you know - well, it's just not the same."
"I'll go let everyone know." Melissa hugged Dierdre, touched Mrs
Shiller's arm and walked back toward the office.

"Can you drive me?" Dierdre's eyes were determined.

"Sure. Give me ten minutes, then meet me out back."

"I'll be there." The two women exchainged a pained look, squeezed
hands, then Dierdre entered her apartment.