Excuses

It was a late march day, warmer than usual. I woke up late afternoon to a text message which was from an old friend. He was asking if I was free to hang out later that day, which I didn't mind so I texted him back saying okay. Took a shower and left home to meet up with him later that night. We hit a bar, drink way more than we should as usual and call it a night around an hour past midnight. I remember stumbling towards my car, getting inside and deciding that I was in no condition to drive, so I just tried to go to sleep after adjusting the seat. I'm not sure how much time past while I was asleep, but I woke up believing I heard a scream. Now being half drunk I didn't think of it as much, got out of the car, started to listen as I was lighting up a ciggarette. That was when I heard it again, someone screaming "Help!". I tried to track down the scream, or rather, I followed it to the alleyway it was coming from. Once I was able to see into the street, I could make out a figure standing up facing away from me and another trying to back away on the ground. I didn't know what to do and honestly I don't even remember if I thought anything at all, but I decided to intervene. I shouted "Call the cops" to the figure on the ground, and started to approach the figure standing up. Now that I was out of the light shed by the street lights, I was able to see a little clearer. The person standing was a guy, and the person on the ground was a girl. As I got closer to the guy, I remember a voice repeating "Just walk away" but still to this day I'm not sure if it was in my mind talking to myself or if it was me speaking loudly to the guy. I remember watching the guy put his hand into his pocket as I walked towards him and pull out something shiny. I knew it was a knife but the adrenaline in me just didn't let me back down at that point. I got as close as I could by walking, and then tried to grab the hand that had a knife in it. We struggled a good amount, at least that's how it felt, but that was how I got stabbed. After I fell down, I remember the guy starting to run, the girl standing above me trying to help, and short after the sound of the sirens from afar.