CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

Elena's Pov.

I stealthily opened the door and was shocked at what I found, the same woman that has been sobbing a while ago was currently in the floor, with her left cheek as red a a tomato with finger prints on it. I grabbed my phone and started recording.

A man was standing by her side looking down at her, he grabbed her hair and began choking her, then banged her head on the floor. I had seen enough and immediately pushed the door open, albeit forcefully,  so that it vibrated on its hinges for a minute or two.

He immediately looked up and the shock on his face showed that he was surprised to have seen me, well he sure  is stupid, he chose the mall of all places to abuse and harass a woman and expect not to get caught. I immediately ended the recording because what was coming next would be well......

I did not wait for the surprise to clear from his foggy brain, I threw a very nice punch straight to his nose and drew a minute quantity of blood and another one at his cheek, that was not enough, I gave him a kick in his little brother and he fell to his knees groaning, I was glad that I was wearing combat boots and quickly took advantage of the fact that he was kneeling on the ground with his face down, I brought my legs down on his head slamming him into the ground, he kept his head still but I could see a pool of blood forming around him.

When he carried his head up and raised his eyes to my face, I noticed that his two front teeth were missing and his nose was completely off it's hinges, it was dislocated, his mouth was bloodied and I mentally patted myself at the back.

He made to stand up, but still fell flat on his back, I guess he was still feeling a sting of pain and so I decided to relieve him of the pain, or not.

I brought my leg down on his groin and pressed, hard, then I released the pressure and increased it again at will.

"P....p......please" he whimpered, looking like he was about to wet his pants.

"Awnnn, that is SO cute" I smiled and bent down to pinch his cheek at the  exact spot I had punched him, increasing the pressure of the leg that was still pressed to his groin, he took a sharp intake of breath due to the pain. " I wanna see it again, but this time you don't say it to me, you say it to her." I continued, this time unsmiling and stern, pointing to the bruise covered woman that was huddled in a corner, too stunned to speak or  cry or even do anything.

He managed to turn his head in her direction and whispered.

"P..p.. please, Annie" he whispered, but she just sat there, unblinking and traumatized.

"You see this?" I waved my phone in his face.

"Y..yes, yes"he nodded obediently.

"This contains a recording of you abusing that young woman over there, you slapped her, choked her and even tried to kill her, and you know what, I am gonna take you for a ride, I am sure there are rollercoasters in jail, which is exactly where you would be when this evidence is given to the police." I did not even say the last word when the woman, Annie, I think he'd called her, was at my feet pleading that I should not involve the police, she pleaded so much that my heart that had been ice cold the last few minutes began to melt.

I didn't let him go so easily, I took a picture of his face and then began to address him.

"I am going to let you go, but, you will have to give me your word that you will not ever lay your hands on this woman, or anybody for that matter inappropriately or in the wrong way, do you understand." I commanded.

"Yes, I promise, I will never." He nodded vigorously.

" In fact, never mind, your word does not count, I will be keeping an eye on you, and if you even try to do anything fishy or out of line, you will never know what hit you." I threatened, then paused. "Plus, when your friends asked you what happened to your teeth, you tell them that a woman did that to you and will not hesitate to do it again, if the need ever arises". I finished.

"Yes ma'am, I promise ma'am" he professed.

I was satisfied so I removed the leg that had been pressing down on him, and I could see the relief mixed with fear in his face.

"Now before I count to three, scram!, ONE..."

I did not even finish when he was on his feet, ready to move, but I was not about to let him off so easily so when he wanted to pass, I put one leg forward and tripped him,he fell to his knees and was up again in a millisecond.

When he was finally out of the bathroom, I went close to the victim and squatted next to her, her mouth was quivering and she looked so scared, that I pulled her into a giant bear hug.

" Are you an angel.." she asked, when we let go of each other.

I was taken aback by the question.

"No... I am not an angel, but I am sure that an angel directed me to help you out today" was my reply.

"Then are you a fighter.." she asked.

"No.. I am not a professional fighter, but I know a thing or two about self defense and so should you" I uttered. 

"Thank you... for helping me today" she appreciated.

"You are welcome, but I will not always be around, not Everytime that someone will be there to help you, you need to start learning to stand up for yourself. You must not let someone trample your rights, you are supposed to inform the police of what you are going through." I encouraged.

She looked so tired, her eye bags were so visible, she needed energy and could not get that here in the men's bathroom.

"Let's go grab a bite." I stood up and stretched my hand towards her.

"But I don't have money" she lamented.

I smiled lovingly at her.

"Don't worry about the money, it's on me." I said and she looked at me probably wondering if I was real.

"Are you s.sure?" She asked.

"Just come" I urged, still keeping my outstretched hand in place.

She finally placed her hand in mine and I pulled her up, shocked at her weightlessness.

"Good, let's go" I said.

Hand in hand we made our way out if the rest room area into the pastry and food section.

"What would you like" A waiter asked once we were seated at a table.

I picked a small menu that was in the table and scanned through it.

"Give her every thing that is on this menu, but package some, so she can take it home, as for me, I will have a burger, fries and chicken wings, with a smoothie instead of coke" I said.

The waiter was pretty shocked, but he immediately remembered his job and scurried off, Annie herself tried to protest,but I was not having any if it.

While we were waiting for our orders, I began making small talk.

"So, why do you fear the police so much." I asked.

"Well, you see, if I get him arrested, who will care for our kids?" She said sullenly.

"He is your husband?!"I was mortified.

"No, my ex husband, we are co parenting, though we still live together. I am just an impecunious woman, with little to nothing to survive, my two kids should at least have something to live on." She explained.

"Is he a good father?" I asked.

"To my children, I am the evil one, he is the saint, they are just too young and innocent to know about the evil and pretentious ways if their father, and I love them too much to spoil their innocence." A tear dropped from her eye, then another followed.

"Shh, hush now, it's going to be okay, he will not mislead them for ever, eventually they would get to know his terrible reality and everything will be fine." I consoled.

Thank you." Was her reply.

"But in the meantime, I think it would be best if you got a job to use and sustain yourself." I reasoned.

"Well, that is what I was about to do, I came her to seek employment, as a cleaner, waitress, any job that was available, I was up for it, but when he found out, he came here, to make me miserable, like he always does" she confessed bitterly.

I thought about what she said and realized that this woman and many other women out there are going through a lot.