There's Gonna Be a Better Day, Just You Wait

Trigger warning: mentions of suicide and abuse.

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8432 to 911

Start time: 12:34 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie the 911 Operative: Hello 911 speaking.

xxx-xxx-8432: I need an ambulance.

Julie the 911 Operative: Can you please describe what happened?

xxx-xxx-8432: I think my husband had a heart attack. We’re at 97 Greenville Avenue. Please hurry. He’s all choked up and red!

Julie the 911 Operative: Okay. We’re sending someone now. Please stay in contact in case anything develops.

….

End time: 12:58 pm, 6-7-2020

Text message from xxx-xxx-8555 to xxx-xxx-8142

Start time: 12:59 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): Hey boss, I’m going on my twenty min break. Can you defer my lines for me?

Her boss (xxx-xxx-8142): Sure, Julie. Just be careful not to spill anything on the phone again.

Julie: That was ONE time!

End time: 1:03 pm, 6-7-2020

Text message from xxx-xxx-8555 to xxx-xxx-8101

Start time: 1:04 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): Hey Max, wanna get some drinks when I get off work in a few hours?

Max (xxx-xxx-8101): This person has on “Distracted Driving”. If the message is urgent, please respond with “urgent”.

Julie: Urgent.

Max: Jesus, Julie! What is it! I nearly run a red light because of you!

Julie: Good news! If you haven’t realized it already by the spiffy new uniform smell, you’re a cop! You can run red lights. You’re legally allowed to break the law. Congrats.

Max: Not funny.

Julie:      (:

Max: What is it?

Julie: Drinks. After work?

Max: Can’t. I’m working a double.

Julie:     :(

End time: 1:06 pm, 6-7-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8888 to 911

Start time: 1:06 pm,  6-7-2020

xxx-xxx-8888: Is this 911?

End time: 1:06 pm, 6-7-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8555 to xxx-xxx-8101

Start time: 1:07 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): What the fuck

Max: (xxx-xxx-8101): Woah, all I did was turn down a few drinks. Calm down. Have some cat gifs.

Julie: No, not you. Someone just texted me for 911 help.

Max: I don’t mean to alarm you, but that’s kind of your down.

Julie: (◔_◔) I know, but I’m on break rn. My boss was supposed to defer the lines.

Max: Just answer them. It’s an emergency.

Julie: But my break!!!

Max: If you do, I’ll make time for drinks. Tomorrow.

Julie: Ok fine.

End time: 1:10 pm, 6-7-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8888 to 911

Start time: 1:10 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie: Hello, what’s your emergency?

xxx-xxx-8888: Is this 911?

Julie: Yes ma’am, this is 911.

xxx-xxx-8888: This is Cassidy Evermoore.

Julie: Okay, Cassidy Evermoore, my name is Julie. What’s your emergency?

Cassidy: I think my neighbor is in danger.

Julie: Okay, can you tell me what happened?

Cassidy: I kept hearing these sounds and screams, like someone’s being hit. Sometimes it lasts for up to an hour and everytime I see my neighbor after they’re always wearing a turtleneck and sunglasses. If they aren’t trying to hide bruises, then they need to be sent to the physic ward for thinking that outfit’s socially acceptable indoors.

Julie: That’s not what the physic ward is for, ma’am.

Cassidy: Trust me. I’ve been in a few and no one there has done anything as egregious as wear sunglasses and turtlenecks indoors.

Julie: Can I please have the address?

Cassidy: It’s 81B on the fifth floor in the Yorktown Heights apartment complex on Carpenter Street. I’m next door at 82B. Please hurry, I have some stoner friends coming over later and they’ll be freaked out if the cops are still around.

Julie: Okay, we will. We have an officer in the area. Please stay on the line, until help arrives.

Cassidy: Alrighty…

...

Cassidy: Ooh! I hear a car outside.

Cassidy: I can see the officer out the window. Ooooooohh he’s coming into the building.

Cassidy: I bet he’s taking the stairs rn. Elevators have been broke for weeks. Can you send someone to fix that? Oh, and there’s a hole in my wall? Can someone fix that?

Julie: I’m afraid that’s a responsibility for your landlord.

Cassidy: I can hear the officer’s footsteps if I press my ear to the door.

Julie: Please back away from the door and hide in a safe location, ma’am.

Cassidy: but that’s booooorrrrriinngggg!!!!!!!

Julie: Ma’am, this is for your safety.

Cassidy: Ugh  f i n e.

…

Cassidy: Ooohh. Someone’s knocking at the door!

Julie: Ma’am, do not approach the door.

Cassidy: It’s the police officer.

Julie: Okay, ma’am. Since you are in contact with the police, I’m leaving you in their hands. Good day.

End time: 1:33 pm,  6-7-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8555 to xxx-xxx-8101

Start time: 1:34 pm, 6-7-2020

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): My break!!!! :(:(:(:(:( It’s over!!

Max (xxx-xxx-8101): Did you just text a woman named Cassidy?

Julie: Cassidy Evermoore? Yeah why?

Max: I was the police officer who got dispatched there. She mentioned that you were the operative she texted.

Julie: Oh, what happened? Is her neighbor okay?

Max: Yeah HE is--aside from the horrible fashion taste.

Julie: She texted over domestic violence on a guy? Been working here three months and never had a text like that.

Max: Yeah, it gets worse. He was the only person in the apartment. I asked around the other neighbors, they claim to have heard nothing.

Julie: That’s weird. 「(°ヘ°)

Max: He’s like a six foot tall guy, too. I doubt anyone would be able to hurt him. A couple of the neighbors snickered when I talked to them about it.

Max: You said her name was Cassidy Evermoore, right? I wanna look her up in our records.

Julie: Cool beans.

Julie: Awe crap.

Max: What?

Julie: My boss just yelled at me for texting you. Gtg

End time: 1:39 pm, 6-7-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8101 to xxx-xxx-8555

Start time: 9:16 pm, 6-8-2020

Max (xxx-xxx-8555): You’ll never guess what I found.

Julie (xxx-xxx-8101): A new shortcut on your way to the bar? Because you’re late.

Max: No. I was looking up Cassidy’s file at the precinct and turns out, this has happened before.

Julie: ????

Max: Cassidy has schizophrenia and has made false reports due to hallucinations before. Like almost a dozen of them.

Julie: Oh.

Julie: Oh shit.

Julie: That makes sense.

Julie: But you know what doesn’t make sense? Why you’re not here yet.

Max: I’m there, I’m just outside.

Julie: Well hurry and get INSIDE.

End time: 9:20 pm, 6-8-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8888 to 911

Start time: 8:11 am, 6-15-2020

Cassidy (xxx-xxx-8888): Is this 911?

Julie the  911 Operative: Yes, what’s your emergency.

Cassidy: I think someone is attacking my neighbor.

Julie: Cassidy? Is this you?

Cassidy: Yeah, how did you know?

Julie: It’s Julie, from like a week ago.

Cassidy: Julie, someone is hurting my neighbor again. I can hear them through the wall. Last time the police officer didn’t do anything, but they *need* help.

Julie: Cassidy, I need you to take a few deep breaths and calm down. What you’re hearing is an illusion. No one is hurting your neighbor. Everything is going to be okay.

Cassidy: no no no. I can HEAR them through the wall, you have to send help. Do you need my address again?

Julie: Everything is okay, Cassidy. It’s just a hallucination. Take a break, lie down and put on some music to calm down. No one is hurting your neighbor and everything is okay.

Cassidy: You’re not listening to me! It’s getting worse. What if they kill him? You have to help! It’s not a hallucination!!!!

Julie: You need to take deep breaths, Cassidy? Can you do that for me? No one is hurting your neighbor. Think about it… if someone was hurting your neighbor, wouldn’t other people in the building have heard it by now? Just take deep breaths.

Cassidy: no no no! There’s a hole in my wall! They soundproofed their apartment, but a long time ago they punched a hole in the wall! That’s how I can hear them.

Julie: Cassidy, I need you to take deep breaths. No one is in danger. They are just hallucinations.

Cassidy: You’re not going to send anyone are you?

Cassidy: FINE THEN.

End time: 8:23 am, 6-15-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8776 to 911

Start time: 8:33 am, 6-15-2020

xxx-xxx-8776: My neighbor’s gone crazy. She’s outside her apartment banging frying pans against the wall and screaming at my other neighbor. I’m afraid she’ll attack someone if they come out of their apartment.

Julie the 911 Operative: Ok, we’ll send someone to calm her down. Can you please tell me your address?

xxx-xxx-8776: My apartment is 83B on the fifth floor in the Yorktown Heights apartment complex on Carpenter Street.

End time: 8:38 am, 6-15-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8101 to xxx-xxx-8555

Start time: 11:06 am, 6-15-2020

Max (xxx-xxx-8101): You’ll never believe what happened earlier today.

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): You got called to handle Cassidy having a psychotic episode?

Max: Yeah… how did you know?

Julie: One of her neighbors texted me all panicked.

Max: Yeah, well, things really escalated after he texted you. Cassidy refused to calm down and put down a frying pan that she was hitting her neighbor’s door with. All of her neighbors were seriously freaked and insisted on me taking her to a mental hospital.

Julie: Oh damn.

Max: Ik. So at least you won’t be getting any more messages from her.

Julie: I hope she gets better. She seemed really nice.

Max: Yeah.

Max: Woah.

Julie: What is it?

Max: I’m in her apartment. Apparently they wanted me to get some medications she had here… and while I was looking for them, I saw something.

Julie: If it’s disgusting I don’t want to hear it.

Max: No, no. There’s this… hole in the wall. Like someone punched it from the other side.

Julie: A… hole in the wall?

Julie: Are you sure? Are you really REALLY sure??

Max: Yeah man, I can fit my whole hand in it. You think she did this because of her halluications?

Max: Julie?

Max: Hello, Julie??

End time: 11:23 am, 6-15-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8933 to 911

Start time: 11:22 am, 6-15-2020

xxx-xxx-8933: I’m going to kill myself.

Julie the 911 Operative: Can you take a few deep breaths? How are you coping with your life rn? Have you thought about suicide or harming yourself before? Can I please have your location?

xxx-xxx-8933: I live in 81B on the fifth floor in the Yorktown Heights apartment complex on Carpenter Street. You’re not going to stop me, I just want someone to remove my body from the ground before my girlfriend shows up.

Julie: Please step away from the ledge. This is not the solution. Do you really want to die or are you just overwhelmed? I can help you, just please step away from the edge.

xxx-xxx-8933: No thanks.

End time: 11:25 am, 6-15-2020

Text messages from xxx-xxx-8555 to xxx-xxx-8101

Start time: 11:25 am, 6-15-2020

Julie (xxx-xxx-8555): YOU SAID YOU WERE IN CASSIDY’S APARTMENT RIGHT?

Max (xxx-xxx-8101): Yeah, why?

Julie: HER NEIGHBOR IN 81B IS ABOUT TO COMMIT SUICIDE, I THINK HE’S IN HIS APARTMENT. YOU HAVE TO STOP HIM.

…

Max: I got him. He’s sobbing into my chest. His glasses are off and he has a black eye and some other bruises, so I called my medic friend since he’s insisting on no ambulance, but everything’s gonna be okay. It’s all gonna be okay.

End time: 11:39 am, 6-15-2020

Author’s note: Domestic violence against both men and women is a huge issue, and please know to get help or call help if someone is abusing you. Also know that suicide is never the answer, there is always someone out there who cares about you. You are not worthless and deserve to get help and live a happy life.