“Dad, Mom is screaming behind the door, is she hurt?” — the six-year-old son texted his father while he was away on a business trip. The father asked him to hold the phone up to the door, and a few seconds later he called the police 
The husband had left on an early morning flight for a business trip. The airport was noisy. He was holding his son’s hand.
“Dad, are you coming back soon?”
The boy clung tightly to his father’s hand, as if afraid that if he let go, his dad would disappear even faster.
“In three days,” the husband said, crouching down. “You’re in charge here. Take care of Mom.”
“I will,” the son replied seriously. “I’m already big.”
The husband smiled, adjusted his son’s jacket, zipped it all the way up, then stood up, picked up his suitcase, and headed to boarding.
The first two days after he left were calm. The husband called in the evenings, asking how things were. The son talked about cartoons, about Grandma’s pies, and about how Mom had allowed him to go to bed five minutes later.
The wife spoke in an even voice and answered briefly: everything is fine, don’t worry, just work.
On the third day, he returned late to the hotel after meetings. Tired, he sat on the bed and was just about to text his wife “How are you?” when a message from his son came in.
The text was short, but the man immediately felt something tighten inside him.
“Dad, Mom is screaming behind the door, is she hurt? What should I do?”
He reread it several times, as if hoping he had misunderstood. Then he immediately pressed “call.” It rang for a long time. Finally, his son answered.
“Son, where are you right now?” the husband asked quickly. “Are you alone?”
“I’m in the hallway… by Mom’s door,” the boy whispered. “I woke up and she’s screaming. I knocked, but she’s not answering.”
“Did you see anyone in the apartment?” the husband tried to speak calmly, but his voice grew firmer. “Did you hear unfamiliar footsteps? A voice? Did the front door open?”
“I don’t know… I didn’t see anyone,” the son’s breathing quickened. “The bedroom door is closed. I tried to open it, but it’s locked.”
In the background, through the phone, another scream suddenly broke through. Muffled, strained, as if someone was truly in pain. The husband straightened abruptly.
“You did the right thing by texting me. Listen carefully. Can you hold the phone right up to the door, but in a way that you won’t be seen if someone opens it?”
“I can…” the boy’s voice trembled. “I’m scared.”
“I know,” the husband replied. “But stand close to the wall, not in the middle of the hallway. Do you hear me? And don’t try to be a hero. Just hold the phone there and stay quiet.”
The boy quietly moved closer. You could hear the carpet rustling and his hand brushing against the wall. Then everything happening behind the door became louder through the phone.
As soon as he heard and understood what was happening behind the door, the man immediately called the police 
The continuation of the story can be found in the first comment 
At first, he heard his wife crying and taking short, sharp breaths, as if she couldn’t get enough air.
And he also heard a stranger’s low male voice. Quiet, angry, commanding. The words weren’t entirely clear, but the tone spoke for itself. That’s not how people talk during a normal family argument or in their sleep. That’s how people talk when they threaten, force, and hold someone against their will.
The husband froze for a second. Then he took a breath and forced himself to speak steadily so his son wouldn’t panic.
“Son, listen to me,” he said. “Step away from the door now and go to your room. Quietly, no running. Lock yourself in. Take the phone with you. Do you understand?”
“What about Mom?” the son whispered.
“I’m already helping Mom,” the husband replied. “The most important thing you can do is stay safe. Do you understand?”
“Yes…”
While his son was walking away, the husband was already dialing the emergency number with his other hand. He gave the address and explained that there might be an intruder in the apartment, that his wife was screaming, that the door was locked, and that a small child was inside.
When the police arrived, the stranger was detained and the wife was rescued.
As it later turned out, it was the wife’s lover, and their argument had escalated into a fight. It was the son’s message that saved her that night.
