The Secret Nightmare

 

*smack* *kick* *smack* *punch*

            He hit her over and over until she passed out and still he hit her. Finally it stopped and he stood and walked away, his temper satisfied.

            When she woke, he was gone, and she was still on the floor of their living room. She looked at the time and realized he must have just left for work. Everything hurt all at once. It doesn’t hurt, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt, I’m fine. She repeated the mantra over and over until she believed it and couldn’t feel anything any longer. She knew she had but a few hours to pack everything up and leave. But first she needed a shower and her good makeup. As the hot water cascaded over her body, it soothed her sore muscles from the beating he’d given her. She had forgotten his dinner again. It was so hard to remember to feed him when she didn’t wish to eat, herself. I can’t think about that right now. I need to hurry up and leave.

           

            She hurriedly finished her shower, turned the water off and toweled off. Once she was dressed in her long sleeved shirt, and loose pants, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and pulled her baseball cap low over her face, threading her hair through the back of the hat. She put her socks and tennis shoes on, making sure to tie them tightly and tuck the laces inside in case she had to run. Then she pulled her only suitcase out, and started packing. She put all the clothes she had that fit, into the small bag, which wasn’t much. Then she packed her five most favorite books, grabbed her bath things and toiletries and put them in the bag, zipped it, and made one last phone call on the cell phone he gave her. The call was a voicemail left for him telling him she was leaving and he could find someone else to beat. Then she turned the phone off, and left it and her key on the bedside table. She put her suitcase on the floor, pulled the handle and started down the stairs. On her way out she grabbed her sunglasses and put them on her face. She left the car behind even though it was one of few things that were in her name.

            So she walked. She walked the whole way from Waxahachie, all the way to Dallas, and just a bit further to Irving where her family lived. When she walked up to her parent’s house, she sat on the porch waiting for them to get home, and ended up falling asleep.