Page 26 of Death

Months of hell flash through my mind, my panic skyrocketing because if Nolan catches me, I know he’ll beat me until I’m unable to walk.

That’s if he doesn’t kill me.

In the beginning, he used the belt on my butt, but with time that’s changed until he wouldn’t hesitate to beat me with his fists.

Luckily, he hasn’t raped me, but that doesn’t stop him from sexually assaulting me. Every day, Nolan will rub his release over my breasts and between my legs and force me to stay naked for the entire day before he bathes me.

For a second, I shut my eyes while I force the horrible trauma out of my mind so I can focus on escaping.

When I open my eyes, they settle on the key where it’s lying on the counter.

I glance around for anything I can use to get to it, but there’s nothing long enough.

Placing my hand on the back of the chair, panic wells in my chest, but then my eyebrows fly up, and I look at the chair.

Careful to be as quiet as possible, I lift the chair and move as close to the counter as the chain will allow me to. When the metal links dig into the skin around my ankle, I spread my legs as wide as they’ll go. With my thigh muscles burning, I stretch my arms out, struggling to keep the chair in the air.

Come on!

My breaths keep speeding up as I lift the chair higher, but then the back legs slam down on the counter, making one hell of a noise.

No!

Desperation pours through my body, and panicking, I scrape the wooden legs over the counter. One catches the key, and it drops to the floor.

Nolan’s weak voice comes from the bedroom. “Ciara.”

I fall to my knees and stretch as far as I can, my middle finger almost touching the key.

Letting out a frustrated cry, I grab the chair again and quickly move the key closer. Shoving the chair to the side, I snatch the key from the floor, and swinging around, I unlock the chain.

The moment I’m free, I dart up to my feet and run for the door. My fingers are trembling badly as I unlock the door, and as I yank it open, I hear Nolan coughing uncontrollably.

The moment I’m outside, my emotions spiral into a turbulent mess inside me. I flee around the side of the house and run as fast as I can.

There’s a wooshing sound in my ears, my heart thundering, and my breaths nothing but gasps. Darting through the trees, branches scratch my arms, but I don’t care.

The sun is just starting to break over the horizon as I run across a field, the grass wet beneath my bare soles, and my dress flapping around my thighs.

Filled with fear, I keep glancing over my shoulder to see if Nolan is coming after me.

Nolan pins me to the floor, his fists repeatedly slamming into my face and torso until all I can taste is blood, all I can feel is pain, and the world turns black.

He has controlled every single thing. I’ve never been allowed to do anything for myself. The only time he left me alone was when he locked me in the trunk.

Escape.

Run.

Get away.

Every degrading moment fills me, and like shards of glass, they cut deep into my soul.

Feral and on the brink of insanity, I’m unable to focus. I’m completely overwhelmed by despair and panic, my body on automatic pilot as I keep running as fast as I can.

SANTIAGO

In the early morning hours, I stand outside on the porch, staring over the field where the first rays of the sun are peeking over the horizon.