Page 20 of My Destiny

My hands are shaking, and the adrenaline is coursing through my body as I close the suitcase and zip it up.

“It’s now or never,” I say to myself, picking up the suitcase and heading towards the door. I place my ear against the wood and listen carefully before unbolting the lock. I hear nothing, only silence.

Please don’t let him be out there,I silently pray as I grip the door handle. My heart is thumping furiously against my ribcage as I creep out into the hallway. My eyes are everywhere. I’m just waiting for him to pounce.

When there’s no sign of him, I tiptoe towards the stairs and descend. I pause in the foyer when the damage Jake caused in his fit of rage becomes apparent. The TV is on in the main room, but he’s turned the volume right down. There’s just enough light for me to see the holes in the walls, and furniture upturned. How can you live with someone for five years, and never know about the monster that lived within?

Gazing down, I see Jake passed out on the floor, an empty bottle of scotch lying next to him. Even that surprises me, since in the eight years we’ve been together I rarely saw him drunk, let alone get intoxicated. Alcohol has never agreed with him.

My handbag and sunglasses are lying on the floor, beside the now overturned hall table, so I grab them before ever so quietly opening the front door. Slowly moving down the front steps, I wait until I’m a metre or so away from the house, before breaking into a slow jog. My stomach hurts, and I’m unable to sprint due to the operation—even at this pace, I’m suffering—but my need to get away far outweighs the pain. I don’t stop until I’m a few blocks away.

I’m grateful that it’s dark out, but I still stand behind a tree out of view from the road before pulling out my phone to call a cab.

Minutes pass, but it feels like hours before I hear a car approaching. Peeking out from behind the tree I see the headlights as it comes over the hill, followed by the illuminated light on the roof. Only then do I step out from my hiding place and flag it down.

“The airport, please,” I say once I’m seated in the backseat.

When we arrive at the departure terminal at Melbourne airport, I pay the driver and exit the vehicle. I instinctively scan my surroundings. I’m still on edge and don’t doubt that Jake will come looking for me the moment he notices I’m gone.

Keeping my head down, I walk briskly towards the check-in counter. “Can you tell me when the first available flight to Sydney is?” I ask the attendant manning the desk.

“The next flight out isn’t until six o’clock,” she says.

“Six o’clock?” It’s only just after two in the morning, so that’s four hours away. “Nothing sooner?”

“I’m sorry, no.”

Four hours gives Jake ample time to track me down. He probably knows I’ll head back to Sydney—I have nowhere else to go. I sigh. Although I’m still completely shattered by the events of the past few days, my first priority at the moment is my safety. I’ll have plenty of time to grieve my losses in the coming days.

“Can I get a one-way ticket please?” There’s no way I’m coming back. Sydney is my home, and since Jake is no longer in my life, it’s where I belong.

“Can I see some ID?” she asks.

“Sure.” I pull out my New South Wales driver licence and hand it to her, all the while scanning my surroundings. I feel like I’m out in the open here. I’ll need to find a safe place to wait until it’s time to board my flight.

“Do you have any check-in luggage?”

“Just this one bag,” I say, pointing to the small suitcase by my feet.

I face another dilemma when it comes time to pay for my ticket. I don’t have enough cash on me to cover it, and using either the credit or eftpos card is going to leave a paper trail, making it easier for Jake to track me. The only thing in my favour is that it’s Sunday and the banks are closed. Thankfully, Jake doesn’t trust internet banking, so he won’t be able to look online.

“This is my first time on a plane,” I tell the attendant when she hands over my boarding pass and identification.

“Oh, that’s exciting.”

“It is,” I lie. But the truth is, with everything going on in my mind I’m neither anxious nor excited. I feel numb. “Can you tell me where I need to go?”

“Just head towards the departure gates,” she says, pointing to the large departure sign on the back wall. “You’ll need your boarding pass when you go through security. From there, you’ll head to gate fifty-two. That’s where your plane will be leaving from. Boarding should commence around five-thirty.”

“Thank you.” Butterflies churn in my stomach as I head in that direction.

Once I’m through security, I head towards the ladies’ bathroom. I hate public toilets but I’ll be safe in there. Entering one of the cubicles, I pull down the lid and take a seat. Not the most ideal hiding spot, but it’ll do.

Rummaging through my handbag, I retrieve my phone. I’m relieved to see there’s no recent missed calls or texts from him. Hopefully he’s still passed out on the floor. Turning my phone off, I place it back in my bag. These next few hours are going to drag, but as things stand right now, it appears I’m going to escape Melbourne with my life.

CHAPTER NINE

Logan