Running

Running - Prologue

5 Years Ago

I lay still till I heard the unmistakeable sound of the front door slam, followed by the car revving and speeding off down the street. Trying to ignore all the aches surging at my sudden movement, I hopped out of bed and walked towards my wardrobe pushing my clothes aside the boxes neatly stacked and ready to go. Pulling a t-shirt and leggings out I slipped them on before starting to drag the boxes out and placing them in the hall. A cry breaking the eery silence, the reason for my panicked choices and careful planning, calling out to me.

I slipped into her room, gazing down at her, big blue eyes and chubby cheeks. Chubby hands reaching up for me, Mumma slipping from her lips.

"It's going to be just you and mummy now Willow, I promise we will be ok. I'm so sorry baby girl." I said trying to smile through my tears and pain. I wasn't even sure when the tears had started to build, I wasn't in love with him, I wasn't grieving that. Maybe it was that history had repeated itself in the next generation and that was my driving reason to get Willow out of this situation. So maybe she would never repeat this tale, that for her I would break the cycle.

I scooped her out of her cot and placed her on my hip as we walked towards the lounge room, out the front window I caught sight of my mums bright car pulling up. Here to save me from this hell, like her dad had done for her all those years ago. Placing Will on the soft carpet I placed a few of her favourite toys around her, along with her Sippy cup and a snack, as I unlocked the front door and let my mum in.

"You ready to go Ronnie?" She said trying to give me a reassuring smile and I wonder if her mind had cast itself back to 18 years ago, when she did this exact thing. Pregnant with my brother and a 4 year old me running around as she tried to hurry us out of her nightmare and to the safety of her parents place.

"Yeah I just need to chuck the rest of my clothes and Will's clothes into a bag. I boxed up all my books, important documents and that kind of thing last night and besides grabbing her toybox were good to go." I said hoping he didn't decide to come home early or work wasn't cancelled because if he caught us, he'd never let me leave. "Can you watch her while I grab the last of it?" I said and watched as she nodded before turning and swooping her only grandchild into her arms, before racing down the hall and throwing everything into bags.

Once it was all packed into her small car, carefully placed around Will's car seat and cramped into the boot, I did one last sweep. Picked up my handbag and laptop bag before locking the backdoor and front door behind me. I walked down to the car where they waited and only turned when I heard a whine from his dog behind me. Racing back I patted his head and said thank you for the protection he'd tried to provide. As I walked away I made a promise to myself, no more bruises, no more hiding my pain and no more men with hot flying tempers. I couldn't help the reflex to touch my throat where the phantom feeling of his fingers lingered. No never again would I be cowered by anyone. I watched the house in the review mirror as we pulled away.