Hell For Leather

~ Prologue~

The song is Demons by Imagine Dragons..... Enjoy! **TRIGGER WARNING THIS SCENE CONTAINS CHILD AND SPOUSAL ABUSE!**

December 7, 1998

The sounds of raised voices alerted me to the fact that, once again, my parents were arguing. What else was new there? I lay in my bed listening to them argue through the paper thin walls about me once again. My so called father's voice the loudest of all. I was so used to it that I didn't bother moving from my spot on my mattress. The argument continued and it wasn't until I heard glass shattering and a hard thud hitting the floor that I roll out of bed and make my way down the hall to see him standing over my mother. She knelt at his feet clutching at her face while blood seeped through her fingers while she wept. At the tender age of eight the sight shouldn't have been a normal occurrence but in the Montgomery household, it was.

Without thinking about it I charged straight at him my tiny fist raised as I tried to go to the aid of my mother who wouldn't lift a hand to defend herself. He hears me and turns around just as I reach him and back hands me hard enough that I stumble into the kitchen table my head cracking against the edge of it. I hit the ground hard; too stunned and dazed to move I watch through blurry vision as he removes his belt. The tongue of it rattling against the buckle sends a chill run through me. "This will teach you to know your place you little bastard!" All I can do is lay there as his belt meets contact with my back, shoulders, arms and even my legs as he beats me over and over again until, exhausted he drops the belt and kicks me hard in the ribs. 

My mother finally got to her feet and trembling reaches for a hand towel and presses it to the side of her face her brown eyes empty as she mechanically did her best to stop the bleeding. "Charles--" Her words are cut off when he all but snarls at her to be quiet without taking his gaze from me. "Get out of my sight, shithead." Pain radiating throughout my entire body I get up slowly and hobble away. He must have felt like I was moving too slowly because he gives me a hard kicking on my butt that sends me stumbling forward down the hall. I bounce off the wall and barely catch myself from falling and continue to limp down the hall to my room. I can hear him telling my mother to clean up the mess she made from her blood and to get him another beer.

My father liked to drink, a lot. From the time he woke up until he passed out in front of the TV in the living room. I shut my bedroom door and climb back onto my bed and wait until the pain subsides. I don't know how much time passes but eventually I hear a tapping at my window. I look up to see Evie Dawson smiling and waving at me. I can feel my face heat up at the sight of her and let out a groan when I move to open the window. "Hi!" I quickly motion for her to keep her voice down before looking over my shoulder fearfully to see if the old man heard her. When I don't hear his heavy footsteps coming down the hall I glance back at her and her sunny disposition has completely changed and she frowns worriedly at me. "It happened again didn't it? Was it bad?" I quickly shake my head at her and move so that I can climb out my window and sit down on the grass and lean against the side of the house.

Evie follows suit and sits next to me her smaller body pressing against mine. I fight back a wince of pain and focus on her face. At six years old she had hazel colored eyes that were flecked with a darker shade of green her heart shaped face glowed with health. When she smiled at me it seemed as though the sun shone a little brighter. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back into a braid that hung down her back. "Why don't you come to my house? Mama got me the new Lion King movie the other day but I haven't seen it yet." My heart thumped a little harder at her words. Getting to go to her house to watch movies was the highlight of my days. I nod and get to my feet and we start walking down the street. I knew by now that my parents wasn't going to notice that I was gone as I spent most of my time in my room anyways. So long as I was back before it got dark they wouldn't care.

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September 21, 2018

"So you're really going to do it?" I glance up from my packing to see Evie sitting on my bed. She offered me a smile but I could tell that it was half hearted. My so called parents wasn't home currently which gave me the opportunity to make my escape. I was done with seeing my mom being beaten. The screams, the cursing, the sounds of objects being thrown were a permanent cacophony in my head after years of listening to it. I offer her a grin and offer Evie a hand in order to help her through the window to sit on my bed. I chuck her under the chin and wink at her. "Hey look at it this way, I'll finally be away from them and will be soon going off to college." She flinched as if I slapped her and turned her head away. The hearing aid wedged in her ear flashing at me. I sit down next to her and wrap an arm around her and give her a squeeze. She surprises me by laying her head on my shoulder and scooting closer to her. "You could always move in with us. Dad said he can get you a job at the refinery." I release a silent sigh and shake my head at her sadly. "I can't Eve, I have to get away from this damned town. I want to make something of myself." When she didn't respond I shifted so that I faced her and began to speak to her in sign language. She sighed at me he shoulders dropping.

"I know that you have to go and I don't blame you. It's just that I'm going to miss you so much." I smile at her and lean forward so that our foreheads were pressed together. We didn't say anything for a long while we just stayed as we were until finally she pressed her lips to mine and  kissed me. I was so surprised that at first that I didn't react at all at first. When she went to pull away my hand caught the back of her neck and I drew her back to him and kissed her back. She tasted sweet, like honey and mint. It was an intoxicating combination that I could easily become addicted to. At the though I wrench myself away and gaze at her her delicate features, they were flushed a rosy color and her glasses were slightly crooked and had fallen down her face held only by her chin. She created an adorable picture; one I couldn't help but smile at. Righting her glasses I tap her nose with my finger and grin at her. "Well that's one helluva send off but I got one better." Getting to my feet I root around and hold out two tickets for her. 

At first she looks at them with confusion then her eyes grow wide and she let's out a squeal and launches herself at me and hugs me tight. "I've been wanting to see this movie since it came out! Thank you Gray!"  She releases me and looks at the ticket again her eyes growing even wider still. "The date on this ticket says that it's for tonight. But you're leaving--" She glances at me again her joyful expression growing somber once more. "Hey let's not think about it. Tonight is just for us, okay?" Evie sniffs but nods a smile spreading across her face once again. "The show starts in an hour and half so the sooner we leave the sooner we get there."  It doesn't take her long to run out the door with a shout of joy. Smiling I follow after her making sure to grab my wallet and truck keys. It was an older model truck but I bought it with my own hard earned money. 

After the movie I treated her to her favorite Chinese restaurant before driving to our favorite hiding spot and parking. "I don't want this night to end because I know you're leaving in the morning." I sigh and grasp Evie's hand and interlace our fingers like we used to as kids. "Please try to understand, E. I have to go, what kind of life can I offer you? I'm the son of the town drunk and a woman so weak she won't even lift a finger to protect herself or her only child."  When I finally look at her to see her crying and it gutted me to see it. "All I can give you is tonight Evie." I wipe her tears away and drop my hand. She's silent for the longest time that I thought she didn't hear me before she sighs and nods her head as if coming to a decision. "If tonight is all we have then so be it.

Henlo my lovelies!

I know I said that I was going to take a break from the series but this story kept calling to me. This story is going to have sensitive material that may be triggering for some people so please read at your own discretion!

Until next time.

~ Jess ~