Natalie's First Home (short story) [completed]

Natalie's First Home.

All rights reserved to Nicole76.

I awoke to pitch darkness.

Where was I?

That was the first question in my head.

I felt around, there were walls.. Slits in the walls? Ow! Sliver. Wood.

I had no idea where I was and I couldn't really remember too much, my head hurt. Bad. My name is Julia. The year was 1912. My husband's name is William. We were married when I was seventeen, which is late around here. I should've been married around 14, but I couldn't decide on anyone. Everyone was mean or abusive. My father let me choose my own husband. Thankfully. 

William has blonde hair and blue eyes. He's from Germany so originally his name was Wilhelm, but once in American he changed it to William. He's got a thick German accent. He seemed perfect when my dad introduced us. The perfect gentleman. Which is what I would have wanted for a husband. Not to mention father was getting a little pushy about me tying the knot.

That was before. Now I know better. I know William is FAR from a perfect gentleman. It seems like as soon as we got married things started going downhill. He'd bring home guys to pay him to have sex with me. I never wanted to but he'd threatened to kill my father, mother, and little sister if I didn't. So I always did. The guys were always sweaty and smelt like cheese. Almost everyone. I remember thinking where did he find these guys? Eventually I learned how to block it out. While they had their sweaty bodies all over me, I would travel someplace wonderful in my mind. 

After he stopped bringing people home because they said I "wasn't lively enough" for them. He started beating me. He said I wasn't what a wife should be and if we were in Germany he could slit my throat and nobody would care because I'm not obeying my husband. 

I wanted to go to college, and learn. Make something out of myself. I've always been very independent that's ONE reason why I never wanted to get married, but obviously that was inhuman back then. So was me going to college. At least not while married to William. 

I don't know when he turned so sour, why he hated me so much. One time while he was beating me and raping me I asked, in between tears, why he hated me. He said it was simple. He didn't hate me. He loved me SO much he wanted to control me to make sure I was the best wife ever. It didn't make too much sense to me. But I know better than to talk back to William.

So back to me NOT knowing where I was.

There was suddenly light through one of the slits, I heard William. He was slurring his words but when he finally talked my biggest fear came true, I knew exactly what he was saying.

"Darling, I would juss like you to know, you are my worll, and I'm doin' thiss for your own goood." He said.

"What are you doing?!" I screamed, in between sobs.

"Shut up bitch!" All the sudden all slurs were gone. "You did this to yourself! You didn't obey and for not obeying you get to sit here!"

"Where am I?!" I demanded.

"Well darling surely you recognize something? This is our house pumpkin! Your in the vent duct."

My first thought was how do I fit up there? He must be lying. Then he explained.

"When I bought this house, I made sure they made the vents extra big, I told them tornado cellar size, so they did. Safety is a big issue now a days" He smirked. "Your inside a wooden coffin I made just for you, it's not too big, but it is VERY sturdy so don't try and bust out, and this whole room is made thick so no one can hear your screams so you shouldn't even try screaming. Waste of breath. Which you should probably not waste, because your not going to be able to breathe in there for long. Tight spaces. No oxygen. You get the picture."

I was crying so hard by now that I barely understood. Then I though crying would only make me suffocate quicker. But I didn't care at this point I'd kill myself. After he explained everything to me he left. That was the last time I ever saw him. The last time I ever saw myself.

~~~~~PRESENT DAY~~~~~~

Natalie walked into her new house, so happy to have such a cheap house that was so big! She needed to look for a job ASAP. It was very important to her to NOT rent out the rooms and pay for everything herself. With the rent being nearly nothing, all she had to pay for was utilities. She was thinking about $200 a month. Which was TOTALLY do-able. She fell in love with the house to moment she saw it! She didn't understand why the rent was so low. She figured there was something wrong with it or a murder was done in it. And the owner said no. Nothing was wrong with it, he up-kept it over the years, and no murders were done in it. But sadly way back in the 1800's a German guys wife went missing. And everyone around town are too "respecting" to live in her house. And anyone that comes in from out of town just doesn't stay very long so he'd rather have $50 for a house with 8bedrooms and 4bathrooms, a den, 2 living rooms, a huge kitchen, laundry room (with no washer or dryer), an attic, and three floors! I didn't argue.

After unpacking she sat at the table, (good thing the house came with furnishing, she barely came with anything) looking through the classifieds. She finally found a job that made enough for groceries and the rent and utilities for the time being. Of course soon she needed to buy a washer and dryer! She called the place, and they set up an interview for that day! How exciting! 

She decided to take a nap before the interview.

30mins into her nap, she was awoken. By some thudding and screaming. She looked out her window to find nothing, went downstairs and the door was still locked. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, she looked around and listened. Nothing. Hmm maybe it was just a dream. She decided to go shower instead of going back to sleep. 

While getting out of the shower she tripped and fell. Cracked open her lip. It didn't look bad enough for stiches but damn, this interview was important to her. Of course on THIS day something like this would happen. She thought to herself. She needed to get a cat. It was so quiet around there. 

She was on her way to the interview, she decided she'd walk instead of driving it was such a nice day out and it wasn't too far away. While walking it occurred to her, that she isn't much of a clumsy person. She had never tripped getting out of the shower before, or at all for what she could remember. 

On the way she passed a box of golden retriver puppies, the box said "please take one, their free" she thought about it. But dogs are soo much more upkeep than cats. She walked away thinking she'd think about it and come back on her way back.

The interview went great! She got the job. She was officially the new waitress at the little diner on the corner named Cecila's. Pay was $7.50 an hour, plus tips. Sounded good to her!

With all the good things happening to her lately, minus the tripping and cracking her lip open, she decided a puppy wasn't such a bad idea. She picked the littlest one out of the 5 golden puppies in the brown box. She decided on naming him Duke, and took him home.

When Duke got home she set him down in front of the door. Hoping he'd realize this was his new house and he needed to go inside on him own, she had a leash thank god because Duke turn and dashed for the other way. She figured he just missed his brothers and sisters and wanted to go back. So she picked him up and took him inside, shut the door, and set him back down. He scratched at the door. How weird? She thought. Duke must not like it here, maybe a dog was a bad idea. Then she pulled out the puppy chow and shook it. Duke came running. Hah, he was just hungry! She left him in the kitchen and went to fix up her bedroom and go clean up the bathroom. As she walked away Duke put a ton of kibble in his mouth and followed her up the stairs when he realized she was making her bed he set the kibble on the floor and started munching again. Natalie was delighted the puppy liked her so much!

That night when she went to sleep, all the could hear was the puppy on the other pillow snoring and air going through the vents. How peaceful. And with that she dozed off.

A/N; I'm just going with this, I originally planned it to be a short story, but obviously you can see that isn't going to work out. I don't really like putting chapters in. If you like, comment and tell me so I can update more.