Safe

The Escape

I walk down dusty dirt road. I am pulling a small suitcase. My baby sister is following me. She is three. It is just me and her against the entire world. I hold her hand. She keeps on asking why we had to leave. I just tell her, "I can't let anything bad happen to you Lily."

She just responds, "okay."

I look behind me. I see a truck speeding down the road. I jump into the ditch beside the road. We narrowly miss getting run over. My breathing is heavy. The truck nearly hit us. It was my father's truck. He is looking for us. So he can hurt Lily, but I am not going to let him. We've been walking, since midnight. We are both exhausted but we can't take a break.

"Come on, Lily."

"Okay."

We are about 2 miles out of town. Well, really the nearest store. I urge lily to walk faster. I am so afraid that he will find us. My eyes get a bit misty. My heart is pumping blood too quickly. I take a deep breath. I have to be strong if for no other reason than Lily. The hour pasts and we are finally in town. I need to get somewhere to get us help. I only have $20 and a suitcase of clothes and food. I also have my purse, which is stuffed. I enter the gas station. I am panting.

"I need help."

Then I melt into stored tears. All of the times I held them in. It all comes out. Lily starts to cry too. The gas station attendant tries to comfort us. He sits on some chairs in the gas station. He stands by us as he calls the police.

The police arrive. I have dried my tears. I am no longer shaking.

"What is wrong?

Somehow the questions triggers more tears. He doesn't push. He just leads Lily and I to his squad car. He loads the suitcase into the truck. He opens the door for us in the back and we ride to the police station.

"Hello, my name is Officer Patrice. You gals are safe now. okay"

"Okay," my sister replies in her shrill little voice.

Her hug close to me. Her soft curls pressed against my lips.

"Where are we going?"

"To the police department."

"Somewhere safe," I whisper.

I hold her close to me. I prepare myself for the inevitable. We arrive at the police station. He opens the door for us. Then he hands me the suitcase. I grab it possessively, knowing all my worldly possessions are in there. We follow him inside. He shows us to a bench.

Do you need anything? Are you hungry or thirsty?

"Yes, very."

"Well, I'll get you something."

He comes back with cups of water and two muffins. We devour them ravinshly. I begin to feel more comfortable. This is a safe place. The officer talks to us. He asks us about normal things. It puts me at ease. I am not so apprehensive anymore.

"WHy are you here?"

"It is long story."

"You mind telling the story to the investigator."

"No, that is what I am here for."

A woman, who is tall and graceful, comes out of the office. She has long brown hair and sparkling sea grey eyes. She has a small sympathetic smile on her face.

"Hello, My name is Amelia Beethoven."

"Hi, my name is Mariana Coleman."

"That is a lovely name."

"Yeah, it was my mother's middle name."

"That's nice. Could you follow me?"

"Yes."

She leads me into a room. It has toys in it of all types: trucks, barbies, stuffed animals, and others.

"Do you like to color?"

"Yes, I do. I really love drawing. Do you have colored pencils?"

"Yes."

She gives me some colored pencils and several blank sheets of paper.

"So why are here?"

"To protect my baby sister."

"From what?"

Amelia looks genuinely considered.

"From my father."

"Why?"

"My father hurts me okay," I yell impatiently.

"We can talk about something else."

"No, it's okay. That is what I came for."

"How does your father hurt you?"

I gulp. The memories come to my mind of what he does to me. How he comes home drunk. How I always have to take care of my sister. The pain of it all.

"He hits me. He always comes home drunk and he touches me," I cry rapidly.

"It's okay. You're safe now. "

"I know," I whisper.

I tuck my hair behind my ear. I have to tell her everything it is the only thing that will protect me from him. I sigh.

"We can stop now if you want. You are not forced to tell me or anyone else anything."

"No I don't want to."

"Okay. So do you remember the last incident that happened.

"Yes," I pause and brace myself, "Well, he came home drunk and he was angry than usually. I was in the kitchen cooking and he was angry dinner wasn't ready yet. I told it would be soon. He just started yelling and hitting me. He said," I didn't deserve to live and that lily and I pieces of trash. At that moment Lily was taking a nap. She heard the commotion and came in. He was about to strike her when I jumped in front of Lily catching the blow. I told LIly to go and stay in our bedroom"

I took a deep breathe between tears.

"You are a brave little girl. All of this and your only 11. Is that all of the story?"

"No, He said he was to kill Lily and me soon. He dragged me into his room... and... an..."

"Take your time."

"Then he threw me on the bed. He began to hit me more. He said I made him do it. After that he started touching me," I begin to cry again.

I am wailing, now. The tears rake my body. She holds me and I cry on her shoulder. She smells like my mother used to. I finally feel protection. I am safe.