All in Time

8 - Rusted Nails and Screeching Tires

***Holly's POV***

After about a month of no visitors I start to wonder, what happened to that woman with the blade? Or even those men who would come with rings on their fingers every couple weeks? I was glad it hadn't happened in a while, but why are things so different now?

Several minutes after these thoughts had passed, once again I was staring at my feet as they dangled over the edge of my bed. "Holly, my dear," Jacob's voice calls through the door. He opens it slowly and smiles at me. "It's time to get cleaned up, then we'll have some breakfast." 

I plaster a smile on my face as I rise from my bed. I had learned that if I went willingly Jacob would trust me. He hadn't bounded my wrists in about a week or so. He trusted me enough. "Okay, Jake," I say. "So, is anybody coming over today, or am I starting to smell bad?" A smile plays across his lips in a sort of smirk, so I force the same upon myself.

"Neither, I just thought you'd feel better if you had one." His hand rests on my waist as he opens the door. We walk from my room, going up the same path on the stairs as every other time. Jake's hand rests on the small of my back as we walk and only takes it away when he opens the door to the bathroom.

"Thank you, Jakey," I smile. 

"There are fresh towels and clothes for you inside. You can take as long as you please, you've earned it." I smile and shut the door, hearing the lock on the other side slide shut. A larger grin played across my face as I looked around. 

I reach into the waistband of my shorts I was given last time, revealing a small fork. I use the fork to jam the lock on the door, holding it in place. My eyes flicker to the boarded window. On the other side of my shorts I had a small knife. I turned on the water for the shower before he began getting suspicious.

I use the small butter knife to slowly wedge the nails in the boards from the walls. As one slid from its hole in the board, the end of the rusty nail sliced against my thumb before it fell onto a towel that lay on the floor below me. 

After about 20 minutes of painstaking work all but one of the nails had been removed from the boards. I had already taken down two of them, the other was held in place by the final nail. As I slid this one from its place in the wall I carried the boards over to the door. 

They were fairly large as the window was surprisingly big for a bathroom. I jammed two under the door handle and one between the counter and the bottom of the door. It was going to take lots of effort for him to get into this room when he realized I had taken too long.

"How are you doing in there, darling," Jacob called through the door.

"I'm doing fine, just washing my hair," I call back.

"Okay, I'll be fixing us some breakfast." After he calls again I can hear faint footsteps going down a set of stairs. I looked out the now clear window, and realized I was on the first floor. I had been living in the basement of this place the whole time.

I pop the locks on the window and start to push it open. That's when a thought struck fear into my heart. If I escape he's going to kill Luke. I can't do this to him.

But if I escape quick enough I might be able to get help.

Is this really worth it? Is it really worth taking that chance?

Yes. Without it there would be no hope of escape. He'll catch me if I stall any longer.

Without another thought I push the window open and cringe as a small squeak comes from the rusted hinges. I pick up the clean clothes and the towel and change quickly before climbing out of the tall window, towel in hand. Soon enough I'm outside and my feet crunch against the snow on the ground. I hadn't thought that it was around the end of March or early April. 

I was still silent as I shivered, walking through the thin snow, careful to keep my head clear of any windows. I see the house number as I sneak away. 4020. Soon enough I was far enough from the house that I could safely run. 

As I ran I wrapped the towel around my shoulders to hold in a little bit of warmth. Snow filled my shoes as I ran. I had no idea where I was going considering the house was in the middle of No Man's Land. Hell, I could be running towards a thick patch of woods for all I knew.

After hours of constant running and walking, with few stops, the sun began to set. It was probably around nine now. My stomach growled loudly as I hid behind a bush. I have to get some sleep. I had been following a road, but thankfully on either side there was brush for me to hide in. 

I had seen that after about 30 minutes of me escaping Jacob had gotten into his car and began driving. I was able to hide as he went past. He went past many times but thankfully never saw me.

I'm free. I'm really out of that hellhole.