On The Run

~Back Home~

***

  She was at home again. In her pink bedroom. Toys scattered around everywhere, bookcases on the floor with a broken desk and lamp. The room was a mess. The room wasn’t right.

  Lily turned around and saw her mother and father walking through the doorway. She smiled and called out to them. But they didn’t come back. Didn’t answer.

  Lily ran after them down the cream panelled hall but they had just turned the next corner.

“Mom! Dad!” she screamed at the top of her lungs, anxiety and fear starting to ripple across her body. “Please don’t go.”

  Then, something grabbed her. Lily instantly stiffened and felt as if the entire world was about to collapse on her. More hands started to pull her back but there was nothing she could do. Before Lily knew it, she was blindfolded.

Again.

  “No!!!” she screamed. “Not again! No!”

  Lily shrieked and struggled trying to hold on to the image of her parents when her eyes flashed open, and the dream was gone.

  She was gasping for air. Just a dream. She reassured herself. Just a dream.

The bowl of porridge lay toppled over on the floor. She must have kicked it in her sleep. Lily’s face was slick with sweat and her clothes were plastered to her. She badly needed a trip to the bathroom. She could just about imagine a hot shower, the feeling of water splash her skin it was like being naked and dancing under the rain on a stormy night.

Lily loved storms. She would always gaze out of her bedroom window at the lightning over the horizon, even though her mother had told her on countless occasions that it was extremely dangerous.

Lily’s mother didn’t always understand her daughter. While other fourteen year old girls would have their heads stuck in a magazine, Lily would be jumping into puddles of mud, collecting snails and other insects to examine and take care of. But none the less she loved Lily. Except, her love wasn’t enough to rescue her.

Lily could almost taste the rain on her tongue and feel the wind whip her hair ferociously, when the door to the box utility room swung open with a clatter.

The man who wore the blue suit yesterday was wearing black slacks and a brown denim jacket today. He looked at the mess on the floor and scowled.

“What have you done?” he shouted with such rage and deathliness that it hurt Lily’s ears and made adrenaline pump through her veins.

“I-I didn’t mean to. I just-“Lily tried to say but he interrupted her.

“I gave you food! Right from the heart and this is how you repay me?” he growled.

“No... I just- I didn’t mean to. It was an accident.” She protested.

The man’s name was Gregory. He couldn’t tolerate such negligence and filthiness.  He raised a rough hard hand to silence Lily.

“Is it not good enough for you, princess? Or are you not grateful?”

“No, no! I am.” Lily said quickly yet carefully. She didn’t want to flip his lid a second time around.

Gregory shook his head and tutted and if he hadn’t heard her.

“Do you know what happens to ungrateful girls?”

She stared at him in cold fear.

“No? Well, let me show you then, dear.”

Something got caught in Lily’s throat and she squealed. Gregory stepped closer and closer, the crooked grin eliminating by the second. Lily couldn’t breather, she was so scared.