Mommy and the Woodshed

Chapter 1.

The twins looked at me from the backseat of the car. Their hands were tied together like they were forced to hold each other.

"Mommy, where are we going?" I turned around and smiled.

"It'll be ok Hazel. We're just going for a drive." I turned back and looked as the flash of streetlights passed by. My husband was clenching the steering wheel so hard his hands turned white. I placed my hand over his gently. "Oliver" I said calmly. He looked over at me and loosened his grip on the wheel. I smiled at him and let go. The car turned the corner and I could see the faces of my children in the mirror. Frightened. "Why don't you pull over Oliver? It looks like the children needs to use the restroom." He looked in the mirror before turning the wheel and pulling into an old, rundown gas station at the side of the road.

"Hurry up." He said before unlocking the doors. I got out and opened the door to the backseat. Hazel and Aiden crawled out and grabbed hand. I walked them inside before getting down on my knees.

"You go pee and mommy will buy some snacks ok?"

"Ok mommy. Come on Aiden." Hazel grabbed her brothers hand before they both turned the corner and went into the restroom. I picked out a couple of candy bars and a few bags of chips as well as 3 sodas and 3 boxes of juice.

"Do you have a backdoor?" I asked while paying for everything I got.

"Of course, it's right back there. But it's only for employers." He scanned my items one by one. "11,32" I gave him the money and leaned in closer.

"Please, me and my children need to use the backdoor." I nodded against the waiting car with my husband in it.

"Mam, do I need to call the police?"

"Please, he's going to hurt them." Hazel and Aiden came out from the bathroom and walked up behind me. He looked at them and could see the bruises on Hazel's throat and face. Aiden's blond curls were dyed red of dried blood and his lip was swollen. He looked back at my bruised face and arms.

"Run, I'll call the police as soon as you have gotten out of the store."

"Thank you. Thank you." I grabbed my kids and walked calmly to the backdoor before picking them both up and running as fast as I could with two 3 year olds on my arms. In the distance I could hear sirens closing in.

"Mommy, where is daddy?" Hazel had tears in her eyes, but I kept running.

"Daddy is not a good man Hazel. He was going to do bad things to you and Aiden. I couldn't let that happen."

"Is the police taking daddy?" It was the first time I had heard Aiden speak in 4 days.

"All that matters is that you're safe sweety." I ran until I reached a wood shed and fell down. I was exhausted but knew I had to get up soon. I took all the wood out of the little shed and sat the children under before putting some of the wood back so there was a wall around them. "You'll be safe here. Mommy won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Are you leaving us mommy?" Hazel looked at me as I put the bag with food and drink inside the shed and closed it up with a final piece of wood.

"I'll be nearby, making sure no one gets close to you, and no one finds you. Take care of each other. Remember mommy loves you and mommy will be back." I closed it up and ran into the woods. I ran as far as I could while still being able to see the shed and all the trees around it.

A few hours later my eyes were going dry and it was getting hard to blink. I watched the shed like a hawk but my stomach was growling like a bear. The sun was starting to rise and all the sirens were gone. All I could hear was my stomach, my heart beating in my chest and a branch crack.