It All Falls Down

Chapter 1 The Escape

Summer 1960

"Run....Run....Faster, faster!" These are the words I kept screaming in my head as I crashed through the old wooden door of the three room shack I had called home for the fourteen years of my life. I knew that if I made it to the edge of the woods behind my house I would be home free. No one knew these woods like I did. I had spent countless hours in them planning, preparing, waiting for this day to come.....The day they let their guard down and I could escape.

"Come on girl, you can do it.....Run! I screamed to myself. "Run, and don't look back!" Finally, I reached the woods.

Exploding into the tree line, I was exhausted and my feet were throbbing because I left with only the clothes on my back without shoes. I had on a flimsy white gown, so I was thankful that it was the beginning of summer and the night was warm.

As I ran deeper into the woods nearing the old slave shack, I heard something that made my blood run cold. It was him one of the monsters I was running from.

"Girl, where are you at you little bitch," he spat out with all the venom he could muster.

"Oh no, it's them," I thought.

I accelerated, bounding towards my sanctuary, a small cave I came across while exploring the woods one day. I knew they had no idea it was there because it was untouched and well hidden by several years of overgrowth. I never would of noticed it if I hadn't dropped the package I was sent to retrieve for "Him" in the brush. I dug through the brush for what seemed like hours searching for the package. My fingers were bloody and I was covered with dirt from head to toe. The pain from digging so long was a minor inconvenience compared to what he would do to me if I returned home empty handed. Finally, when I was about to give up and return home and get what was coming to me, I spotted it inside an opening in the brush. I picked up the package and pushed through the remaining bushes and found what I now call my sanctuary.

I spent many hours in my little cave daydreaming of this day.... My true re-birthday. I would truly miss it when I finally leave this place. I took comfort in knowing I would spend the next couple of days there waiting for things to clear so I could make a clean getaway. I had stashed enough food to make the wait bearable.

"I am almost there." I thought as I got closer to the cave.

"When we catch you, you are gonna have to work extra hard for our forgiveness," screamed Eustace.

I hate his voice more than anything in this world. I remember all the pain he had caused me, I was resolved to the fact that after tonight he would never have the chance to hurt me ever again.

Nearing the cave I slowed my pace to as little noise as possible. Taking my time to return the brush as it was, I inched forward slowly on all fours into my cave. I let out the breath I had been holding for what seemed like hours. As I exhale, the tears came. My chest heaved as I sobbed uncontrollably. I made it. I am free. I lay on the cold floor and cried until sleep overtook me.