GETAWAY CAR

Prologue

June 1st 2016

"Are you sure about this Taylor?" Karlie questions me, breaking me from my melancholy daydream.

"No." I answer, I'm only sure of one thing right now, "But I- I don't have a choice anymore. I can't stay here." My arms are crossed over my chest and I'm holding my upper arms tight, almost as if I let go I'm going to fall apart.

"I have to go." I state with more surety, probably to convince myself more than Karlie. The woman stares at me with sympathetic eyes as I look around his home, I let go of my arms and pick up two of the bags by our feet. Karlie takes the two cat carriers and she leaves the house, I take a prewritten note out of my pocket and leave it where I know he'll find it before I lock the door and leave the key with security, knowing that I'll never be coming back here.

I load my bags into the back of the woman's car and climb into the passengers seat. "I won't ask again but are you really sure about this? Are you really ready for it?" I know she's worried, I mean who wouldn't be if they got a phone call out of the blue, sobbing and begging her to come and get me. She didn't demand an explanation -she still hasn't- she just jumped in her car and drove over here to find me packing my stuff in tears.

"I'm sure." I sigh quietly and she doesn't say another word, she just starts the engine and drives out of those gates and I watch in the rearview mirror as it gets further and further away.

I lean back in my seat and take a deep breath as tears start to fall from my eyes. I'm walking away from the last fifteen months of my life and so many good memories but that's all they are now- memories. I've been kidding myself for months; thinking that we could get back to the way it was in the beginning but I know now that I'm probably better off on my own.

"So where am I taking you?" Karlie asks and I wipe my eyes as I look over to her. "The airport, my plane is waiting to take me to Rhode Island." I plaster a fake smile onto my face to try and stop her worrying but she sighs before looking back to the road. "Do you wanna tell me what happened to make you finally leave him?"

Her question catches me off guard, although, I probably should've been expecting it. Karlie knew I was planning on leaving him, almost two months I've been saying that I was going to do it and here I am, running for my life, again.

I sigh, close my eyes and rest my head against the headrest. I can feel her eyes burning holes in the side of my head but it takes me a moment to process the information I've known less that two hours.

"I- I'm pregnant." My confession shocks her into silence and I'm not surprised. This is probably a reason I should keep trying with him, but after the last six months I just can't bring myself to stay with him and risk the life of not only myself but my unborn child. Maybe if he was a good person, a better man, but he's not. He's violent and degrading and jealous and I won't bring a child into a relationship so toxic.

"So we're running?" She clarifies and I nod, "I guess we are."

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Okay, so hey!! Just a little note to say hello and to thank you for reading this! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

love always,
                       Danielle 💛