The Perfect Wife

Escape.

Nearing the early hours of the morning, Margo hadn't slept one bit since her letter got out to Harvey. Everything was making her paranoid, but she awaited the moment her dad said was the perfect time to make their one shot exit out of Millwood. 

"Dad, are you sure?" She wanted to go over the plan one last time.

"I've been learning the schedule around here like clock work. It's never out of place.  A white truck will be doing its last surveillance around 3 am. After that its all about avoiding cameras and people. I know where every single camera is in this place."

"If we get caught.." Margo began to lose her voice at the thought of her last time she was punished here.

"We won't. I got in here before, and I can get out. It's Harvey who we have to hope is out there waiting... if not.. it could be hours of walking before we.. find somewhere."

John had been running on pure adrenaline all night after he got his letter out to his fake brother. Both had packed very little except food and water in case they had no gateway car waiting for them.

"He'll be there." Margo looked at her hands, the thought of seeing Harvey made her stomach turn.

"You still love him?" Her dad asked quietly.

"Very much." She replied quietly. "But Mark..." She trailed off as she looked over to her daughter sleeping on the couch. "I have this letter for him, I want to drop it off with him before we leave."

John had explained to Margo that every single night, the towns power switches to a generator for precisely 10 minutes. Those minutes were there way of getting out without being watched on camera. "What about you dad?" Margo was recalling the conversation she had with her mother after the Ball.

"Thats...complicated sweetheart." John didn't have time to put into words what he felt about his wife whom he thought he had said goodbye to.

"I tried to love this life style here... and perhaps I did for awhile. But it's just not me, as a woman I want more for my daughter than cleaning a house and kissing her husband goodbye in the morning." Margo was thinking back to her first week here, the handbook she was given that she memorized word for word. 

"It's time sweetheart..." John looked at his stopwatch. 

Margo's heart dropped, she jumped to her feet and grabbed there bags as her dad grabbed her daughter. John watched the last truck of the night drive by and a few moments later the generator switched over. It was now or never. Margo could taste freedom on her tongue, she could see her life outside of this place. They quietly made there way through neighbors backyards until they reached Margo and Johns house, she looked to her dad as he nodded his head for her to go quickly deliver her letter. 

As she crept inside, she couldn't see a single thing but the moon shining in through the kitchen window. She slowly tip toed into the living room and placed the letter on the table. The corner of her eye noticed a shadow right in front of her at the head of the table, she almost let out a scream in fear.

"Mark..." She gasped as she took a step towards the door. "I..." She had no idea what she was planning to say.

Mark loudly put his glass of whiskey down onto the table. "You know.. I tried.. I really did." He closed his eyes in anger and after a few moments he angrily stood up and barged towards her. 

Margo shrieked at his sudden movements, she didn't have time for this.

Mark grabbed onto her arm. "I waited years to find a wife like you, to start my family and live my life how I was told too. The first day I saw you.. I knew you were the one.. your eyes were all wet from crying and I just wanted too.. make you happy."