Leaving Alabama

 Hey read my bio for details! Thanks!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                                1

Have you ever felt a sense of regret so deep that you wished you’ve never been born? Your whole life was a mistake.

From day one to the day of your realization, your existence was nothing. It was meaningless.

That’s how I felt right now. I stood there holding the door open, watching them drag her away. Their hands tangled in her hair. Her screams filling every room in the house. She was kicking at the men, but they were too strong. There was no escape.

I felt guilty. And I had every reason to feel that way. I had wanted this all my life, but not like this. This isn’t the ending I was hoping for. This was something else. Panic filled my chest, but she had to be feeling thousands of times worse. I didn’t want to be in her place.

But life had chosen me over her. I was the privileged one. I was the one who had been given everything. She had no right to ever come into my life and try to steal it away.

Anger filled every inch of my body. She deserved everything that was coming to her. She deserved that and more. Whatever those men did to her would teach her a lesson. To not barge in where she wasn’t needed. To stay in her place.

I calmly walked out following the men. I stood there as I watched them throw Alabama into the back of their truck.

One of them got into her driver’s seat while the other two jumped in the back.

Alabama raised her head and kept screaming. She turned to where I was and I saw the fear in her eyes. It wasn’t that type of fear where you’re scared to try something for the first time like riding a bike. It was fear of not knowing what was going to happen. Fear that eats your soul and takes away your breath.

Guilt filled me once more. What was I doing? I wanted to stop those men, tell them the truth. But it was too late and I couldn’t tell them without getting in trouble as well.

Alabama turned her gaze to the house and tears prickled at her eyes. This was probably the last time she was going to see it. See him.

I wished she would stop screaming, maybe then the men would stop pulling her around.

She turned to me and the look she gave me shattered my heart. It wasn’t a look of hatred, but one of pity. Like I was the one in trouble. As if I was the one about to face her fate. At that moment, I knew what I had done was wrong. But it was too late.

“Thank you Miss Tucker,” Tanner, the leader of the group said, “You did something for the whole community this evening.”

He was sitting in the car with his arm on the window’s side. A smug grin on his face, he could not have been older than 30. Blonde hair and pale green eyes adorned his face. He had a thin mustache on his upper lip. He looked dirty and careless. Right now I hated this man.

“One of you two do something about that screaming!” Tanner said looking at the back of the truck.

“Jesus Christ I swear if you don’t shut her up I will climb back there and not only shut her trap but you two will never see daylight again! Now get to it!”

Both men kicked Alabama in the head and her body went limp. Her screams gone. An eerie silence filled the space between all of us. I stood there feeling my insides burning.

Tanner turned back to look at me, expecting some sort of feedback. But what could I say that wouldn’t make things worse? He cocked his head to the side, his mouth moving.

“You know this whole town considers you their hero. After what you did, your father won’t be too pleased when he finds out. But we appreciate your quick action.”

I nodded and continued to stare at him.

He pulled his head outwards and grabbed my hand, “now, he will be darn mad. You know how your father is. He has lost the towns respect. He was once was looked-up to. But after she came,” he nodded towards Alabama’s still body, “he lost his senses. That witch and her mother changed a good man into what your father is today.”

For the first time since they came I spoke.

“He will understand I’m sure. Thank you for coming.”

As I turned back towards the house he pulled me closer. I could smell his breath. Sour and tobacco mixed with something else. It made me want to vomit.

“Now miss, we all can agree he might do something drastic. Hell! He might even kick you out now that you’re of age. There is now law against that. What you need is a man. One that can look after you and tend to you…needs.” at that, he looked me up and down, “If you understand what I mean.”

He winked at me and chuckled. The two in the back let out roars of laughter. “Let’s go Tanner before big tough daddy comes shooting you for taking the gal.” one of them said.

“The offer stands.” He repeated.

“Thank you for coming.” I said and pulled my hand free from his grasp.

She walked back into the house. She heard Tanner and the other men pull out of the driveway. Once she sat down she realized, not one time had Alabama asked for her help.