Run from the past

The run

My mothers last wish of me was to finish out school. She committed suicide my senior year of high school. We found her in the flooded bathroom. In the bathtub with the bright red water spilling over the lip of the tub.

She had taken Luke's abuse for four years and finally snapped. Luke is my father. I don't call him dad anymore, my dad died a long time ago, he killed himself with liquor and gambling.

"I'm finally doing it, I'm going to do it," I tell myself. He's tormented me long enough, I physically can't take it anymore. The only thing that was keeping me here was school. I graduated from the community college a month and a half ago, I've been waiting for my chance to leave ever since.

I remember the night it all went south.
Luke had been staying out later and later. One night he came home around midnight drunk.

"Melissa!?" My father screamed for my mother as he barged in the door. "Where are you, bitch?!" "I'm in here Luke," she said in her gentle voice. "How was your night, sweetie?" Lately Luke had been prone to angry outburst, mom stayed calm through all of them. "Don't try to sweet talk me woman! I know you are going to leave me and the kid!" Even when my dad abused my mom she still was faithful to him. " Luke, I would bedder dream of leaving you and Katie." She said in a calm voice. "Don't lie to me Bitch!"

The next thing that happened in less that a second but it felt like a lifetime. I watched in horror as my fathers hand raised above his head and slowly came down connecting with my mothers beautiful face. My mother fell to the ground and with a thud. My father stalked off muttering something under his breath along the lines of "stupid woman."

In spite of it all when my mom was around me she acted as if nothing was wrong, that she wasn't suffering. She still loved and was faithful to my father. I hold her in the highest respect for lasting as long as she did. I don't hate my mom for leaving me with Luke. I don't think she even thought that he would turn on me as soon as he saw she was dead.

But he did.
********

It's six o'clock, it's not dark yet but it's getting close. Luke passed out an hour ago after he ordered me to make him dinner. He's now out cold on the couch I could make all the noise in the world and he wouldn't wake up. I quickly pack a bag of what little possessions I have.

My main wardrobe consist of a pair of faded old jeans, and a variety of old T-shirts. The only semi decent outfit I own is my outfit I wear to my job at the library, which is a pair of kaki corduroys and a collard navy blue shirt so faded that it looks sky blue. Then I move to my books I have about five, all of which my mom gave to me. Me and my mom shared the same passion for books, and literature of any kind really. Also I have a picture of my family with Luke cut out of it so it's just me and my mom. Don't judge me for doing so, cutting Luke out, he doesn't belong in that picture.

Luke always threatened me that if I ran away that I would come right back because I would not have money and no where to go. Luke did not know however about the money my mom left behind for me for this exact reason, when I left my father she wanted me to leave for good. She left me as much as she had which was about sixty thousand, put that together with the money I have set aside from my jobs over the years I'm at about sixty three thousand.

I grab my blanket and my pillow with all of my belongings put together I fill up about a medium sized duffle bag. I make my way downstairs and look at my drunken father passed out on the beat up old couch with a Half empty beer bottle in his hand.

"You were my father once," I say to his sleeping form, "you are nothing to me now." I walk out the door and don't look back.

*******

As I drive my old beat up Volvo that I got my junior year I think about what lies ahead. I'm going up to North Georgia near Lake Burton in Rabun county. I have already picked out a house and everything. It is a little cottage in the middle of the woods with a little dirt road that leads to the city. It has one master bed room and one master bathroom so it's the perfect size for me.

I need some form of income as well, so I called a local diner yesterday to see if they had any openings, luckily they were hiring so I got a job. I start work in two days, if I drive through the night I can go to town tomorrow and buy some stuff for the new house.

When I get to town it is about midnight. I drive around and don't actually find my house until 12:45. Once I'm here I use the key that the sales lady said would be above the door frame. I walk in I find the house pitch black dark. There is a lamp right next to the door, I quickly turn it on and have to squint for a second because the light burns my eyes. When my eyes finally adjust, I am looking at a quaint little living room, a cute dark green couch with a brown love seat seated in front of a fire place with a tv mounted on the wall above it. The kitchen has a bar jutting out from separating it from the living room. There is a glass door right before the entrance to the kitchen which leads to a small little outdoor patio and some chairs. My room and bathroom are off to the other side of the living room down a tiny hall, with my room on one side and my bathroom in the other. My room has a queen sized four post bed with a blue comforter. All of the rooms are a cream color.

I have to admit my favorite part of the whole house was the big book case in the living room filled with books.

As soon as I get done touring the house, I get into bed and fall asleep instantly. I slept, but I don't dream because I'm so tired.

I sleep in till eleven, I haven't slept this long since junior year of high school, Luke never let me. I always had to make sure I was up before him to make Him breakfast.

I remember the one time I wasn't. It was in the middle of junior year, I woke up to Luke ripping me out of the bed by my hair. "Get up you bitch!" Luke screams as he smacks me across the face. He drops me to the floor like a rag doll. I bring my hand up to cup my stinging cheek, there are tears in my eyes. "Daddy please, your hurting me!" I scream tears rolling down my cheek. This seems to make his even angrier. His nostrils flare as he grips me by my forearm and hauls me to my feet. "Your just as slow as your whore of a mother was!" He says while dragging me down the stairs. This makes me cry harder I sob loudly as he pushes me into the kitchen. "Shut the hell up and make my breakfast!"

I shudder as I remember the memory. As I walk to the bathroom to take a bath, I take in my appearance. I'm about 5'4 with long wavy brown hair like my mom, which is extremely messy from sleep right now. I'm kind of skinny in the build with lots of bruises and scars peppered all over my body from Luke. My skin is quite pale, which makes my bruises stick out more unfortunately. My eyes are blue just like Luke's.

When you look at me there's not really anything special about me. I think I look average, nothing really catches your eye when you see me unless you see a bruise sticking out of my shirt.. I'm just Katie Summers, nothing more.
Once the bathtub finishes filling up, I slip in with a sigh. The warm water relaxes my muscles more and more with each passing second. I close my eyes and lean my head back against the tub and relax for the first time in forever. I get out an hour later because the water turns cold. I get dressed and head into town.

Ummm, hai! This is my first book I've posted so if you see anything that may need some minor tweaking just let me know! Thanks byee!