“Need a ride?” I turn to look over my shoulder, eyeing the car slowing to a crawl beside me on the road.
“I’m good, thanks.”
Shit, I should’ve gone through the fields. It’s at least a mile before I’m even on Charlie’s land, let alone home.
I walk a bit faster, adjusting my grip on the grocery bags and praying I won’t have to abandon them. It was hard enough scrounging up the money for these and I’ll be screwed if I come back empty handed.
“Pretty, young thing like yourself shouldn’t be out here alone. You never know what sort of trouble you might run into.” He clucks his tongue with mock indignation, like the very thought weighs on his mind, keeping him up at night.
Like a typical pervy jackass, he winks. Buzzed dark hair and matching, soulless eyes, he lounges in his seat like he’s God’s gift to Earth. At least he’s alone, so that’s a point in my favor. After twenty-two years in this hellish place, I know these fields like the back of my hand. I might have to starve to accomplish it, but better than the alternative. The crops are taller than I am this late in the year, so I stand a solid chance outrunning him.
“No worries, if I’m not home in the next-” a quick glance at my watch, feigning bravado to conceal my rapidly beating heart “-fifteen minutes, my father will come looking. Seriously, no need to trouble yourself.”
Struggling against the urge to flee, I keep my steps measured, because if there’s one thing predators love, it’s the chase. Running will only excite him, so I need to play my cards right. He wavers, car crawling to keep pace with me, and I can’t refrain from power walking at this point. Finally, he speeds off without another word and I sag in relief, adrenaline coursing through my veins with the grace of an avalanche.
I may need to escape, but I’m not dumb enough to think that this stranger is offering salvation out of the goodness of his heart. People are selfish first and foremost, especially the ones that pass through here. No, I need to stick to the plan; I’ve come too close to rush it now.
It’s another several miles before I’m finally walking up the creaking, splintered steps of the front porch, the dilapidated farmhouse long past its prime. The door groans as I push it in, everything inside pitch black now that the sun’s dipped below the horizon, the walk to the store and back taking the better part of the afternoon. A quick flip of the switch and still nothing.
Keeping my voice low, I curse. “Never paid the utilities either. Awesome.”
Dropping my bags on the kitchen counter, I fumble through drawers, finally pulling out a box of matches and some birthday candles. Needless to say, they won’t do shit or grant wishes despite how many times I’ve tried, but it’s a bit easier with the small flames to find the edge of the curtain to tie back, hunting for a sliver of light. I toy with the idea of just burning the place down for the insurance money, but knowing my luck, Dad would survive that too, like the cockroach he is.
“Took ‘ya long enough.” My heart leaps out of my chest, my father’s slurred words coming from behind me. The slim candles clatter into the empty sink as I whirl around, the edge of the counter digging into my spine. Eyes flitting to either side of the kitchen table between us, I try to settle on the best path past him, heart lodging in my throat.
Just a few more months. Just need to suffer a little longer and I can get out of this hellhole.
“Long line at the store,” I lie easily as I adjust to the dim lighting, the small beam of light casting eerie shadows around the room.
He huffs in displeasure, taking a drunken step and spitting in my direction. “You’re nothin’ but a lying whore, just like your momma.”
My stomach churns, wondering if I can make it past him to the stairs. It’s been weeks since he’s gotten this trashed, but it wouldn’t matter if it was days or years. My body goes rigid, phantom blows already making my bones ache as I mentally scramble for a way to buy myself a head start.
“Food’s on the counter if you’re hungry,” I deflect, because any argument I try to make will only escalate things quicker.
Another step closer and I inch to the side, aimed at keeping the table between us. “Hell have you been, huh?” he growls, not letting it go. “You sleepin’ with the neighbor now too?” His voice rises as he goes off on his tangent, the hostility emanating off of him in waves.
Fuck. I’m not going to make it.
“Of course not.”
Faster than I would’ve imagined him capable of in this state, he lunges forward. I sprint for the stairs, only making it halfway across the living room before he gets a fistful of my pale hair and yanks me back. Gripping my head, I try to ease the pressure on my scalp, to keep from panicking, but my breaths come quicker as my body starts to lock up in fear.
“I’m not, I promise,” I beg, choking back a sob as tears start to slip out despite my best efforts to hide them.
Iknowbetter. He thrives on that weakness, loves punishing me in her place, but it’s impossible not to panic as my muscles coil, bracing for the familiar pain they know is about to come. Long gone are the days that I tried to hit him back; it just makes it ten times worse.
And still, no one listens or cares.
The first hit lands on my jaw, hair ripping out of my head as I crash onto the hardwood floor. A sharp kick to my stomach and another to my ribs when I curl in on myself, trying to be as small as possible. Tears steadily stream down my face as I stifle my cries, silently praying for him to get bored if I don’t react.
“And now I find out you’ve been holding out on me too?” he snarls, rattling the coffee can that I keep under my floorboard, slamming it back down on the small table by the staircase.
No,I mentally breathe in horror.
I clamp my eyes shut, not wanting to see it, unwilling to accept it. It’s taken years to gather even that much, and it sure as hell isn’t a lot in the first place. But soon, it could have been enough, my ticket out of this horrible place.
“What do you bet you’re not even mine, huh!?” My shoulder blade screams when his boot slams into it. Cursing in pain, I quickly regret it as he closes his sweaty palm around my throat, forcing me back to my feet. “Eating my food, living off my dime; you’re lucky I didn’t put you down with her.”
