Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Escape



 
       Amy was no stranger to hard work.  She worked 10-12 hours daily at the grocery store then rushed to college to study art.  Being an artist was her dream, not ringing up groceries.  The job brought money that paid her way and gave her hope.  By the time she returned home, her husband was at work and she was tired.  As far as he was concerned, she was completely worthless and couldn’t do anything right.





       She didn’t dare infuriate him.   Making him mad always spelt trouble for her.  She tried to stay up and wait for him, but always seemed to succumb to sleep before his arrival.  Her dreams haunted her.  She was always running and terrified, with the beast breathing down her neck.  She could feel his hatred.  Even her dreams mirrored the sorry path her life had taken recently.  She was jarred awake by unbelievable pain in her temple.  She saw stars and tasted blood in her mouth.  She slowly opened her eyes to see him glaring at her, twirling a revolver on his thumb.



      “Get out of bed and get me a beer you lazy ugly bitch, NOW!”  He grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor.  A sob escaped as she reached for the bed to pull herself up.  She felt dizzy and tasted blood.   Disgusted, he kicked her in the stomach as he left the room.  Her thoughts jumbled as she registered the gun.   Where had he gotten a gun?  He would kill her for sure now.   She had to get away before it was too late!   She wiped her tears and rushed to do his bidding. 


         He was sitting in the living room, surfing through the television channels like he always did.    How she hated him.  Oh God, how her head hurt!  She felt like throwing up.  Her stomach hurt worse than the last time he had kicked her there, if that were possible.    One day he would go too far and kill her.   She knew this as well as she knew her own name.  She could run, but she couldn’t hide.   He made her pay daily for being sleepy, for not doing something fast enough, and for simply breathing. Reflecting, she felt she had paid enough.



        She poured the beer into a frosted glass, just the way he liked it.  Once she had made the mistake of taking him the bottle.  She had gotten a broken arm for that silly mistake.  She wasn’t about to provoke him tonight.    She had to hurry or he would come looking for her.  That simply wouldn’t do.  Casting a sidelong glance over her shoulder, she added a handful of pills from the bottle in her pocket and watched them dissolve as she quickly stirred the concoction.  Her mind went over her plan of a different identity, a disguise, and flight to safety to the other side of the globe.  He would never find “Amy” again.  She had worked out the details over the past month.  After months of overtime, scrimping, saving, and planning she was finally ready.   She hurried the beer to him as he began to complain about how slow and stupid she was.
 
      “How in the hell is it possible that you could ruin beer?  This stuff tastes like shit.” He ranted and raved.  She took a seat as far away as she could.   It was then he began to sweat.  He turned green, then a ghastly shade of white.  “What did you do bitch?” he demanded.  He fell from the chair in convulsions as she watched horrified until his body finally stilled.  With one last look, she grabbed her car keys.  “I am taking my life back.  Burn in hell asshole!” she called as she frantically made her escape.  The trunk of the car had been packed for the perfect moment for the last week.   Inside held all her hopes and dreams.    Within a day the transformation would be complete.  She would change her clothes, her hair, and her face.  Amy, the cashier would cease to exist and in her place Angela, the artist would be born.  It would be so easy and the only chance of staying alive she would ever get.




This is my response to Speakeasy’s weekly prompt, which is to write a piece in 750 words or less (mine is 702 words) and (1) use the sentence “It would be so easy” anywhere in the piece; and (2) make some kind of reference to the media prompt, which happens to be a video for Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.

48 comments:

  1. Good for her to get out of that, leaving him as dead as a doormat

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    1. Pat, I am so pleased you liked my story! Thank you for stopping by and for your comments! ♥ It is always good to be able to escape a living hell like that. She was lucky.

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  2. Creatively done Kathy. And go Amy, or should I say Angela? She deserves so much better

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    1. iwrotethose.com, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  3. I got the chills reading this story. But so nice that it all worked out fine for Amy in the end. Nice story

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    1. myriadrainbowhues, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  4. wow! That was chilly and so realistic!!
    You have expressed Amy so beautifully!
    I'm enjoying your fiction Kathy! Great job!

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    1. pixie, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  5. Amy deserved to get away from the wretched life and thus Angela was born. A happy ending.

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    1. Kalpana, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. It is always a happy ending when the battered can escape intact. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  6. Oh my what a captivating story. You had me from the first words, dear Kathy! Great story, and of course I cheer with Amy in the end..Good for her. Love the sentence "I am taking my life back" So powerful, but yet, so difficult for many women to accomplish if they are trapped like this...

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    1. Eli, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  7. One of my friends was in an abusive relationship similar to this fictional account...he didn't beat her but he was a cop and threatened her all the time. She had to make an escape too, but she did it when he was at work. Scary.

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    1. JoJo, some of the details in this story mirror what I went through with my first husband. No wonder I could write Amy's story so realistically when I actually lived getting knocked in the head with a gun and thrown around by the hair. A lot more of that goes on than what a person realizes. Thank you for stopping by and for reading my story. I appreciate your comments and that you shared your experiences. ♥

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  8. It is the end that makes the whole ordeal worth it.. I believe this could be actually someone's story....

    Richa

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    1. Richa, it somewhat mirrors mine...but I didn't have to drug my ex. When I stood up to him finally he left and divorced me. Lucky me. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. ♥

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  9. Oh, wow! What a story! It's so sad to think that people live in abusive relationships, but the reality is too many do. Great writing, Kathy!

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    1. Martha, very true. Many suffer silently through things just like this. I did myself for a while. I escaped. I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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    1. Stacie, me too. The other outcome is unthinkable. Thank you for stopping by and for your kind comments. I am so pleased you enjoyed my story! ♥

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  11. It is great that Amy took her life back, it is never too easy to do what she did the way she did. Excellent plot Kathy!!

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    1. Reshma, that is the truth. She was very brave. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! I am so pleased you enjoyed my story! ♥

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    2. Take a bow Kathy, it takes great courage to walk out of an abusive marriage. Glad life has blessed you and rewarded you for your courage ♥♥

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    3. Reshma, just happy I got out alive and away from him. Even more happy I found the dear husband I have. Thank you for stopping in again. ♥

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  12. Amy had a horrible life with that evil husband. I'm glad she finally got away!

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    1. Valerie, me too! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  13. That's some story, Kathy! Hope life smiles on her again!! I am sure, it will! :)

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    1. Shilpa, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  14. Yay for Angela! So glad she took control and got away. Great story Kathy!

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    1. Deanna, I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Thank you for stopping by to read and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  15. Kathy this is a wonderful story, I loved it, You have used the prompts well.

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    1. Ranu 802, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. I put my gut into this one so it is really gratifying when that works out and people like yourself like the outcome. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  16. Oh, Kathy, this is so raw and so good. I'm glad she got away to make a new life for herself. Great use of the prompts! :)

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    1. Suzanne, I am so thrilled you liked my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments. ♥

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  17. I'm glad she had a plan and was ready to execute it (and him :) ) I call this a happy ending to a miserable nightmare!

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    1. jannatwrites, I am happy you liked my story! Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  18. Well,she showed him that she was good at something he would have never dreamt her capable of doing-in this life at least-way to go Amy!I love it when underdogs-specially women- take control and turn things around to their advantage -enjoyed this one totally Kathy:-)

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    1. Atreyee, I am so happy you enjoyed my story. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  19. I love how empowered she was, taking control; the fact that she didn't just kill him in the heat of the moment, but that she had her whole new life and identity planned out. Great story!

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    1. tinsenpup.net, I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. I don't think she really wanted to kill him. She just wanted to have the opportunity to get away...and she did. Thank you for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  20. I loved your story so much! I'm so glad her plan was successful, I was so scared he would catch her and kill her. Nicely done! :D

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    1. Nada, I think she feared the same which is why she had to plan so meticulously. I am so pleased you enjoyed my story. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  21. Sweet revenge! I felt terrible for Amy and was really starting to hate that stupid husband of hers like hell, but then she went and killed him off, and that made me so very happy :D Great job!
    -Tinkerbelle

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    1. Samriddhi, I am so pleased you enjoyed the story. Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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  22. A standing ovation to the brave lady! <3

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    1. Sheethal, I am thrilled you liked my story so much!! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely comments. Your encouraging words mean the world to me. ♥

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  23. Only if all oppressed women had the courage to stand up for themselves ( though not necessarily in the same manner ) ! A powerful message there, Kathy ! Lovely narration :)

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    1. Sreeja, I am so pleased you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for stopping by and for your sweet comments! ♥

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