She hears a creak, and looks up with trepidation.
Paranoid, and with good reason.
She shrugs and goes back to her packing. it's the last of it, and she's relieved. HE'd only be gone but for so long, and who knows when HE'd be back?
Snap! Went the last suitcase. She slides it under the bed (HE never checks there...but what does HE really notice anyway?) and sits on its' edge in relief.
Let's see, she thinks, I've packed everything HE wouldn't readily notice.
Coats, sweaters? Check.
Extra toiletries and hairstuffs? Check.
Passport, Social security card, birth certificate? Double check-first thing she packed.
She lays back with a sigh. Her cat slinks into the room and hops on the bed. She cuddles next to her and purrs.
"Don't worry Kitty-Pie", she says as she stroked the cat's soft fur, "we'll be out of here soon...he'll never lay a hand on either of us ever again..."
She vividly recalls the night before...
She can still feel HIS strong grip on her arm; the sting of flesh slapping flesh; the warm, metallic taste of blood...
She shudders and hugs herself. No more of that for me, she thinks. No more beatings, no more leeching (from HIS part, of course), no more forced encounters in the dark of night; hell, no more sleepless nights. No more...
Fear.
And as she thought the very word, she became afraid.
What if HE finds out and comes after me? What if... What if HE tries to kill me?
Questions better left unanswered.
But no; nothing will happen.
Her brother is coming to help her escape; he'd never let anyone lay a hand on her, let alone HIM.
While her brother was there, he might even kick HIS ass, she thinks gleefully.
But no, no violence. Just a smooth get-away is all she hopes for.
And with that thought, she feels much better. she gets up, undresses, and proceeds to take a long hot shower, letting all her fears melt away.
I'll be free soon, she thinks happily.

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