Freeing herselfA Story by Marissa M.A young woman finds the courage to free herself from her captor.Head high, she swept out of the room. A second later, head even higher, she swept back in, snatched up the money and was gone again. The men surrounding the table in their fine suits of silk and cashmere still held their cards staring after the young woman in shock. No woman was supposed to know this game even existed. Who was she and how did she find them? You can do this amelia. Her breath came fast as she rounded the corner at the end of the hall and down the stairs to the almost deadly silent saloon below. Most of the patrons left hours ago and the few that were left sagged in their chairs and leaned heavily against the walls to keep their clumsy bodies upright. No one noticed her as she held the bills between the folds of her skirts. Exiting through the swinging doors that creaked with resistance as she pushed them open she slowed down so as not to alert any lawmen to her appearance. Who knew who she could trust in this town any one of them could be in Sir Alec’s pocket. Her dark brunette hair and slim figure covered in a black dress that she had long since outgrown hid her well in the dark shadows that hung heavily in the alley next to the building that had held her captive for so many years. She whistled a soft short sound 2 times and waited quietly. Hearing one long whistle slash through the air she breathed a sigh of relief. Meeting the young boy just deep enough to go unnoticed by any passerbys she took the small bag he held out to her. “Thank you timothy now run home and remember-” “I never saw you and I was home with my pa all night.” The boy of 15 cut her off as she cupped his cheek pushing back the tears that flowed fourth. “I’ll come back soon I promise and when I do this town will finally be free again.” She gave one swift nod before turning around and walking back to the street husting quickly now as a screech rang through the air and stomping feet scurried down the stairs within the building. As she sunk down in her seat on the train staring at the window she saw 2 men step out of the doors of the saloon eyes scanning up and down the street. They will never lay a hand on you again. She thought confidently as the train lurched forward and began speeding down the track. I’m coming home. For the first time in two years she felt her muscles relax and she leaned back against the soft velvet headrest. Allowing herself to think back on the events that led her to this moment; two and a half years ago when she lost her parents to some freak accident on their way home from town she had been consoled by her brother, Victor. As he comforted her following their parents funeral they were approached by a man claiming to be their uncle whom neither had met but their father often mentioned a man he considered a brother when he was growing up. As the two gentlemen spoke she had slipped away for a moment alone to dry her eyes and silently say goodbye to the people who had loved her most in the world. The next thing she knew she woke up in the basement of The golden egg saloon and fun parlor. She shivered at the memories that threatened to overwhelm her wrapping her arms tightly around herself to ward off the chill that ached deep in her bones. Sir Alec had she had discovered her “uncle” to be was an evil loathsome man who took advantage of every person he came into contact with. It took months but she soon learned the goings on of the building above her but she soon fell into a routine. Marking the days on scrap of paper given to her by one of the men that came to visit her. The first time had been the worst as Sir Alec had said he needed to “break her” and he did, she had bled for days her hips bruised and painful. She numbed herself more as time went on separating her soul from her body as soon as she heard boots on the stairs. Then one day Timothy came down the stairs she stared in shock at the young boy. “Uncle Alec asked me to come down and take your dress from you, says you’re starting to smell.” She had resisted the urge to sniff in indignation but she took the brown dress from the boy waiting until he turned his back before she rushed out of her mourning gown the burlap fabric itched against her skin but she was too relieved to be in new clothes to be bothered to car. “Thank you.” She whispered meekly handing the black ball of fabric to the boy who hesitated for just a moment before disappearing again. Over time she saw him more and more as he ran small errands for the man he called uncle alec. She didn’t talk much anymore but he started to talk to her every chance he could about his father and how he had become indebted to the man he now called Uncle Alec. The hatred he held for the man rolled off of him in waves. A friendship or at least a confidante was found in each other so when she was eventually moved up into a room in the main house Timothy was a regular visitor and when he couldn’t find an excuse to visit her he would kick notes under her door in passing. Thats how tonight had come to fruition. Timothy’s dad had been invited to some secret meeting on the top floor of the saloon but when he couldn’t attend due to an illness that befell the old man Timothy came to deliver the message stumbling in on a game of cards with more money on the table than the boy had ever seen. He was immediately pushed out but it was enough to start scheming and planning. Finally, she was free. She sent a prayer up to the Lord for the boy and his ailing father. Lord please keep them safe just give me a few days. As she finished praying she squared her shoulders holding he head high once more as the sun broke over the horizon illuminating a town, her town. It was only a few miles walk to her family's ranch where she knew victor would be waiting for her. She grinned triumphantly, Victor was just the man to right the wrongs the wretched man Sir Alec had done to the small community she hours down the tracks. She would see him brought down to his knees and punished for his ways, his hold on the quiet people he had used to do his bidding would be broken. She would save them all.© 2020 Marissa M.Reviews
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1 Review Added on January 28, 2020 Last Updated on January 28, 2020 Tags: thiller, suspense, female lead, strong female, freedom, captive |