I was in bed listening for Dawson's breaths to even out before I decided tonight is the night I take my life back.

Quietly, I snuck out of the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. After slowly and gently shutting the door I turned on the light. I gasped when I saw my arms and face, he hit me so many times I lost count.

After I grabbed the tape out of the drawer I wrapped it around my torso to ease the pain I feel in my ribs once again. This isn't the first time I've had to do this, but it will be the last.

I whispered to myself. "I've had enough, I can't take this anymore."

I popped a few ibuprofen and swallow them down without any water while I grabbed a few of my things. Thankfully, over the last few weeks, I have packed most things I'll need in a gym bag and hid it in the bathroom closet. I only need smaller things like my makeup, straighter, toothbrush.

Quietly, I opened the closet door and grabbed my bag then cut out the light. My pulse is racing and with a shaky hand, I turn the doorknob to leave this bathroom and my past behind me.

Dawson is snoring so I quietly grabbed my purse off the dresser and slipped out of the bedroom. I basically ran down the steps to the kitchen where I take the house key off the keyring and laid my phone beside of it, If I don't leave it he will track me.

I moved slow and grabbed my shoes and quietly put them on. After grabbing a bottle of water and a few snacks I snuck out the door and rushed to my car. I'm out of breath and scared but I'm almost away from the hell that lives inside that house. I quickly threw all my stuff inside and locked the door before I let out a breath of relief but it's not over yet, I need to put miles between me and that demon that poses as just a man.

My Dodge Charger roared to life I'm afraid he will wake up so I quickly back up my car and pull out of the driveway never to look back. Goodbye Dawson, bye Job and bye North Carolina.

My body is aching but I have to keep going. I can't let him find me, I can never go back. It's a good thing I don't have to leave behind anyone I love, I haven't had anyone for years that really cares what happens to me.

When I was 17 my parents burnt up in a house fire. I wasn't at home I was at a party with friends, my life changed that day and I struggled to finish school let alone put myself through college, but I did it and can do this too.

Thanks to my parents being successful partners in business they left me money to make it through the toughest times. I still have some of that money, thank god and Dawson didn't know about it.

I met Dawson a few years later while in college and I thought he was my forever, but something changed. I think he was on drugs or something. The last two months were painful and he was always so sorry afterword.

Finally, after taking some back roads and putting a few miles behind me I reached for the knob and turned the radio up as I sped down the road having no clue where I am going. The more miles I put behind me, I feel free and ready to start this newest phase of my life.

A couple hours later I pull into a gas station that has a subway attached, I'm starving and a sandwich will calm my stomach and give me the energy to keep driving.

I put on my ball cap to keep people from seeing the bruises on the side of my head then got out of my car to fill up on gas. I know a full tank will get me further so it's just another step toward my future as a free woman.

A few mins later I'm back out to my car. I grabbed a map, and a sandwich, and chips and I'm ready to hit the open road.

Once back on the road with no direction of where I'm going I just drove. A couple of hours later I realized I was close to Georgia and I think that's a nice place to start over. I just need to pull over at another gas station, fill up again, grab some food and I'll be on my way.

Getting back on the road with a hamburger in my hand I have a plan to make it to Georgia and get a motel for the night until I figure something out.

A couple hours later I hit the Georgia line and finally breathe a sigh of relief. There are miles between us now, he won't even know where to start if he tries to look for me. I was coasting on down the road with my new freedom when a car beside me swerved then slammed into the side of my car, flipping it on its top and sliding it down the road over an embankment. It all happened so quickly and suddenly everything faded black.

💚💚I just want to thank my friend gracemadden1234 for helping me on this journey in writing. 💚💚