Chapter Sixteen.
April
“Don’t move too fast. You’re hurt,” a soft voice murmured. Slowly reaching up and touching my head, I realised my hands were free.
“Yeah, I know,” I muttered as I struggled to open my eyes. It would be so easy to keep them closed and go back to sleep. However, that would mean giving in. That was something I’d never do.
Finally, I forced my eyelids apart and peered into Julie’s pale face. “Don’t worry, Julie, help will come.”
Julie looked so scared, I had to reassure the kid.
“You know my name?” Julie whispered. Bewilderment, surprise, and longing showed in her eyes. How long had it been since she’d been called her name? What the fuck did Margrave call her?
“Yes. My boyfriend, Stone, has been searching for you for a couple of weeks now.”
“He has?” Julie sounded astounded. “Mr Margrave said that everyone had forgotten about me.”
“No, never. Your dad hasn’t given up hope of finding you alive. He hired Stone to find you. Stone discovered that Margrave’s statement was full of lies. Margrave claimed he’d spotted you leave the library, but it had been shut that day.”
“Oh, yes, it was. But I’d gone there and forgotten it was closed,” Julie refuted quietly.
“Do you mean Margrave actually could have seen you leaving?” I asked, amused.
“Yes.”
“Well, fuck me. The lie Stone caught Margrave in wasn’t really a fib at all. Talk about ironic,” I murmured.
“Do you believe Stone will come?” Julie whispered so softly I almost didn’t hear.
The old me would have scoffed and stated an emphatic no. This me, the one who trusted in Stone, nodded vigorously. A moment later, I regretted that action as I turned my head and vomited in the corner.
“Definite concussion.”
“Here, it’s not much, but rinse your mouth,” Julie said, handing me a cup with barely any water.
“Sorry, that’s going to smell,” I replied, embarrassed.
“Don’t worry, I’ve smelt worse since I’ve been here,” Julie murmured and looked away.
“Has Margrave hurt you?” I asked gently.
“Mr Margrave’s beaten me a few times, and if I don’t move quick enough, he’ll slap me. But he’s not raped me,” Julie said, and I sighed in relief. “I thought that was strange. But Mr Margrave keeps repeating he wishes to be married first.”
“What? Does Margrave believe you’ll marry him?” I gasped and heaved again. Swallowing hard, I avoided getting sick.
“He’s hoping I’ll get that Stockholm syndrome, that I’ll become pliable and obey him.”
“Margrave wants a Stepford wife.”
“Yes. And honestly, I was about to yield. I’m so tired of hanging on to who I was,” Julie admitted.
“Don’t ever give up. No matter what happens, fight. People are looking for you,” I encouraged. Julie looked away, unable to hold my gaze.
Julie nodded. “I’ll try not to.”
“Julie, I need to sleep, sorry.”
“No worries. Rest, I’m worried about the cut on your head. It’s deep,” she said. “I cleaned it as best as I could, but Mr Margrave wouldn’t provide me with items to help.”
“Okay.” My eyes closed before I could say another word.
◆◆◆
“Get up, lazy bitch!” Margrave snarled. He kicked my legs hard as I groaned. I could barely open my eyes.
“She’s hurt,” Julie whispered. There was a loud slap, and a muted cry.
“You dare speak without permission?” Margrave snarled, and a second blow echoed.
“Leave Julie alone,” I hissed and shoved upright from where I lay on the floor. I wobbled back and forth, placing my hands on the ground to balance.
“What’s wrong with you?” Margrave sniped.
“You pistol-whipped me three times. I’ve a head injury, fuckin’ idiot. What do you think is the matter?” I replied weakly. Groaning, I leaned to the side and heaved once more.
“Jesus,” Margrave cursed. “Fetch a mop and bucket and clean this mess, Woman.”
Julie scurried away.
Mop and bucket. Right. I struggled to clear my thoughts with one goal in mind.
Julie’s freedom. Julie shuffled back into the room with cleaning equipment.
Margrave reached out and ran a finger down her swollen cheek.
My eyesight was blurry, but I could see the expression of deep satisfaction on his face.
Julie remained still, something she’d learned a long time ago, no doubt.
I steadied myself, feeling as limp as I probably looked. I’d only get one chance at this. As Julie cleaned, Margrave watched like a hawk. My head sagged forward as dizziness and nausea washed over me again. A pounding headache smashed against my temples.
As Julie began to walk back past, I took the opportunity. The bucket was close, and I kicked it hard. It toppled out of Julie’s grasp and covered Margrave. He stood stunned as dirty water and puke splashed all over him. That was all I needed.
Quickly, I grabbed the broom from Julie’s hands and whacked it over his head. Margrave reeled backwards, and I swung again. I was off balance this time, and it smashed into Margrave’s jaw and the side of his face.
“Run!” I screamed at Julie and flailed a third time. I felt the mop connect, and Margrave went down. Julie was already gone when I staggered out of the room we’d been locked in. I fumbled my way down the hallway and into the living room. The door was open, and Julie hovered there, terrified.
“Run! Regardless of what happens, don’t stop,” I ordered, and she nodded as I hurried towards her. Julie’s eyes opened wide, and I didn’t turn around.
“Run!” I screamed, tearing my vocal cords. Julie took off like a scared rabbit.
“Bitch,” Margrave hissed.
I didn’t glance behind, but stumbled outside. We were in the woods, and I hoped to reach the trees before Margrave caught me. Maybe I had a chance there despite the concussion.
A bang made me jump, and I knew Margrave had fired at me. A second shot spun me around as the bullet lodged in my shoulder. Margrave stood wild-eyed in the doorway with a gun in his hands and a crazed smile on his face.
“Woman won’t get far. Your attack did nothing but gain her further chastisement. But you won’t be here to see it.” Margrave fired, and the bullet took me in my stomach. I collapsed with a cry.
“Die, painfully, bitch.” Margrave spat as he headed down towards me. “Woman, I’m coming. Come back, or the punishment will be awful!”
With that, Margrave left me to die in agony.
Julie
The nice lady, whom I didn’t know and couldn’t keep calling ‘lady,’ Angel would do as she was one, screamed to run.
Like an arrow, I headed straight for the door and twisted the handle.
No! It was locked. Holding back panic, I looked around wildly, and my eyes lit on Mr Margrave’s car keys.
I grabbed them and shoved a key into the lock, and it swung open.
Although injured, Angel was giving me a chance. If I could get help, I might save us both. Torn between leaving Angel and running, I hesitated. Angel appeared, staggering but trying to run. She spotted me and screamed, ‘Run’ again.
Mr Margrave emerged behind Angel, and terror raced through me. She yelled, ‘run’ one last time, and I took off like a jackrabbit. I didn’t know which way to head or where I was, so I ran towards the lane, hoping it led to the road.
As I fled, I noted I had Mr Margrave’s car keys still in my hand. I jumped as gunshots echoed and Mr Margrave screamed my name. No, I wasn’t going back. If Mr Margrave caught me, he’d punish me badly. I threw the keys into the trees; at least he wouldn’t be able to force me to leave with him.
Panic scattered my thoughts as Mr Margrave kept shouting and making threats.
Angel was silent; there’d been two screams, and now I was terrified she was dead.
I heard footsteps behind me and knew Mr Margrave was chasing me.
But out here, I was in charge. I’d jogged daily ever since I was around six, going out with my dad.
We did at least two miles each morning, and while I was weaker and hadn’t jogged for months, my body understood what to do.
I stopped running in blind panic and dragged in some deep breaths.
Mr Margrave wouldn’t catch me on foot. Blindly continuing to run like a headless chicken meant I’d wear out quicker, and that risked capture.
I started jogging at a steady pace. I refused to speed up when I heard crashing in the trees.
If I panicked, I’d be caught again; that was unacceptable.
As I ran, I prayed Angel had survived, but deep down I felt Mr Margrave had probably killed her.
Before I realised it, I had hit the end of the long lane, and I faced a road.
One direction led up and the other down.
Down would be easier for me, even though Mr Margrave would guess the route I’d taken.
But my stamina was fading, and I was tiring.
Determined to seek help, I turned right, took the lower route, and cleared my thoughts.
Tired I might be, but I knew how to pace myself.
One foot in front of another, I concentrated on that and on keeping my breathing even.
In the distance, there were lots of headlights, but I didn’t allow hope to rise.
Until they were here, I wasn’t safe. Plus, would those driving be helpful and safe?
They might try to take me themselves. ‘Don’t trust anyone’ was the mantra that ran through my head.
Thank God I’d been allowed to keep my sneakers. The road would have shredded my soles if I didn’t have them. Pad, pad, pad, my feet went, pad, pad, pad. Slow and steady wins the race.
Harlequin
Night had fallen, and my gut was twisting.
We were racing towards Margrave’s address as fast as possible, but there was a sense of dread inside me; I couldn’t keep it down.
We took the turnoff and headed up the mountain road.
There were still ten minutes before we hit the cabin, and I prayed April was there.
Just before we departed, I’d received another picture from Margrave.
This one was of April lying on a bed, eyes closed, skin pale, and her face battered and bruised.