11/8/24
He reached up to touch a strand of April's long hair when she felt an immense pressure build up inside. It exploded out of her before she could stop it. It felt like a wave of strength that started deep in her core. She watched, in what felt like slow motion, as it hit Vince first. He flew back, hitting the table in the middle of the room. She heard a crunch as the table disintegrated into splinters. Vince was motionless. Travis, who was still sitting in the chair next to the table, was hit by the shockwave next. He was knocked backwards. Skidding across the floor. The fire snake he was playing with disappeared. Ben, who was hiding in the corner during all of this was least affected. His head flung back against the wall and April heard a sickening crack.
It took April a couple seconds to process what had happened. She looked over at Vince who was starting to stir and Travis who was trying to stand back up. She knew that she had to move. This was her chance to escape. She tried in the past to get by them, but she has never been able to overpower them.
April took her chance and ran. Just as she was passing by Travis, his hand shot out. A bright orange-fireball soaring through the air towards her. He was still orientating himself from her Shockwave, but it grazed the back of her calf as she was passing by. Screaming in pain, she glared at Travis. It was as if all her hate and anger from everything he did to her over the years, was coming to the surface. He deserved to experience it all and more. All of the sudden his eyes went wide, and he grabbed at his hand. She watched in horror as his right hand seemed to crunch and deform. She could hear the snaps and cracks of his bones from where she stood. Blood dripped down his arm.
“My fucking hand, you bitch! I'm gonna fucking kill you!” He screamed in agony, cradling his hand close to his chest as more blood gushed out. He collapsed to the ground.
Absolutely stunned at the sight before her. She stared a split second before the searing pain her calf brought her back. She turned and ran those last few feet to the door. With all her might she yanked it open. The hatch that led to the surface was wide open. Her captors were careless and never bothered to lock it.
Is my luck turning around? She climbed up the rusty 10-foot ladder. For the first time ever, unescorted to the surface. She felt the sun hit her face before she could see over the latch. She hauled herself out and just looked up. The sun was warm and so inviting. Memories of being on a beach somewhere when she was young flash back. The warm sand and hot sun. The coolness of the water under her toes. She sees a glimpse of a long dark-haired person and all she felt was love.
Movement heard from down below snapped her out of the trance. She heard talking, a gruff voice she knew could only come from Vince. She slammed the hatch down and twisted the lock. She ran towards a forest a couple hundred feet away, until she just couldn't run anymore.
After what felt like forever, April finally looked around her, to try to figure out where she was. Large trees with prickly needles on the branches were everywhere. She recalled seeing that type of tree in a Christmas picture book Ben brought her once. Only this time it wasn’t covered in the pretty lights. She moved her toes, feeling the soft grass. she chastised herself for not grabbing shoes.
No, April. You may not have made it out alive if you grabbed shoes. She knew she was right, but her poor scarred feet still felt the pain of running in the woods for hours. The thought of being outside, alone for the first time ever terrified and thrilled her at the same time. 20 years, a prisoner. Vince and the other 2 stole her life from her. Causing her pain and doing things to her she didn't quite understand but hated every second of.
A wave of exhaustion came over her and she got up to slowly wander more through the forest. April didn't know it but there were many creatures watching her, interested in her every move. She came across a decline with a log sticking out of it. She crawled underneath the log, pulling her threadbare nightgown closer. No longer able to evade sleep, she drifted off thinking of all the possibilities now that she is free.
He will never have me again; I will not be controlled anymore.
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