Runner {Watty Awards 2012}

Chapter 1 Part 2

To the outside world Jane was the woman that had everything and wanted for nothing. She had the perfect house, the perfect husband, the perfect life, white picket fence and all and more money then you could spend in four lifetimes.

But behind closed doors and away from prying eyes it was a different story.

It started with the odd unkind remark here and there, then the odd slap in the face when the mood took him, which became several slaps when she didn’t do something fast enough for him or said something in a tone he didn’t like, ending in regular beating sessions down in the basement which he always kept locked.

No-one knew what happened down there but her and him.

As he rose in power, position and wealth he began to drink heavily and when the beatings slowly gravitated to abuse sexually not just towards Jane but towards her daughter too, she had decided enough was enough.

Jane had managed to sneakily send a couple emails to this Mr. John Smith via the allexperts.com website making sure she deleted all evidence of the contact, before her, her husband and her daughter left for Mexico City on another of her husband’s many business trips and was not expecting to get a call from him but held out hope anyway.

When Jane’s cell phone rang showing an unknown number she was almost too scared to answer it.

“Hello?” she said into the receiver, her eyes automatically searching for the whereabouts of her husband. He was about to go into a meeting but was still just a little too close for Jane to be comfortably having this conversation.

She heard a slight buzzing on the line as a deep baritone voice replied “Ms.Doe? This is John Smith I understand you need my help.” The sound of his voice had her heart jumping in her mouth, her stomach dropping to her feet and the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end all at the same time.

“Yes this is she and yes there is something you can help me with” Jane said hushed and hurried as she desperately tried to get out of earshot of her husband without looking untoward. She fleetingly saw him narrow his eyes at her as she slid the double glass door aside and slipped out into the cool evening air, but thankfully he was half dragged into that very important meeting before he could make a move to inquire what she was doing.

Sliding her back against the cool brick wall bracing herself away from what would be his line of sight she continued “You must help meMonsieurSmith, I need to get away from my husband. He does unspeakable things to me and my daughter and I need to get away. Now!”

There was a pause before he answered in a no nonsense tone “Ok…….where are you? Can you get your hands on any cash?”

“Non, monsieur I cannot. My husband has control of all my accounts. We will be in Mexico City for the next three days then we will be flying god knows where. It depends on my husband and his work you see. He doesn’t normally let me out of his sight” she replied. Panic starting to set in.

“Please John, help me. I will find money to pay you if that is your problem butJ’ai vous avez besoin, I need you” Jane begged.

The heavy oak door of the meeting room started to open; she could see her Husband making his way out. His body language giving off all the signs that he did not get the answers he needed in there and this sour mood will make things worse for her when they got back to the hotel.

“Hello? John? Are you still there?” her voice breaking in panic as she tried to slip somewhere further away to buy herself more time.

“Yes I’m still here Jane. I will help you but I need time to prepare, keep safe for now, do nothing to anger your husband, can I contact you on this number anytime?” he asked.

“Yes but if I don’t answer or anyone but me answers please keep her secret.” she replied.

“I will be in touch.”

These where the last words Jane heard him say before the line went dead.

“Merde!”She swore looking at the phone in her hand before slipping it back in her pocket.

Jane turned to slam straight into the barrel chest of her husband, his arms coming up to steady her and his eyes narrowing to tiny slits to scrutinize every muscle twitch in her face. “Who was that on the phone dear?” he said low and threatening, his tone belying the endearment he used.

“Chéri, It was Annette she was just formalizing the details for the summer social  we are organizing this year” She lied through her fucking teeth and prayed that he believed her.

“I hope you are not lying to me sweetheart. You know what happens when you are naughty” he threatened.

“Yes……. I know” She had to physically stop herself from adding, “only too well you abusive bastard” to the end of that sentence.

She remembered exactly in vivid detail what happened the last time he caught her lying.  He had dragged her down to the basement by her hair, her body bouncing off the wooden stairs all the way down, throwing her to the ground and towering over her before he took several cigarettes and forced the burning end down deep into her flesh one after another, whilst holding his hand over her mouth to muffle her screams of pain. She could still smell the mixture of tobacco ash and burning flesh if she thought hard enough.  She could still feel her ribs breaking and every contusion as he beat her so hard no-one could see her for two months solid.  He told everyone who asked that she had taken a holiday to relax from all the petitioning she was doing for his company.

But Jane knew the truth.

He grabbed Jane under her chin with enough force for her to feel the bruise coming up before it even became visible.

“Yes what!” he growled looking Jane dead in the eyes, his gaze alone could make you want to just curl up in a ball there and then and beg to die.

“Yes……master.” She whispered tears welling in her eyes.

“Better. Now come, we are going back to the hotel room now.” He said nonchalantly.

Jane had no choice but to follow him like an obedient puppy, she didn’t want to madden him any more then he was already. She couldn’t afford to make things worse.  She sent up to heaven a silent prayer that John would make good on his word to her, before it was too late.