Reawaken

Intro

     Bullfrogs croaks, snake hisses, and the flapping of lightning bug wings created a symphony in the night air. The light of the amber moon crept behind the drapes, and it's shadows rippled onto the hardwood floor. I sat perched in place, on my knees as the shadows of the drapes danced against my brown thighs. My body felt full of turmoil, as I stared in shock at what I had done, smoke still floating in the night air. I stared down at my trembling hands, my bruised knees, painted in deep crimson.

     Bile bubbled in the back of my throat, staring at the blood that trailed the mahogany wood of the floor to where I sat. I dare stare between the strands of my dark hair at the still silhouette that was sprawled out across the room. The flicker of the flame on my nightstand made his dark shadow dance, but I knew, staring at the bottom of his boot and his open palm peeking from beneath the bed that he was not moving.

     A chill picked up from the open window, and despite the sweat that pooled from my brow and pits, goosebumps prickled on my arms. Something maddening snapped within me then. Like twine unraveling around a post, a tree branch falling from a mighty storm. A bird falling from its nest, only to discover its wings.

     Tears fell from my eyes as a smile spread to my ears. Holding my stomach, I laughed and laughed. Any old body would've thought I'd gone mad. I was mad, far beyond it. But as I sat there, laughing like a hyena in the night air, I felt weightless.

     Is this what freedom felt like?

     Unsteady, I rose on my feet. A glint met my eye, the revolver resting on the floor tangle in the bloodied drapes. I grabbed it; the brass was still warm. My eyes wandered to the mirror that hung over my dresser, and something crazy rested in my eyes, something I ain't ever felt in all my life.

     I had to get away from here.

     Quickly, I rummaged to the closet, grabbing my suitcase I had prepared since the day I arrived on this farm. I never intended to stay, never intended to be held a prisoner. But Clay made it clear that I was his property. Never in my life I thought I'd end up like this.

     Daddy taught me better than that.

     Running to the bathroom, I stripped off my nightgown and ran steaming water over my hands, legs, and feet. I scrubbed and scrubbed until I stopped seeing red. Until I felt raw.

     I pulled a shirt over my head, snapping the straps of heavy denim dungarees over my body and my farming boots. Urgency overwhelmed me. With trembling hands I packed my jewelry box, delicates, all the money I could find, my bloodied nightgown, and the revolver all in the suitcase; snapping it shut.

     A sigh staggered from my lips, as I sat on the bed running a hand through my wild curls. On the nightstand was a picture of my daddy, despite my shaking hands, they were still as I grabbed and stared at the photograph. A different kind of shock overwhelmed me then, and without thinking I smashed the frame to the ground, collecting the picture inside. On the back in scribbled cursive were the words 'EVA PARISH – 1942'

     All at once, things started connecting in my mind like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle.

     A stir caused me to yelp, the baritone groan of my husband rumbling off the walls of the room. I crumpled the picture in my denim pocket, grabbed my suitcase, and stomped out the bedroom.

     I crossed towards the kitchen to our back door, a dizziness of relief overwhelming me as I saw the keys laying on the table. Palming them, I opened the back door, met with a symphony of crickets and the sparkle of lightning bugs. The summer air met my face and stuck on my brown skin.

     This was my baptism.

     "He-lp," A stuttered howl rang in the air.

      Demetria. Go. Now!

     My body felt like coals, my hands trembling as I hopped in the old pickup truck, the ignition sputtering and spewing. It felt like an eternity before I heard the low rumble of the engine.

     Disturbing the earth, the wheels of the tires created red, dusty clouds as I stomped on the gas and drove past the pine trees off our land and down the road, never to look back.

     There was no going back. And there was one place I knew where I needed to be, where I could start over and feel true freedom.

     And that place was close to Daddy.