Seraphina
As I chop the vegetables, my concentration falters, distracted by the haunting words of that elderly woman. Her words reverberate in my mind, and I struggle to muster the courage to confront Jacob and Julie. They tend to scare me just by their words. A single aggressive insult from them is enough to send shivers down my spine, fearing that they may harm me. The bruises and burn marks on my body serve as evidence of the abuse I have endured at the hands of both of them.
That woman presented me with two choices: either to escape or to confront them by involving the cops. Now I'm standing confused in the kitchen for the past twenty minutes, with a knife in my hand, and my mind is planning to escape. I know for sure that confronting them would only create problems for me. I finish preparing the meal, and now I walk towards the lounge, hearing the sound of the car. I notice that they have arrived.
I quickly move towards the door and twist the doorknob, but it swings open forcefully, hitting me in the face and causing me to hiss in pain. Julie, who has just walked in, gives me a dismissive glance before rolling her eyes. I wince and press my palm against my forehead before going back to the couch. I am growing increasingly irritated by the actions of Julie and Jacob. Their behavior is becoming intolerable and unacceptable to me.
"Who told you to stand by the door like that?" Julie casually remarks, and I clench my fists in anger, biting back my response. With deep breaths, I force a smile and head to the kitchen to serve them dinner. "Jacob, there's something I need to discuss with you," I hesitantly begin, but he continues eating without looking up, asking, "What is it?" Nervously rubbing my palms together, I explain what the doctors told me.
"Um, Jacob, I got the reports from the doctor, and he said—" I pause, mustering the courage to continue. "Well, what did he say?" Julie interrupts, sounding bored. I continue nervously, "He said that Jacob is infertile."
Another moment passes, and Jacob's eyes meet mine with a cold glare. His expression shifts, anger brewing within his gaze, and I feel a sense of dread as I anticipate what's to come. "You what?" Julie exclaims, her face reflecting a rapid change of emotions. Disregarding her, Jacob slowly advances towards me, and I instinctively flinch as he grabs my hair tightly. "You infertile b***h. What did you just say?" With a series of harsh slaps, Jacob's rage escalates until I collapse to the floor in pain.
Tears streaming down my face, I manage to choke out, "That's what the reports say, Jacob. Not me—" I plead with him to spare me from further harm, but he reaches for his belt and begins striking me with it, the leather leaving painful marks on my legs and back. Julie watches silently, seemingly enjoying the moment. After Jacob has vented his anger on me, he walks away, leaving me trembling on the cold floor.
After finishing dinner, both of them are so tired that they collapse on the couch and quickly doze off, leaving the television blaring in the background. I shake my head in disappointment and carry on with my tasks. Suddenly, a loud noise from the TV startles them awake.
I can't help but silently chuckle, and Julie exclaims, refering to me, “Shut up! Finish your work!” Then I watch both of them walking up the stairs to sleep. Once their bedroom door is shut, I hastily dry my hands, leaving the half-washed dishes in the sink. Tonight is the night I plan to make my escape, and I have everything prepared. But I also have a perfect idea for revenge against both of them.
Filled with anger, I swiftly exit through the back door where my bag is waiting. Returning inside, I unleash my fury on the house, staining the walls and disarranging the living room and kitchen. Once the chaos is complete, I tightly grip the doctor's reports and sneak into their bedroom, searching for Julie's phone. Finding it, I snap a few pictures of the report and then proceed to post them publicly on various platforms.
With a surge of rage, I grab the scissors from the bedside table and start cutting off Julie's long hair. Placing the scissors in Jacob's hand, I feel a twisted satisfaction in my actions. The anger within me refuses to cool down, compelling me to devastate them further. Pouring a jug of water onto their bed, I silently make my way out of the room, closing the door behind me.
Hurrying down the stairs, I waste no time and swiftly exit through the back door, leaving behind my abusive husband and his evil mistress. My heart pounds in my chest, sweat beading on my forehead as I run into the empty street, leaving the chaos behind. Glancing back at my house, I see the familiar old woman standing on the terrace of her own home, waving at me. I manage a smile in return before turning and running away, finally escaping from my abusive husband and the torment of that house.
There's no turning back now, and I have to survive on my own from here on out. I took some money from Julie's purse and Jacob's wallet, eager for them to see the chaos I left behind. Once they realize I'm gone, they'll likely lose it, especially Jacob. I also brought Jacob's reports with me in case he tries to track me down. With plans to leave the city, I arrived at the bus station and managed to catch the last bus departing in the middle of the night.
Just in time, I boarded the bus before the doors shut, setting off towards a new chapter in my life. After buying my ticket, I inquire with the driver about the bus's destination, feeling a sense of fate guiding me towards that city. "Lafayette," the driver informs me, and I quietly find a seat as the bus starts its journey.