The Deception of the Feast

Rachael sighed, exhausted from cleaning all day. She begins to carefully check over her work to make sure she doesn't miss anything. She was afraid of what would happen if she accidentally missed even the smallest detail. She didn't want to upset Mikhail, her husband, in any way. The kitchen was so immaculate that the grey ceramic countertop seemed to sparkle.The stainless steel appliances were cleaned to perfection, and the light grey tiled floors were so clean you could eat off of them. Everything seemed in order except for the dishes that were drying in the dish rack.I better not forget to put those away later. She thought as she moved on to the living room. Rachel took some time to make sure there was not a speck of dust anywhere.Then she vacuumed the tan shag carpet. When she was finished, she adjusted the throw pillows on the grey suede couch so that they were perfectly in place, wiping the 75" TV screen to ensure that it didn't have a streak on it. Then she began to adjust the coffee table to make sure it was perfectly centered with the couch when she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror that hung above the couch. Her Auburn hair was a tangled mess she threw up haphazardly into a bun. The ever darkening bags under her hazel green eyes were becoming a normal sight. Despite her tan, her face was paler than usual. It almost looked sickly due to her exhaustion.I need to get cleaned up before Mikhail sees me like this, she thought. Before returning to her chores. She double-checked the family pictures that hung on the walls.Making sure they were perfectly aligned, and there was not a finger print nor a speck of dust on any of them. Then, she placed Mikhail's TV remote in plain sight, on the end table next to his grey suede lazy boy. Hoping to avoid any possible triggers that might throw him into a violent rage. Anxiety swelled up inside of her as she cast a glance at the remote. The memory of what had transpired last night, when Mikhail couldn't find it, was still fresh in her mind: "Rachael! Were .. is.. my .. remote?", Mikhail said, a hint of menace in his tone. Rachel tensed up. "I'm sorry Drucilla was watching TV. She must have forgotten to put it back on the end table. I'll get it for you right now.", Rachel explained, trying to make it better. "I bust my ass all day so that you can sit at home and lay around. The least you could do is make sure my f*****g remote is here!", Mikhail scolded her, his voice rising and falling as his irritation builds. A lump swelled up in her throat and she began to shake nervously. " WELL! What are you standing there for? I'm missing the game! Go get the remote. You lazy, Good for nothing! b***h!" He screamed, finally reaching his breaking point. Rage pouring off of him in waves Rachel tried to move past him to pick up the remote from the entertainment center but Mikhail grabbed the back of her auburn hair and yanked so hard she could feel strands of her hair starting to rip out of her head by the roots. She grabbed the remote with the tips of her fingers, tears pooling up in her eyes. She held the remote up in her hand. "It's right here!", She whimpered."let go of my hair ...you're hurting me!" " What did you say to me? Let go of your hair, is the little b*tch going to cry? I'll let go." He said as he tossed her to the floor. Rachel twisted as she fell and caught herself, landing on all fours. He then proceeded to kick her hard in the ribs. Rachael grimaced in pain trying to get to her feet. " Did I say you could get up?", He asked, grabbing the largest book off the book shelf. He slammed it down hard on her back . " Stay down there where you belong! " "Please .. stop." She pleaded. " I'll stop when I feel like you've learned your lesson." Rachael grabbed at the carpet dragging herself down the hallway. Mikhail continued to slam the book down on her with every move she made. She knew she had to get away before he broke her ribs. Rachel's back was growing numb from the constant beating. she felt a piercing pain in her side with every breath. Finally, making it halfway down the hall . Rachel managed to slip into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut behind her, locking it before Mikhail had a chance to stop her. "Open this god damn door before I break it! " Mikhail shouted. Pounding his fists against the door. "When I get this door open I am going to kill you!" Rachael curled up in a ball rocking herself and chanted, "Go away, please go away..." Rachel's breathing shuttered and she shook her head. "Snap out of it" she muttered to herself. This is almost over, I got to keep it together she thought as she continued to check every room until she was satisfied that the house looked like a model home made for showcasing. When She was finished Rachel carefully slipped a few boxes on the far side of her daughter's bed making sure they couldn't be seen from the doorway. Then she returned to the kitchen. Pulling a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She sat down at the kitchen table, slipping a map from out of her pocket and carefully spreading it out on the table.There was a yellow highlighter folded inside the map, Rachael picked it up and began marking her route from Arizona to Oregon. We will need to stop for the night in California, she thought. After all it's Halloween and Drucilla deserves to get some trick or treating in. We should be able to make it to San Diego before it gets too late. She thought, drawing a circle around San Diego. From there we should be able to make it the rest of the way. Just in time to get the keys to our new house. Tap,Tap,Tap. Someone knocked against the window. Rachel jumped at the sound, knocking the map to the floor. She turned her head to look out the window next to the table. Drucilla, her daughter, smiled back at her, waving. "Let me in mom. The doors locked.", she said. Rachael quickly unlocked the door. "I'm sorry I must have lost track of time. Come sit down for a minute, I need to talk to you." Rachel said, pulling a chair out for her baby girl. Drucilla had a worried look on her face, her brown pigtails poking out from each side of her head. She was wearing a blue school uniform dress with a white collared shirt underneath it. Her strawberry shortcake backpack hanging on one arm. " Is everything okay?", she asked, grabbing a Capri Sun from the refrigerator and sitting at the table across from Rachel. "Well", Rachel sighed,"I probably should have told you this sooner... but... I had to make sure that your dad didn't find out." "Find out what?", Drucilla interrupted,"Are we going to surprise him?" " You could say that, he will definitely be surprised."Rachel chuckled. "Let's be serious,We don't have much time so I need you to listen closely. I'm just going to come right out and say it. Your dad hurts me and, I know you love him, but I don't like the way he treats you either. We shouldn't have to go through this, it's not right. I love you and I need to keep you safe. So tonight we are going to leave this nightmare, I really hope you understand. Drucilla knew this was going to happen eventually.She had been watching her dad beat her mom up for as long as she could remember. Drucilla had prayed for this day to come."Of course I understand mom. I am glad you are getting away from daddy. I do love him but he is a bad man." she responded. Rachel felt relieved that she was taking it so well. " okay so here is the plan. I put some boxes on the side of your bed. When we get done talking I need you to pack everything that you want to keep in those boxes. Make sure you keep them on the side of your bed so your dad doesn't see them. I got a U-Haul truck earlier today and parked at the end of the road. Almost everything we need is already in there. When your dad leaves for his Halloween party I'm going to pull that truck up here. We have to quickly put your things in there and drive away...", Rachel paused, letting Drucilla absorb the information she gave her. "Drucilla.", she said in a serious tone,"We are never coming back here. Do you understand?" Drucilla nodded and asked,"Where will we go? We don't have any money." "It's ok honey, I got it all worked out. I got us a nice home in a place called Strawberry Hill." She responded. "Strawberry Hill!" Drucilla said excitedly. "That sounds like a place for a Strawberry princess like you" Rachael responded, tapping the tip of her nose. Drucilla smiled. "You don't need to worry about money. I have enough put away until I start my new job. Here look at the map. I'll show you the route to our new paradise. Rachel picked up the map off the floor and they looked at it together. We are going to stop here in San Diego and get you a costume so you can trick or treat. "Yay!", Drucilla cheered. "Ok now I have to get in the shower and get cleaned up. You know how mad your dad gets when I look messy. Then I got to start dinner. So I need you to go to your room and pack your things. Remember once we leave we're not coming back so don't forget anything. please make sure your dad can't see the boxes in your room." "I got it. This is our secret plan, don't worry mommy. Dad will never know." Drucilla skipped to her room closing the door behind her. Rachael took a deep breath, "Here we go...", she whispered as she heads down the hall to the bathroom. She turned on the tub and put her hand under the running water, adjusting the temperature. Once satisfied she put in some bubbles and lavender epsom salt. After the bath filled up, the bubbles looking like fluffy clouds, she gets in. The warm water felt good on her bruised back. Rachael closed her eyes and enjoyed the peace and comfort, she knew it wouldn't last long. Rachel felt relaxed after her bath. Taking her time to do her makeup and fix her hair so she looked like the perfect wife. Now what should I wear she wondered, knowing that she would be moving later, she didn't want to put on a dress. Instead she picked out a nice silk blouse and a pair of slacks. "Oh Crap what time is it?", she muttered. 4 p.m. Ugh! Mikhail comes home at 5. She needed to have dinner cooked, kitchen cleaned, and everything on the table before he walked in the door. Quickly, Rachael rushed to the kitchen putting the pre-boiled potatoes in the oven. She quickly pulled out the pans and started cooking the marinaded steaks and fresh green beans. While that was going she put a fresh table cloth down and began setting the table. Adding the crystal bottles of vinegar and oil for the salad. Steak sauce, fresh cut chives, sour cream and butter for the potatoes. She set the already prepared salad on the table with the tongs in place. When dinner was finished cooking she plated and garnished the food, placing it on the table. She then ran to quickly wash the pots and pans. Just as she placed the last pan in the dish rack the door opened. Mikhail's curly blonde hair was matted, his skin darkly tanned from being in the sun all day, he had grass stains on his jeans and steel toed boots. "Drucilla your dad is home." Rachael called out as she greeted Mikhail at the door, kissing him on the cheek. Drucilla came out of her room, carefully closing the door behind her. "Daddy!", she shouted cheerfully running to the door and giving him a hug. "Dinner is done.", Rachel smiled pleasantly,"Drucilla make sure you go wash your hands before you sit down at the table." Drucilla walked to the sink quickly washing her hands. Then she sat down at the table. Mikhail looked at Rachel with his cold Blue eyes, scowling at her as she filled Drucilla's glass with milk. "Thank you mommy". Drucilla smiled. Rachel pet her on the head smiling back. Then she returned the milk to the refrigerator. She poured her self a glass of wine. Mikhail glared harder as if he were trying to make her explode with sheer will. Rachel sat down picked up her knife and began to cut a piece of steak. " How was your day at school Dru?" She asked. outraged Mikhail slammed his fists to the table. Everything shook, Drucilla didn't answer her mother's question, instead she instantly dropped her silverware bring her hand to her side she sat as straight as she could, staring forward with a blank look on her face. As if she were a soldier standing at attention for her Sargent. Rachel started shaking she also set down her silverware and nervously looked into Mikhail's eyes. " Can I get you something?" she asked. " Now you ask." He said sarcastically " WHAT ARE YOU MISSING RACH?" His voice Getting louder with every word Drucilla still staring at the wall she began breathing faster. " I mean come on Rachel you poured Dru a glass of milk and your self some wine then you just sat down, What the f**k?" Mikhail stared at her. "Well, I just figured..." " Figured what Rachel?" Mikhail interrupted" that my glass was going to fill itself?" Mikhail picked up the glass. What the Hell he mumbled you gave me a dirty glass?" 'I washed that myself it's clean." Rachel nervously stated. "First you disrespect me by not bringing me a drink now you are calling me blind! Come.. Here.", he ordered through gritted teeth." Drucilla's eyes widden and begin to water. Rachel stood up slowly, her heart racing as she braced herself for what was about to happen. As she reaches Mikhail, he shoves the glass in her face." You see that? There are water spots on my glass! It's dirty!" Mikhail slammed the glass to the ground shards of glass flew everywhere where. Mikhail punched Rachel in the stomach so hard she fell to the floor and began to vomit. Drucilla screamed,"No, daddy! Stop hurting her! It's normal to have spots on glasses when they dry in the dish rack." Mikhail's blood boiled. He walked to Drucilla with one quick motion . He back handed her across her face. " Go to your room and mind your own business! " Drucilla ran to her room, locking the door behind her. "Now look what you made me do! Our daughter is in her room crying because of you. He grabbed Rachel by the back of the neck and guided her to the dishes that were drying. Mikhail began picking them up just what I thought , DIRTY." He swiped the entire dish rack to the floor. " Clean this mess up." He ordered. Rachel is still weak and sore. "I can't." She gasps, barely able to breathe from the blow. " Please just give me a minute." "ARE!" Mikhail he yelled while slamming her head into the ceramic countertop. Rachel cried out in pain."YOU!" he continues to slam her head again. "TALKING!"Another blow. "BACK!" He continued to slam her head between each word. "TO-Me!"With one final blow, he tossed her weak body to the ground like a rag doll. Blood poured down Rachel's face as Mikhail smashes Rachel's face into the vomit and broken glass rubbing it around." I said clean it up now!" Rachel was barely breathing, and she didn't have any strength to remain conscious. Everything went black.