Battered Broken and Bruised

Wedding bells chime

I get in my car and start the engine. I drive to the abandoned warehouse around the corner. I reach my destination and shut the car off. I climb out and begin changing my clothes. As I pull my tank top over my head my phone chimes.

Go In through the side door. I’ve got the girl ready, we just have to put the gown, the shoes and the ring on her finger.

I pull my jeans up and do that little hop and jiggle to get them over my ass. I button my button and slide my zipper up then slip my feet in my sneakers and head for the door. I see a woman that looks like me laying cold, rigid and unmoving on a tarp on the dirt floor. I lay the gown carefully on the tarp as I look at her face feeling as if I’m looking at my reflection in a mirror. The bruises on her face and neck match those that I spent hours covering. I slip my gown over her feet up her legs and up in place on her chest. I have to roll her to button the back.

I hear a noise and turn to see a woman about my size in a ski mask and my gut is telling me she’s caller unknown. She nods towards this young woman lying cold on the ground. She grabs the woman’s ankles and I grab her wrists. Then we load her into the driver's seat of my car. She’s so stiff that as we’re forcing her into the seat, we hear a disgustingly loud snap as her spine and hips giveaway allowing her to sit. I shift the driver's seat to the position farthest from the steering wheel and climb on the lap of the dead bride. I put my hoodie on and keep the hood up to hide my face. I start the engine, shift the car into gear and head for the church.

The church is now in view and I set the cruise control at fifty five in a twenty mile per hour zone. “It’s now or never Carly” I say to myself and the girl I’m leaving in the car. I open my door, tuck my chin to my chest, put my arms protectively around my head and roll out. “Ugh” I scream as the impact of the pavement hits my back and steals my breath from my lungs.

I slowly push myself up to a sitting position praying I’m still alive as I frantically inhale. I look in the church’s direction just in time to see my mustang hit the bakery two doors down from my wedding. I hear the church bells chime from the impact and I hear people screaming as they run from surrounding buildings. The one scream that pierces my ears belongs to my now ex fiancé.

I’m tucked into a nearby alley watching as Mikael runs down the church stairs screaming “Carly!!!! No!!!” As the car is swallowed by flames. Sirens blare as fire trucks wiz by arriving at the scene. The woman who helped me plan my escape gained access to the block's water supply and shut off the water.

“Please please help my daughter. Get her out of the car! Do something put the fire out” I hear Elise my step mother beg. My dad just stands there staring as the scene unfolds before him. I can almost make out what looks like dejavu on his face. My mom died in an accident when I was two. The police department stood around in suits and ties except for a few on duty in uniform stunned as their chiefs soon to be wife burns before them.

After about twenty five minutes of watching Me burn they get the water going and begin spraying my car. I see Mikael bend down and pick something up but can’t make out what it is. He seems to stroke the object tentatively and lovingly before chucking it away from him.

I see headlights flash once in the alley behind me. I take one last look at the accident and walk to the silver suv that I loaded my bags into. I climb inside and instantly freeze as the woman’s face is not covered. She’s a beautiful brunette with light brown hair and sun kissed golden eyes.

“Mom” I say frozen in the doorway of the car.

“Hi Carly” she says. “I’ve been watching you from a safe distance since I left. When you left your number at the pizza place I snagged it off the counter”.

“You died nineteen years ago. This isn’t possible” I say, full of confusion.

“Nobody would help me escape the abuse. You were supposed to die with me that night but your father told the department I was kidnapping you” she relives that day through the hurt in her voice.

“Is that how you knew I needed saving?” I ask.

“Carly we have a long way to go for us to be safe” she says with worried eyes.

With that I wave goodbye to Carly and the only place I’ve ever known as home. “I’m on my way Cassidy” I whisper and grab my mom's hand and sob!