"The Escape"
By Meagan Dieroff
Kidnapped and tortured,
I lie on the cold, damp floor,
shivering,
in my small cell.
I know he'll come again tonight
to whisper those words of hatred in my ear
and strip me of any feeling I have left.
I slowly lift my head
to gaze out the window
to see the moon shining down,
so high and free in the night sky.
I want to be free like the moon,
free from the pain
I feel every day.
The sun rises
on my bloody, beaten body,
heating the scars,
both old and new.
I wake in a pool
of my own blood
with a new solid, resolution
in my mind.
No more
will I take this torment.
No more
will I let him abuse me.
No more
will I be a prisoner
to my own weakness.
I plot and plan
my escape.
How and when will I do it?
Am I strong enough
to break through the bars
on the window?
Or am I cunning enough
to break out
when he comes for me tonight?
As twilight comes
and the sky begins to darken,
I feel more confident and powerful
that I can escape tonight.
Footsteps echo in the hall
outside my door
and a shadow stops in front
with keys jangling.
The key scrapes through the lock
and the bolt slides back,
the door creaking as it opens slowly.
His silhouette blocks the light
and he looms over me
with a rope and knife in hand.
I feign weakness and helplessness
as he bends over to hurt me,
until I know I have the advantage
to overcome him.
There's a struggle
as we both tumble to the ground,
the knife clattering when he drops it.
I kick it away and grab the rope,
tightening it around his neck
as he fights to breathe.
Soon he is still
and I have won,
so I leap up and break into a run.
I am running through the halls
and down the stairs
when I hear his angry curses
behind me, his feet thundering.
I race out the front door
and into the night,
my bare feet sliding on the wet ground.
I dash into the trees
as he barrels through the door,
grabbing his rifle leaning on the porch.
There's a moment of panic,
knowing I could get shot,
but it keeps me moving,
keeps me running faster
into the night.
Shots ring out and bullets whiz by,
a flash of hot pain on my arm
makes me fumble
but I regain my balance
and keep running.
I see freedom ahead,
the moonlight guiding me,
to a road where I can hear cars driving by.
I burst out of the trees
and onto the road,
tires squealing and horn honking,
but not enough warning
of the car headed towards me.
I lay on the road,
tortured and beaten,
but knowing I've gained my freedom.
I gaze at the moon one last time,
before I fall into endless sleep,
void of pain and misery.