The Repeated Death of Skylar Holmes [PM]
Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 3:04 am
BANG!
It all started with a BANG!
_____________
You drive until you have to pee,
and even then you keep on driving. You figure if you do he won’t find you, he won’t hit you again, and you’ll be free. He wasn’t happy about you torching his bike, he wasn’t happy when you jumped in the car that he paid for and gave him the finger. But you were. You had the biggest smile on your face when those flames licked the side of that paintjob that you had done, when the leather started burning and stinging your nose. Even when he came home and screamed like a girl, like a little bitch, and threatened to hit you again. It would be the last threat you ever heard, because then, having packed up your things during the night he was gone, you jumped in your car. A cute little convertible, powder blue and soft topped, you gave him the finger and slung gravel at his face as you drove off into the rising morning. You didn’t stop until you were four counties over. You didn’t want to stop then, but you needed gas and another pack of cigarettes. After you found out he froze your account, you paid cash, and then laughed because there was only about four grand left out of the hundred grand that had been in said account. You had slowly gathered everything you would need for this, tucked it neatly away from the world and waited. You knew the night he came home late it would end in disaster, but you stayed up anyway, hoping you were wrong. He had walked in, smelling of liquor and another woman’s perfume, and that was that. You lost it and he backhanded you across the kitchen, a normal night for you two, only you had formed a plan. This was the last straw. He would never do this again. So you took out a grand at a time, careful not to let him see the statements, careful not to put it where he would find it. Then, one day, when he came home late, he would find his motorcycle on fire and you speeding away. That was a week ago….
You found a little town.
You really like this little town, mostly because it’s not that easy to get lost and they had a vacancy in the ratty motel near the edge of town. Your car can’t take much more, not without an oil change and some new tires. You pay cash for everything, no paper trail. And you take the key from the aging man behind the counter.
In your room, you spot a few roaches, there’s one working light and everything, including the walls, looks dingy from cigarette smoke. You don’t care though, you are just happy, because you are free. You set your luggage down and decide that you want a shower. In the shower, there’s a giant spider, so you decide against it, combating roaches is one thing, spiders are a different story entirely. With no shower, you freshen up and change your clothes, all of them are black, so it really doesn’t matter what you choose. Today it’s black jeans and a black shirt with Harley Quinn on the front. You slip on your shoes, a nice pair of Docs you made him buy you before you left, and you look at the bed. The sheets are yellowed, and there’s a smell coming from them not unlike mold or maybe mildew, you make a slight face, the rings in your lips drawing downward as you express your displeasure. You walk out the door, locking it behind you, because you are frugal and didn’t get one of those hotels with a nice key card or an indoor pool. The one you chose has a pool, but the water is black and looks slimy to the touch. You wouldn’t dare go in it, even if it was summertime. You pull your hoodie on, because you didn’t realize how cold it was here, not until you are standing on the balcony of this ratshit motel and the wind is cutting through you like a hot knife through butter. The hood hides your black and purple hair, something you did right after leaving him, no longer are you the brunette he knew. You are free to make your own choices. You’ve never felt this before, and it’s exhilarating. You decide to let your feet be your guide as you walk down those concrete stairs and into the dark night, looking both ways before crossing onto a street called Ferret, you giggle but otherwise the night is silent.
Someone is Watching.
You cross into a small park, there’s a playground and a few benches. You don’t linger, crossing the grass to the other side in just twenty of your short legged steps. You watch your shadow elongate and morph into something unrecognizable as you cross under the streetlights and away from them. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you wonder if you’re being followed, it’s the dead of night and you don’t know the town, your paranoia starts to show. You dart your eyes around, feeling the hairs on the back of your neck raise as you turn around, heading again, toward the motel and it’s safety. Fight or flight making you flee the scene as quickly as you can, but will it be quick enough?
It all started with a BANG!
_____________
You drive until you have to pee,
and even then you keep on driving. You figure if you do he won’t find you, he won’t hit you again, and you’ll be free. He wasn’t happy about you torching his bike, he wasn’t happy when you jumped in the car that he paid for and gave him the finger. But you were. You had the biggest smile on your face when those flames licked the side of that paintjob that you had done, when the leather started burning and stinging your nose. Even when he came home and screamed like a girl, like a little bitch, and threatened to hit you again. It would be the last threat you ever heard, because then, having packed up your things during the night he was gone, you jumped in your car. A cute little convertible, powder blue and soft topped, you gave him the finger and slung gravel at his face as you drove off into the rising morning. You didn’t stop until you were four counties over. You didn’t want to stop then, but you needed gas and another pack of cigarettes. After you found out he froze your account, you paid cash, and then laughed because there was only about four grand left out of the hundred grand that had been in said account. You had slowly gathered everything you would need for this, tucked it neatly away from the world and waited. You knew the night he came home late it would end in disaster, but you stayed up anyway, hoping you were wrong. He had walked in, smelling of liquor and another woman’s perfume, and that was that. You lost it and he backhanded you across the kitchen, a normal night for you two, only you had formed a plan. This was the last straw. He would never do this again. So you took out a grand at a time, careful not to let him see the statements, careful not to put it where he would find it. Then, one day, when he came home late, he would find his motorcycle on fire and you speeding away. That was a week ago….
You found a little town.
You really like this little town, mostly because it’s not that easy to get lost and they had a vacancy in the ratty motel near the edge of town. Your car can’t take much more, not without an oil change and some new tires. You pay cash for everything, no paper trail. And you take the key from the aging man behind the counter.
In your room, you spot a few roaches, there’s one working light and everything, including the walls, looks dingy from cigarette smoke. You don’t care though, you are just happy, because you are free. You set your luggage down and decide that you want a shower. In the shower, there’s a giant spider, so you decide against it, combating roaches is one thing, spiders are a different story entirely. With no shower, you freshen up and change your clothes, all of them are black, so it really doesn’t matter what you choose. Today it’s black jeans and a black shirt with Harley Quinn on the front. You slip on your shoes, a nice pair of Docs you made him buy you before you left, and you look at the bed. The sheets are yellowed, and there’s a smell coming from them not unlike mold or maybe mildew, you make a slight face, the rings in your lips drawing downward as you express your displeasure. You walk out the door, locking it behind you, because you are frugal and didn’t get one of those hotels with a nice key card or an indoor pool. The one you chose has a pool, but the water is black and looks slimy to the touch. You wouldn’t dare go in it, even if it was summertime. You pull your hoodie on, because you didn’t realize how cold it was here, not until you are standing on the balcony of this ratshit motel and the wind is cutting through you like a hot knife through butter. The hood hides your black and purple hair, something you did right after leaving him, no longer are you the brunette he knew. You are free to make your own choices. You’ve never felt this before, and it’s exhilarating. You decide to let your feet be your guide as you walk down those concrete stairs and into the dark night, looking both ways before crossing onto a street called Ferret, you giggle but otherwise the night is silent.
Someone is Watching.
You cross into a small park, there’s a playground and a few benches. You don’t linger, crossing the grass to the other side in just twenty of your short legged steps. You watch your shadow elongate and morph into something unrecognizable as you cross under the streetlights and away from them. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you wonder if you’re being followed, it’s the dead of night and you don’t know the town, your paranoia starts to show. You dart your eyes around, feeling the hairs on the back of your neck raise as you turn around, heading again, toward the motel and it’s safety. Fight or flight making you flee the scene as quickly as you can, but will it be quick enough?