Prologue

Clara

‘ It'll never happen to me. I'll never let that slide. I wish someone would. I could NEVER!' These are all phrases I've said multiple times in the past. Now they're flashing through my head while grabbing mine and my sons "go bags". Heaving the last bag onto my shoulder, and struggling with the other two, the hardwood creaks from behind me. My heart rate skyrockets, instinctively my eyes shut, my breath stutters in my chest, and my body freezes. This can't be happening right now.

After the longest five seconds of my life I slowly turn my body and open my eyes to find Parker wagging his tail in the hallway. "I'm so sorry baby. I love you so much." I allow myself to take a few seconds to think about how much we're going to miss him as he tilts his head at me. Wasting no more time I slowly open the front door, tip-toeing out to my car. Loading up the bags while inhaling deeply, then letting it out on a shaky exhale. I'm positive I'm making the right choice. Making sure I have my keys, I.D., Rhett's birth certificate, and the small envelope of cash I've stashed over the past few months, I slowly make my way back to the front door and open it just enough for Parker to fit through."Shh, come here, boy." Parker trots out the door and stays by my side as we walk over to my best friend's car that's parked in front of the neighbors house.

Brittany gets out and opens her back door, "Come on Park, it's time to go to Aunt Britt's house." Parker jumps in and Britt shuts the door, turning back to me. She takes one look at my face, I'm assuming it looks like I just did five rounds with McGreggor, and wraps me up in her arms. "I'm so proud of you for taking the steps. I love you so much. You remembered to turn off the ring, right?"

"Yes, the cameras are turned off, my engagement ring is on the counter, I've got all our documents, and our go bags."

Making sure to focus on deep breaths while she tells me, "Good, oh and one more thing." Unsure if I can handle one more thing, I nod for her to continue. She hands me a burner phone. My hands take it automatically, but I'm unsure what I'm supposed to do with it. "It has my number on it. Call me when you and Rhett stop for some rest. Also, hand me your phone, I'll toss it on my way home." My phone's been completely wiped already, but still I hand it over as requested. I wouldn't put it past Preston to have a tracker in it. All the evidence of the hell we have lived through for the past five years is already stored onto the clouds of email addresses I made as soon as Preston passed out after drinking himself into a stupor.

I'm well aware that he's out for the night at this point, but standing in front of my neighbors house at three in the morning is still making me twitch with anxiety. Every bristle of leaves, or squirrels darting across a yard, has me jumping. After one last hug, and a promise to call later today, my legs carry me back over to my old Ford Escape, ironic all things considered. Checking to make sure Rhett is still fast asleep my eyes catch on the knot forming on his head, making me shutter, as well as the dark blue fingerprints wrapping around his upper arm. Buckling myself up and slowly backing out the driveway, I take in the house I've lived in for the past five years. Driving away, I'm watching it disappear in my rear view mirror and say into the silence of the car, "We survived, baby, it has to be up from here."