Saving Grace

Unedited!

(photo of Grace at the top!)

Chapter 1

"He didn't like to see animals in captivity. When he looked into their eyes, something in their eyes looked back at him." -Rick Yancey, The Infinite Sea

Swiping my sweaty hair out of my eyes I tug on the band of my pony tail, trying to control the lose locks. Jason kicked my ass today, and I cant say that I minded.

It is always nice to come to the gym and have a good two hour distraction from the real shit going on in my life. The physical pain, and concentration needed to push through the fight is always appreciated as much as it is needed.

I have been taking kick boxing since I moved to the city and have loved every second of it. The thought of being a helpless female like most of the women I know causes my stomach to tie up in knots.

I will not be weak, or defenseless. At 5'2 I am practically a midget next to every man and woman on the street. Not to mention my petite frame that weighs all of 100 lbs, making me an easy target. Correction, making me look like an easy target. I am not weak.

Checking my phone I see that it is only 4:00 pm leaving me with just enough time to run back by the women's clinic and check on my girls after they finish with dinner.

Running has always been an escape, even when I had nothing to escape from. Except myself that is. Growing up I had always felt like there is something lacking within me, not necessarily on my outer surface, but on my inner. It has always felt like there was something just out of reach, like the answer to my happiness is somewhere close and I just can't grab it. Its infuriating.

I can not even escape the thoughts in my sleep I always have these vivid dreams that are so full of color; but when I wake I can not remember a thing. I know that I am dreaming the answer to my questions but I just can't seem to remember.

Frustrated I push myself harder, running faster. Slowing down when I see the clinic I take a moment to stretch my sore muscles out, while throwing my gym bag in my car that I left earlier before entering the building.

****

Tossing my head back I laugh at the little girl sitting in my lap, she has been through so much in such a short time. How beautiful is the spirit of a child, just when you think its been crushed they come back just as bright and beautiful as before. They remind me of flowers crushed by carless feet, yet growing back in the next season.

Tides of happiness and life come crashing into me warming my soul. She glows with this innocence that only a child can possess.

The childs mother sits by my side watching her daughter with wonder and worry. Her hands lightly tap her knee and her foot bounces up and down.

Placing my hand on her bouncing knee she about jumps out of her skin. But I just smile, reassuring her that I mean no harm to her or her child. Although she knows that I only want to help, old habits are hard to break, and the fierce need to protect her young is still strong.

I can not help but feel pride for the tiny woman, she is so broken yet so strong. Like an old house that has stood for hundreds of years. From the outside it looks like Hell but on the inside you see that it only needs some new plumbing and electrical work before you can move in.

I have been working in the women's shelter for a little over a year now. Its in the city outside of the small town that I grew up in.

Each woman and child I meet hold a special home in my heart yet Rebecca and Faith have meant the most. I have saw from the beginning the strength the Rebecca possesses, it comes off of her in soft waves that gently control the people around her. It is so gentle that I do not think Rebecca even knows how strong she is.

When I first saw a police report on her case I was shot down by my supervisor when I told her I wanted to go out for a home check. Rebecca was not new to the system and the shelter had tried to help her for many years. So many people have told me she was a lost cause, that she was doomed but I knew she would make it out of there alive.

It had taken months to convince Rebecca to leave her abusive, controlling, power hungry Ass Hat of a husband. Like a beaten dog I had to lured her out of her home with treats and praise. Often taking her on lunch dates, and bringing toys for her little one. In the beginning she had seemed so ordinary, the typical battered woman, but as the weeks passed I began to see her inner strength.

She had refused my offer on so many occasions to help her, but she would accept my friendship. It became a friendship that I cherished, making Becca more then a case, but a friend who needed my help.

Last week after a lunch and park trip with Becca and Faith. Becca came home to find her husband waiting for her. He beat Becca within an inch of her life leaving her needing stitches, and a cast for her one of her arms, her leg, and neck.

Yet that was not enough for Becca to leave her loving husband; only when he struck their four year old daughter, leaving her with a black eye did Becca decide that she had enough. Calling me when he had left the house, I came straight over, police in tow to finally help my sweet friend.

"See Rebecca I told you she would be fine." I say carefully reaching over and squeezing her boney hand. Rebecca flinches at my touch but nods her head pulling her hand away.

"I am still so scared that he will find us, I am not sure that I can go back to him after seeing Faith behave so normally. She never used to smile or play like this, you know that. And look a week away from him, and she seems to be happy, she is practically radiating. I never knew how beautiful her laugh was, I always thought that she was a shy serious child. I guess that I always thought that I was doing what was best for her but I wasn't. I used it as an excuse when really I was just too scared to leave." Bowing her head in shame, I see tears fall down Beccas face.

My heart hurts at the sight and a fire burns at the pit of my stomach. How can someone stand to hurt someone as pure as these two girls? She is so sweet, so innocent even after everything she has experienced within her marriage. Rebecca is only 23, marrying her husband right out of high school, and quickly falling pregnant; she was trapped. Like most women she felt that she had no other option but to stay with the man. Bonded to him like handcuffs by a marriage certificate and a child to make the deal sweeter.

"Do not blame yourself Becca, you know that Brandons actions were never your fault. You had no way of knowing that the man you married was a monster." Giving the little girl in my lap a hug and handing her back to her mother I smile at Becca.

"I will be back tomorrow, we will start working on finding you a job, and a home for you and Faith. Everything will be fine Rebecca, we will take care of you." With one last look I walk out the door.

Stepping into my small cramped office I take a glance at the endless stacks of paper on my desk. I decide to take half of it home to work on with a glass of wine in my pajamas.

****

Walking into my apartment I throw my keys on the counter and pour myself that much needed glass of wine. Humming I sip on the wine, while checking my voice mails.

The gruff voice of my ex-fiance fills the quiet room, making my blood run cold. "Grace when are you coming home? You know that I miss you, we all miss you. Think of your mother Grace she is sick without you. Stop trying to save the world Gracie and just come back to where you belong, with me. I will be coming to collect you soon if you do not decide to join me."

Shaking my head I bite my lip, he will not touch you I remind myself you have a restraining order for a reason. You are safe. But still I go and recheck my locks before settling on the coach and working until my eyes try to close without permission.

Glancing at the clock I see that its nearly 3:00am sighing I down the rest of my wine and decide that its time for me to go to bed.

*****

18 days later...

I am trapped, contained, lost, alone. I do not know were I am or how I got here I fell asleep in my bed, and woke in this room. How strange to fall asleep somewhere, and wake in another. At first I called for help, begged for someone to save me, then I begged for death but no one came. It seems that I have been here for days, yet I am still alive.

The darkness is what is the scariest, I can not even see my hand in front of my face. I just lay on the cold ground listening to the drip of water. How did I get here? After what seems like days my door opens, lighting the room for the first time. Blinking I can not see anything but dots the light is too bright. Wincing I close my eyes, squeezing them shut I slowly try to open them again. A dark figure is in front of me, a man. He grabs my biceps, squeezing tight as he pulls me to my feet. Crying out in pain I try to pull my arms away but I am too weak.

"Face the wall, place your hands behind your back." I buck wildly, trying to get him off of me, trying to gain freedom, but something nocks into my right temple, and once again I greet the darkness.

****

Slowly I come back to reality. Opening my eyes I see that I am in a new room, this one at least has more light then the last but it is still dark; and if possible colder. Sitting up pain attacks my body as if I just had a brutal workout or beating. I hiss as the room starts to spin, blinking I wait for it to pass.

Shivers run through me, I feel cold to the bone, like my heart is pumping ice. Wrapping my arms around myself I hold on tight, trying to give myself some sort of comfort. Looking from wall to wall I only see that I am in what looks to be a cell from a dungeon. The walls are stone, and damp. Turning to the wall my back is rested against I look up at what looks to be cuffs.

Crawling to the middle of the room I see that they are in fact hand, and ankle cuffs on the wall surrounding the cuffs is splattered blood. It looks like a medieval torture chamber, something from the movies. Closing my eyes tight I pull my knees to my chest and rock back and forth letting the sobs shake my body.

Why me?

****