"ESCAPED"

“ESCAPED”

I met a man six months ago, who dressed like every day was Halloween: skeleton masks and skeleton gloves. Tall and dark he loomed over me, a mountain of a man. On our first date, he put my hands to his dark curls and locked his brown eyes onto my brown eyes.

The relationship started out great in the beginning. I thought I was different, I thought I was special.

“My love, I will take care of you. I will be your protector.”

That’s what he said. I believed him with all my heart, until one horrible, dreadful night. I was never so afraid for my life!! My husband and I, and a kind family enjoyed a cool, crisp night on a small, charming, patio. The patio was equipped with comfy chairs and a grill that the family used at random times.

My husband and his God brother drank for quite a while throughout the evening, I was communicating with my girlfriends, as we all enjoyed music and the evening. He came towards me, and I thought he would love on me, but instead, he pulled my hair while nobody watched. The same moment, I realized the night will be terrible. Later, during the evening, my husband went out for a short walk by himself. I still sat and conversed with my girlfriends, and I did not want to go with him on the walk. He became belligerently drunk, and staggered all over the patio. Honestly, I do not understand what made him want to go for a walk when he could not walk himself!! If I went with him, he would hit me for no reason. He comes back, barely all together, and continues drinking and converses with his God family.

I accepted my husband’s abuse in the past, when he pulled my hair and hit my face. I was shocked he took his anger out on me, so naturally, I by-passed, and I forgave him. He promised he would never lay another hand on me, and he would reform, but the abuse did not stop.

The social event seized at eight pm, and we both went into our bedroom. I closed the door, he asked me, “Do you know why I am about to do what I am about to do to you right?”

I replied in a shaky, fearful voice, “No I don’t.”

He came up to me in my face, responding, “You disrespected me because you did not go with me for a walk earlier.”

I experienced a violent rage of a Demon.

I’ve been physically abused, from the top of my head all the way to the bottom of my feet, by this human being, who is full of anger and belligerently drunk.

First blow was him pulling my hair. He punched my face three times, as I used my wrists to cover my face, he grabbed from my hair again and threw me on the bed. He started punching my arms, stomach, and my face. He grabbed my neck and started choking me until I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t think, I couldn’t move. He continued grabbing my neck and my jawbone, and he scraped my head against the hard, cold, wooden floor. He continued grabbing my neck and my jawbone, and he scraped my head against the hard, cold, wooden floor.

He spoke these words to me in an evil, demonic voice, “If you do not escape this bedroom tonight, I will kill you, because no one is going to save you.”

I miraculously fought out of his grip. I thought he finished, but the beatings continued, stronger and harder.

He started kicking me all over my body, my arms, my stomach, and legs. My body became numb, my brain became numb, from enduring all the pain.

On the last blow, he grabbed my hair and kicked my stomach. I flew across the bed and landed at the foot side.

As he struggled to focus on continuing to beat me, my survival instinct kicked in at the perfect moment. I jumped up on my fractured ankle and ran to the bedroom door. I ran so fast down the hallway and I did not glance back. I did not care to for his expression; I focused on saving my life.

With all my might that I had left in me, I pushed the door and ran straight down the hallway to his God brother’s room. I barged in panicky and jumped on his God brother’s bed. My husband came in at least two minutes after, and yelled at me saying, “Come here, NOW!”

I yelled back in a shaky but firm voice, “No, I am done with you, I am NOT taking any more beatings from you!!”

My husband’s God brothers’ girlfriend exclaimed to his friend in a firm tone, “Go and take him outside and talk to him!”

They both went outside, me and my husband’s God brothers’ girlfriend were still on the bed in their room.

She asked me, “Did you want to stay the night in our room? You can sleep on the floor.”

I responded, “No I want to get away from my husband.”

She responded, “Alright, let’s go.” We ran down the hallway, flung the door open leading to my husband’s Godparents’ apartment.

I ran down the short, cold, dark hallway leading to the apartment with her by my side. I prayed so hard my husband to not come back to the house!

I knocked repeatedly until I saw my husband’s god family. I knew I would be safe, and comforted. The family cared for me and took me in to sleep overnight.

I immediately called my mom, and my mom and I cried over the phone together as I explained to her what I just endured. My mom told me to stay safe, and she will be there the next morning to rescue me.

The entire night, I could not sleep. The entire scene kept playing in my head, like a song on repeat. I questioned myself, “Why? What did I do to deserve this?”

The next morning arrived, and I woke up, I remember seeing the sun so bright and beautiful, peeping through the long, brown, sheer curtains. My mom called me, and said she is outside waiting for me.

The whole family looked at me with shocking eyes at how with speed she came to rescue me! For my safety, the family took me out the back and around the apartments, so my husband wouldn’t find me.

I said goodbye and thank you to everyone, his God brother’s girlfriend gave me a hug and whispered in my ear,” He is waking up, please try to hurry to your mom.”

My husband’s God sister helped down a long muddy slope, holding my hand and having a tight grip on the back of my shirt, to make sure I don’t fall. Then, my eyes met my mom. She stood outside the car, to rescue me, with her arms wide open. My mom had tears flooding down her cheeks. I got in the back and my mom profusely thanked the whole family for keeping me safe.

My mom saw me in the car, she rushed over to the passenger side, and we drove off. I did not look back. I am safe, and this chapter of my life is over.

To this day, my husband is incarcerated.

My name is Tanya, and I am a survivor of domestic violent abuse.

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