Julie's Escape

The house is still, except for Julie's sobbing. Her two beautiful babies are upstairs being beaten and raped, and she can't do anything to stop it. George wrapped one rope around her wrists and then secured the restraint to a small towel rack hanging from the bottom cabinet. A second cord binds her ankles together, making it nearly impossible to move.

Please don't let him hurt my babies, she begs, trying to dismiss the gruesome images plaguing her mind. "Please, God, oh please, send someone to rescue us. Please, I beg you. Please make this nightmare stop," she pleaded for the umpteenth time.

Julie hears a noise from the other room. She first thinks George is coming to check on her but soon realizes someone is banging on the front door. This might be our only chance. She yanks on her restraints. How do I tell them what's going on tied to this thing? An idea comes to mind. She pulls on the rope. The knot tightens, and the small metal bar refuses to give.

The visitor pounds again.

It might work if I have more force. Planting her feet against the cabinet door, she pulls as hard as she can. The wood starts to splinter around the screw. Bracing herself, Julie tries again. Every muscle in her arms shakes. Tiny droplets of blood fall to the floor as the ropes cut deep into her skin. The hold gives a little more. I've almost got it, she thinks. Ignoring the pain billowing through her arms, she tugs harder than before. The cheap metal bar snaps in half, causing Julie to tumble backward. I did it, she thinks, feeling a rush of adrenaline surge through her battered body.

The guest pounds on the barrier.

Sitting up, she hurries through the clutter strung across the floor.

"Call 911," she screams as she inches her way through the house.

The visitor knocks again. Afraid they are about to leave, Julie picks up her pace. "Don't go. Please don't go," she begs, inching her way across the carpet.

She glances out the sidelight to find Rebecca's friends on the porch. "Shelly, Amber, call 911," she repeats, glancing toward the steps. She's not sure where George is or how much he can hear. She needed their help, but the mamma in her didn't want to risk them getting hurt. Holding her breath, Julie watches and listens but doesn't hear a peep upstairs.

"It looks like they're gone," Shelly says, turning toward the road.

"I hope she hasn't forgotten about our meeting today." Amber glances at the house again. "The brownie owl said if she misses one more time, she's out, which would devastate Rebecca."

Shelly remembers how much Rebecca loves their little meetings. "I know. That's why I reminded her before our spring break." A sullen look crosses the little girl's face. "Guess I should've called and reminded her again last night." She wanted to call Rebecca, but her older sister wouldn't let Shelly use her cell, and her parents were out, their phones in hand.

Julie sees the two girls walking across the porch. She eyes the upstairs again. It remains still upstairs. This is my last chance. "Call for help," she screams, kicking the small stained glass window with her feet.

Stopping, Amber turns around.

Realizing her friend isn't beside her, Shelly turns and asks, "What's wrong, Amber?"

"I thought I heard something."

Shelly listens but doesn't hear a thing. "All I hear is the wind."

Amber listens a little longer, then says, "That's all I hear too."

"Maybe the boogie man is coming to get you," Shelly teases.

"Stop it, Amber says, bouncing down the remaining stair. She was dumb enough to tell her friend about a show she had watched and how she couldn't sleep after. Now Shelly takes it upon herself to try and scare her all she can.

"He's behind you." Shelly grabs Amber's shoulder.

The child screams. She stomps her foot and says, "Stop it, Shelly, or I won't be your friend anymore."

"Ok, ok, I won't scare you again, you big baby."

Julie pounds on the glass again. "Don't go," she screams. Frustrated, Julie kicks the window harder than before. The sudden impact shatters the glass. Small fragments spew across the porch. Julie pokes her head through the small opening and yells, "Amber, Shelly, come back, please come back." The pair continues to chatter as they head towards their van.

The two hop into the back of the van. Clearing the remaining shards from the pane, Julie eases her way through it. Pain courses through her body as tiny slithers pierce her skin. Gritting her teeth, she continues toward the porch. "Come back, girls, please come back," Julie screams, inching across the porch. She makes it to the edge of the stairs as the van drives away.

"No, don't go. Please don't leave us here, please," she sobs, watching the van fade out of sight. Feeling the wind brush against her skin, Julie realizes she's finally free. She glances at the neighbor's house a short distance away and then at the one on the opposite side. I can do this, she thinks, plopping down the first step. Tiny fragments of glass lodge deeper into her skin. The little prinks feel like she is stung by a dozen bees all at once. Julie cries out in pain. I have to do this. Gritting her teeth, she Inching her way to the edge and lowers herself again. Two down, four to go, she thinks, scooting closer to the edge. Hearing stomping behind her, Julie turns to find George standing naked at the door, confirming Julia's worst fear. Not my babies, she thinks, staring at this revolting colossal of a man.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He asks, stomping across the porch.

"Help me, please help me, Julie screams, dropping down another step.

Grabbing her hair, George drags her up the stairs. The tiny slivers wedge deeper into her skin.

Gritting her teeth, Julie screams, "Help me. Please, somebody, help me." As she struggles to break free.

Dragging her through the shards of glass, she and George make their way back inside. George slams the door. Bending down, he glares at her and says, "Guess I'll have to lock you in the basement from now on." Grabbing the rope binding her arms, he drags her through the house.

"Please, not the basement," she begs, remembering how she kicked his buddy down the steps earlier in the day.

"I can't leave you unsupervised, now can I?"

"I won't do it again, I promise."

"Yeah, right." Remembering her beautiful daughters waiting for him upstairs, George grabs Julie and slings her over his shoulder.

Drawing back her legs, Julie kicks him as hard as she can.

"Your babies hit harder than you." He chuckles, recalling how aroused he became when they fought him.

She sinks her teeth into his back, bringing tiny droplets of blood to the surface.

"The more you hurt me, the more I do to your babies," he warns.

"No, not my girls, please, not my girls. I'm sorry, so, so sorry. Really I am. I promise I'll never do it again."

"Like the way you promised you wouldn't try to escape?"

"I… I swear I won't"

"It's too late for that now," George replies, shuffling towards the kitchen. He hears pounding on the other side of the room when he steps through the door.

"Let me out, you moron," Steven orders. George runs over and flings the barrier open to find several gashes on his partner's head. "What the hell happened to you?" George asks, eyeing his partner's mangled face. He can't remember Steve ever looking that bad after a brawl.

"That damn bitch is what happened to me." He sneers, glaring at Julie. "It's time you learned a lesson." He jerks her off George's shoulder.

"Do what you want with her 'cause I have two pretty young ladies waiting for me upstairs."

"Please don't hurt my babies, please," Julie cries.

"You have more to worry about than those damn brats," Steven says, tossing her down the stairs.