She has heard his promises over and over again. She believed him, she thought he really meant it when he said he loved her, when he said he would never hit her again. Covering up her bruises, as if foundation can hide her story. Looking in the mirror cleaning the blood from her face once again, she asks herself, is this all there is. She sneaks down to the kitchen, stares at the phone, maybe this time she will leave. All it takes is one call, but if she is caught, what will he do? Fear stricken her, she walks quietly back up the stairs. She slips softly into the bed, he asks what was she doing. Just getting water she says, but in her mind, hidden deep in her soul, she says tomorrow is the day. A child sleeping in the room next door, safely tucked away from the harm, but the woman thinks to herself, how long before? The thought is to painful she knows she must do something. He knows her every move, where she will be and when she should be home. She decides at Woman's small group she would slip a note to a friend she has made. Her friend tells her husband, he is the leader of the small groups. Word get's back to the woman's abuser, and her night doesn't get any easier. Never again as she looks in the mirror once more. But yet in the same moment she wonders how much more can I take. What if he goes after my child, he has threatened to before. She says I cannot wait another night, I cannot do this anymore. She decides to begin packing, she hides her child's bag beneath the crib. She goes to the laundry room and thanks God that she did her wash this afternoon. She puts just enough to clothe her for a few days, and hides it in the closet closest to the front door. She goes back to the bedroom, and slips softly into bed. She says to herself, it has to be today. She waits til she hears him snoring, she quietly slips out of bed. She grabs her baby from the crib, calls a taxi before slipping out the front door. Her heart is racing, her life in the balance, if she is caught there is no telling what he will do to her, or her baby. With her baby in her arms, and a bag on her shoulder and in hand, she says no more. She walks down the sidewalk, doesn't look back for fear, she will crumble and return. She climbs into the Taxi at 3:45 in the morning, and tells the driver, I need to go to a safe house, for woman who have been abused, the driver looked at her face, saw her bruises for she did not cover them up. He took her to the local fire station and said she needs help.
She never looked back. As tears fell like bullets from her eyes, and fear slipped away as she began to tell her tale. The first thing the officer told her was, It takes courage to leave!!!
Look for Part 2: It Takes Courage to Speak
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