Annie: Prologue

Prologue

            The roads after the hill always led to the railroad if you followed them right. From that side of the river, walking down the tracks was safe, and always led to the same place. A large warehouse, white, old, abandoned. Something about the landscape was captivating, even though it actually appeared desolate and foreboding.

            She had her eyes tightly closed, counting slowly. One. She could hear the pouring rain as it slammed in sheets against the windows. Two. The rain itself wasn’t the problem; she didn’t mind getting wet on the walk home. Three. It was the cold. It ate into her like darkness, consumed her and left her hollow. Four. She wondered if they had left yet, like they said they would. She warily opened one eye and peeked into the darkness. She didn’t see anyone. Five. She opened her other eye and glanced around, hating herself for ever going there, hating herself for trusting him. She moved, felt the coldness deep within her, freezing her heart so she couldn’t feel the pain that was threatening to cascade over her body.

            The wind flowed through the empty warehouse with a dull and lifeless howl. She tried not to look at the blood that stained her shirt, tried not to think about what had just happened, so she pushed it inside and started counting again. 1… how could he have…2… why did I …3… what’s going to …4…nothing. Silence. 5…she unclenched he fists and walked further, wanting to leave as soon as possible. Leave it all behind her. Leave and never come back.

            Dark eyes, hidden in the black shadows of the warehouse watched her as she left. Watched her battered body walk out with pride, confidence, like she believed it was over. “Does she really thing we’d let her off that easy?” A deep heavy voice asked, in a low and threatening growl.

            “Ain’t no way in hell that bitch is that stupid.” Another, angrier, voice snapped back. He walked into the light, listening to the rain as it shattered against the tin warehouse roof. Waiting as if he was getting inspiration from somewhere else. “Give her a little while, a short time of peace. Make her think that she’s getting off easy, and then we’ll get her. Right Mark?”

            “Yea Juan, a couple of weeks. Just a couple of weeks.”

             The rain hit her as soon as she stepped outside, slamming into her face and merging with her tears. The water poured in rivulets down her body, mixing with the blood on her clothes and snaking into a pale pink pool at her feet. She raised her hands to the sky as the water cleansed her of their filth.

            “Free.” She whispered. She let it soak into her mind as the rain soaked into her already blood-drenched clothing.

            “They have no power over me anymore… I am FREE!”

            Her voice echoed in the wind and carried to the other side of the river, the side with green smooth grass and perfect homes. She hoped they heard. She turned her back to it all, the guys, the warehouse, and walked down the train tracks listening to the music of the last resounding notes her voice made as it carried across the water.