Outside the box--the Short Cut Series
Laya raised her head until it touched the cover of the box and
tried to peep through the little hole. She was looking for the Big Dipper and
the North star. The combination helped her keep track of time. It seemed she
might have dozed off a little longer than she should have after the blow to her
head. She could feel something wet on her forehead where Frank had hit her with
the rake. She knew it was blood and that probably explained why she found it
hard to raise her head. She had planned and waited for this night for the last
37 days. She looked towards the farmhouse and found the lights had switched off
in Franks room. It was past the time she had to start to make it to the highway
to catch the bus towards city.She knew the exact time it took cause she had
already once practiced her breakout and she was almost about to hitch hike a
ride to the city on a tractor when she feared for what would happen to Aily and
Paily. When Frank finds of his captives escaped he would kill the other girls
and dispose off all evidence. He was the most monstrous “thing” she had ever
come across in her life. He has hardly any bit human hence the “thing”.
Her frail fingers
reached for the hinges and slowly worked its way to open the box.The moment the
box opened, she ran across the field to where the other girls boxes were. She
had never asked them for their real names but Frank called them Aily and Paily
and that had become their name.She tapped twice on their boxes before opening
just to prevent them from screaming. The girls usually screamed in fear of what
awaits them whenever their box was opened. Laya had developed a special
unexplainable connection with these girls.They were bonded in misery and
suffering. It felt the wounds in their bodies were connected,everytime he beat
one of them the rest felt the pain too.Aily had a particularly painful day,her
leg was bleeding profusely and Laya was hoping she can still make it to the
highway.The girls ran past Bull,Franks equally monstrous dog.Laya had managed
to sedate him and the other dogs. Her major in botany had finally come to help
here in identifying and making the perfect mix of herbs from the stuff she
found around the farm.
Their bare legs ached as they ran through the dense forest.
The other two girls had spent too much time in the box that their legs had
almost forgotten what it was to run and they needed to be helped back onto
their feet.They could hear the howling of some animal.They also knew the forest
might have snakes but nothing seemed as fearful as being back in the farm.37
days ago Laya was on a hike in the nearby mountains when she ran into Franks
truck. She was in a hurry to get back home before it gets dark and then she
heard a moan from within the truck. Her heart stopped beating for a moment when
she peeped into the truck and saw a wounded young girl lieing in the back seat
with her hands and mouth tied.She could have called 911 but instead she tried
to open the truck.She then felt a huge blow to her head. Next thing she
remembered she was in a box,her hands and mouth were tied. What had followed
would be things she really wished she could forget.
Laya turned around and saw the girls had a lot of catching
up to do.Ailys hurt leg was really slowing her down.She looked up at the sky
and guessed they probably had about an hour before dawn.Their plans were at
great risk if they didn’t cross the county borders by bus before Frank wakes
up. From all the things she had seen on Franks farms,she has come to believe
the law enforcement within the county would side with Frank. If they are to get
caught in the county,they might be sent back to the farm.Aily had falled down
on the floor. It was too dark for Laya to see the condition of her legs but she
knew she probably would not make it running by herself. Laya and Paily helped
her up and put her hands over their shoulder. The girls had to now run as real
sisters in arms.They had never asked each other their names but had always been
there to provide each other with a comforting word and after Laya learnt to
open the box from within a kind hand to tend to their wounds.Laya had instantly
become their only longing at night-someone to open up the box and give them a
breather.She had never asked them long they had been on the farm but she knew it
would not be too long before they got out.
Paily was praying hard that they make it on time to the
highway.They should probably be close to the highway cause now she could hear
the sound of vehicles.Aily was crying miserably as she finally saw the light
from the cars on the highway. Her leg seemed like it was cut off from the rest
of her body,she could hardly feel it anymore.Laya got to the edge of the road and
she could see the city bus heading towards them.She pulled down her torn and
tattered skirt and waved frantically at the bus.She hoped the driver would see
her in time and stop.
The driver on the bus,Mona was horrified when she saw three
ghastly looking girls standing on the highway and waving at the bus. For a
second she thought she had dozed off and
swerved past them.She could see through the side mirrors that the girls had
falled down on the side of the road and had broken down into tears and she instinctively
brought the bus to a hault.She knew something was terribly wrong and she could
not drive past these girls.She would then watch these girls look at the haulted
bus in disbelief and then hug each other.
The girls looked out through the window as their bus crossed
the county lines and they looked at each others shabby faces.Tears trickled
down their faces and for the first time in a really long time,they were tears
of relief.Laya lifted Ailys wounded legs and cleaned it with the first aid kit
Mona had provided.Something that seemed like a smile came upong Ailys face and
she said “I am Maria,whats your name?”.
posted by Lakshmi C at 1:00 PM
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