No Escape(Samra Ghazi) Annabelle stood by the cracked window in her house, admiring the cheerful kids and their parents playing outside on the street. Oh, how she wished she could be one of them! She missed the time when Anna and her brother, Damon would play outside for hours on end.

Anna was still busy reminiscing the past when a big blue car pulled in the driveway. A man stepped out of the car and started walking towards their paint-peeled door. As Anna realized who the man was, a big smile spread across her face and she ran outside. Anna leaped into the man’s arms before he could even reach the door.

“Daddy! I missed you so much! I’m so glad you’re back! Where’s Damon?” shrieked Annabelle.

“Anna! Go inside right now,” yelled Carrie, Anna’s mother. “No one gave you permission to come out here!” Anna ran back into the house; a tear rolled down her rosy cheek. She peeked out of the dusty curtains and saw her parents fighting on the porch.

A few minutes later, Carrie stormed back into the house raging in fury.

“Never speak to that man again!” Carrie yelled as she slumped onto the couch. Anna stared at her mother with a melancholy look. She couldn’t stop thinking about the time when her parents, John and Carrie, were together. They were the picture perfect family. Anna and her bother, Damon, would play on the freshly cut lawn while their parents sat and watched. All she could see now were broken toys, beer bottles, and garbage spread across the dead yard. She wondered how things had gotten so bad.

Anna snapped out of her thoughts as she heard her mother’s dreadful screams. The sun was setting quickly and it was time for Anna to make dinner.

“Hurry up! You don’t want to sleep on the porch again, do you?” fumed Carrie as she drank the last sip of wine from the bottle. “And get me another bottle while you’re at it!” Anna ran down to the cold basement and brought back a bottle of red wine. Carrie grabbed it out of her hand and drank straight from the bottle.

“Dinner is ready,” exclaimed Anna happily as she held out the bowl of soup. “I made soup for you, just like you used to make for Dad.”

Carrie got up in rage and smashed the bowl to the ground. “Didn’t I tell you never to mention him again? I hate that man. He told me he loved me and he lied,” screamed Carrie with clenched teeth. “He hated you too! You meant nothing to him! Why do you think he took Damon and not you? He never wanted you in his life!”

Anna fell to the floor and started picking up the broken pieces of china. She glanced up at her mother through tears. Carrie was back on the ratty old couch, drinking and watching T.V.

“Once you’re done cleaning up that mess, go sleep in the attic. It’s what you deserve for your constant complaints. I give you everything yet this is how you repay me?” Carrie screamed, giving Anna a disgusted look.

After cleaning up, Anna ran up to her room and put on a pair of faded old pajamas. She had no choice but to sleep in the scary old attic. It was not her first time. Anna spent the night lying down on the cold attic floor, shivering and crying till she fell asleep.

The next morning, Anna got up from the dusty ground in the attic and crept downstairs. She heard Carrie yelling at someone on the phone. Anna tried to listen in on the conversation but was unable to make out the words. She was sure it was the bank asking for money. They had been calling for a few months now. Suddenly, Carrie slammed the phone shut and turned around.

“Annabelle! Get down here right now and make me breakfast. I want it ready by the time I get the wine from the basement,” thundered Carrie. “You better finish it by then or I’ll have to punish you again.”
Anna raced down the stained carpet on the stairs and ran to the kitchen. She yanked open the chipped pantry door and pulled out a piece of bread. She threw it into the toaster, forgetting to turn it on. She then got the eggs from the fridge and cracked them open. Anna started cooking the eggs on the stove in an attempt to finish making her mother’s meal within the time she had.

“You have one minute, Anna,” chuckled Carrie as she came up the stairs. She was amused at the sight of her daughter struggling, but Anna did not give up. “And time is up. My breakfast better be ready.” Carrie hissed as came into the kitchen to inspect her daughter’s work. “Wow, Anna. This looks great, but you seem to have forgotten something.”

Anna was petrified as she realized that the toast was missing.
“I can expl-,“ Anna tried to finish her sentence, but was cut off by Carrie.

“Save it! I am tired of your excuses. You are just like your father!” Carrie screamed. “Now since I don’t have anything good to eat, it’s only fair that you don’t either! Let’s see how long you can last, you spoiled brat!” said Carrie.

A pool of emotions engulfed Anna and before she could realize, all her pent up anger came out.
“You really think this is fair, Mom? Daddy would never let you do this. He left us because of you,” cried Anna. “You ruined our family!”

“What did you just say to me?” Carrie clenched her teeth in anger. She grabbed Anna’s wrists, twisting them hard. “Never speak to me in that tone. Ever!” Carrie let go of Anna’s wrist and threw her onto the floor. Anna broke into tears as she huddled into the corner of the room. “Go outside. I don’t want to see your face!” screamed Carrie.

“No. I am not leaving,” responded Anna between her sobbing.

“Then I’m just going to make you leave,” Carrie shrieked as she grabbed Anna’s hair and dragged her across the floor towards the backyard. “You will not come back until you realize what you have done,” thundered Carrie. She opened the backyard door and threw Anna outside. Anna screamed in pain as she fell on her leg and twisted her ankle. Carrie locked the door and walked away. She did not even bother looking back as she heard Anna’s painful cries.

It had been over three hours. Anna had gotten tired of screaming and banging on the door; no one was hearing her cries. She had no food or water and nothing to keep her warm. She closed her eyes to distract herself from the pain of her injured ankle and tried to think about happy things. Her attempts were in vain as the thoughts of John and Damon kept invading. She wondered why her dad had left her to suffer. What had she done to deserve this?

Anna lay on the grass accompanied by her thoughts when suddenly it occurred to her. She knew where the spare key to the back door was hidden. She got up and limped her way to the faded mat by the door. It once had read, “Love is what makes a home”. Anna lifted up the mat and looked for the silver key underneath. Luckily, it was still there. She opened the door and crept into the house, knowing her drunken mother was probably asleep on the sofa.

It was time for Anna to make a decision. She knew that this was her only chance to escape. It was what she needed. She could not take anymore of her mother’s abuse.

Anna went upstairs and quickly grabbed a few of her belongings. She tiptoed back down and walked towards the front door. She was about to turn the rusted knob when her mother’s voice froze Anna in her footsteps.

“Leaving so soon?” Carrie asked as she grabbed Anna’s arm and pulled her back.

“Let go of me, you monster!” demanded Anna.
“You’re no angel yourself!” Carrie smirked with a mixture of anger and hatred.

“Leave me alone!” cried Anna as she tried to limp her way to the door.

“I’m going to lock you in the basement and make sure you never see the light of day ever again!” shouted Carrie as she walked towards Anna. Anna tried to run, but her leg would not allow it. Carrie grabbed Anna’s shoulder and pulled her back. She slapped her so hard that Anna fell to the ground. Anna could taste the blood in her mouth. She felt dizzy.

“Oh did that hurt? I am so sorry! Let me help you up,” insisted Carrie, holding out her wrinkly hand. Anna covered her mouth with one hand to stop the bleeding and tried to grab Carrie’s hand with the other. She thought her mother had finally calmed down, but she was wrong. Carrie pulled Anna up and pushed her against the fireplace. Anna fell down, hitting her head on the sharp edge. Anna turned ghost white. She could feel her head spinning. Her vision turned blurry. The last thing she saw was her mother standing in front of her without a hint of emotion in her eyes.

John realized he hated hospitals as he walked in. The distinct smell of medication and death always made him nauseous. This time it was worse because he was there for his own daughter. He rushed into the room where Anna had been taken. The doctor and nurses had surrounded her. She had more wires attached to her than her tiny body could bear.

“Is she going to be okay?” John asked the doctor in a trembling voice.

The doctor gave John a sympathetic look as he replied, “Anna is in a coma. She has suffered serious head injuries. We did everything we could. Let’s just pray for a miracle.”

John sat next to Anna on the white hospital bed as the doctor and nurses walked out. There was so much he wanted to say to Anna, but he knew she couldn’t hear him. John held back tears as he looked at his beautiful little girl. She looked so peaceful; it was almost as if she was smiling. Anna was finally free.

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