Broken Wings

When Hell Started

Dedicated LorelaiSavage
   
Rylie Ann Turner sat in front of the television in stunned silence, her intense blue eyes fixed on the news broadcast without blinking. In her twenty-two years on Earth, she had never seen anything like this.

What did this mean?

Would they die at the hands of crazy people, or would her father beat them to it?

Her mind raced from one terrifying possibility to the next.

"Rylie."

The second time her name was called, Rylie finally realized that Lilah was sitting beside her on the couch, staring at the television too. The news showed reports of people dying, only to come back and kill again. It was spreading like a chain reaction-one person after another, like dominoes falling and somehow being stood back up.

Rylie knew CNN had been accused of getting things wrong before, but deep in her heart, she knew this catastrophe was real.

"Annie, we need to leave before Ted gets back, Lilah used the nickname she gave Rylie because she couldn't say her name so she always called her Annie as a little girl.
..
If he gets back," Lilah said, her voice trembling. "We have nothing to eat. We don't have weapons, and we don't even know where he keeps them." No but I do Rylie rubbed her sisters arm and hugged her tight.
"Don't worry baby sister I won't let anyone hurt you."

Tears streamed down Lilah's pretty face, her blue eyes swimming with fear and emotion.

Rylie knew exactly what she was thinking.

"We're going to die like those people," Lilah cried.

"No, Lilah. You know we won't." We are string and brave. Remember the training Miguel taught us.
Use that memory to fight off the bad things for now, please sis. We got this. We can do it Rylie assured her.

Rylie paused, then her expression hardened as memories of her own started like a video on repeat. The beatings, rape, starvation they had been put through, the hell they endured under this roof. I'm going to burn it to the ground and watch the smoke for miles.

"I'm going to kill him tonight."

She hadn't meant for the words to come out quite so fiercely, but once they were spoken, there was no taking them back.

"I'm not leaving until he's dead. He can't keep doing this to people. He'll just kidnap more girls. I have to stop him." I will stop him.

"Now, look. We aren't defenseless," Rylie reminded her. "We can make weapons." Weapons so he won't know that I got in the arsenal room.

They searched the house for what they could use. Rylie found a mop handle and a large kitchen knife. With duct tape, she secured the knife to the end of the handle, creating a crude spear.

It wasn't much.

But it was something.

"Now, Lilah, you hide when Ted gets here. It's me he wants, and he's not selling me to anyone tonight. That's a promise, sis." Don't worry she whispered as she hugged Lilah tight. Now go, its almost time for him.

Rylie looked toward the doorway. Thoughts already swirling of things that needed done.

"Meet me by the rose garden."

The rose garden wasn't really a garden at all. It was a damn drawing downstairs-the picture they had made together eight years ago when they first arrived. Other girls had added to it. Thats why it was so special.

Most of those girls didnt make it. But she couldn't dwell on a trip down memory lane she had to much to do and a plan and a part to play to save herself and her sister.