The Road From Here

Bridget shrugged her bag onto her shoulder as she headed out the door. It was hot and muggy outside, the way it usually was after a heavy rain on a hot summer day. She tossed her bag into the back of her car, sat in the driver's seat, and tried to start it. The car replied in a few sputters followed by dead silence.

"I don't know what I expected." She sighed and picked up her bag. It wasn't the first time he had messed with her car to keep her from leaving. In the past it had worked, but she wasn't going to let it this time. She slammed the car door and began walking.

The past few months hadn't been easy for her, and it showed on her face: not only in the form of various cuts and bruises, but also in the look of dejection and self-loathing. She bore the face of a rock that had been worn to nothing by the gushing river.

Bridget shrugged the bag into a more comfortable position on her shoulder. It was time for her to leave all of that in the past. A few rocks scattered across the pavement as she kicked her foot. A small smile crept to her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been on a walk.

Looking to her left, Bridget saw an empty field. The grass looked as though it hadn't been mowed in a year. A flock of birds were flying from one part of it to the other, as though trying to decide which side had greener grass. Bridget's smile grew wider. She had once longed for the freedom to decide where she wanted to be, not realizing that she had it the whole time.

Sweat began to drip down Bridget's neck as she finally reached the highway. She tied her hair up in a messy bun as the cars whizzed past her. She stuck her arm out and held up her thumb. The cars continued to fly by.
After a while her neck was aching, her shirt was soaked, and her bag felt as though it were loaded with boulders. She sat at the side of the road and began to cry.

How far was she from home now? How far from him? Maybe she should just go back - forget all this nonsense about starting over and finding herself again. He wasn't all bad. There were times when she felt as though he really loved her. He would kiss her on the shoulder as she cooked. He would tuck her hair behind her ear after she apologized for not dedicating 100% of her time to him. There were times when he really made her feel like a person and not a possession.

But then there were other times.

Bridget stood with a new-found determination. She knew exactly how far away from home she was. It was a thousand miles in the opposite direction of that man. She held out her thumb again, and this time it wasn't long before a kind woman pulled over and offered her a ride and a cup of water. Bridget knew that the road from here was long and scary, but she was willing to take the risk.