A dreamy soul

********TRIGGER WARNING ABUSE******** My name is Ella, I grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada, in a regular house, with regular friends and a happy family. I lived with my parents until I graduated high school and then went off to University in the city of Ottawa. I had a few great years away from home, but when I graduated from medical school, I decided to move back home to be closer to my family. I am 28 years old and this is where my story begins. "Mom, seriously, when is the rental going to be ready? We need to get my boxes out of the way, our family can't keep living like this, dad is going to freak out." I said to her as I was rounding the corner to the dining room. "I know Ella, but don't you think that you could've put your books into storage for a little while with the rest of your stuff while the renovations were being finished?" she replied. "UH! No! You know these are important to me. Some of them are even first editions. There was no way I was taking the risk of something happening to those books." This was not the first time we have had this conversation and I think she realized that she wasn't going to win this argument, so, she changed that subject. "ANYWAYS, when do you start at the hospital?" "Actually, I'm heading there now to get the paperwork done in the HR department. Maybe I'll be able to get a few hours in. When they hired me, management said they were extremely short-staffed. It might be good to help out a bit today, seeing how I'm not doing anything anyway." "Alright darling, I will see you when you get home. Don't be too late, though Grams won't be too happy if you're late for dinner. She's been looking forward to this all week." She grabs her coffee, kisses me on the head and goes to her room. ____________________________________ At the hospital* I am just finishing at the HR department of the hospital. Thankfully, they had my badge ready and all the paperwork necessary to get signed. I walk out to make my way to the Emergency department when someone catches my eye. He was so handsome with short dark hair, piercing blue eyes. He handled himself in such a confident manner. He was just like the books I would read and fantasize about. The confident/strong man that swoops down and falls deeply in love with a woman. She means so much to him that she becomes his forever. I was getting ready to approach him to try and talk to him.... but.... I tripped over my own two feet and fell hopelessly on the ground. It happened so fast and I am completely embarrassed. My face goes beet red, and he runs to my side to help me up. "Oh my goodness! Are you okay?" he asks. Quickly, I stood up and brushed off my legs and replied: "yea... I'm really uncoordinated, don't worry about it. Thank you for your help. My name is Ella." as I held out my hand to shake his. Chuckling, he grabs my hand and shakes it and says "Dante, it's nice to meet you Ella, umm, I don't usually do this, but do you think I could take you out for dinner or coffee sometime?" "Yea, sure" as I give him a gentle smile. I put my number in his phone and tell him to give me a call sometime. Then I walk away. _______________ 1 year later I am now living with Dante, and every day that passes by, I am becoming more and more like a robot. I go to work, come back to the rental we both call home, wait for him to get back from god knows where, and repeat the next day. I would have to say that it wasn't always like this. He used to be the charming, loving prince I always dreamed of. But, the minute we moved in together, I no longer saw my family as much. Never got to see my friends, and if he ever saw me treating or talking to another man, he would go off the deep end in a fit of jealousy. I'm now sitting on my couch, reading another novel on my k****e, when I get to wondering when life got so complicated. I read these novels about werewolves and vampires that find their "true fated mates". How that would be wonderful. Then you never have to wonder if someone is right for you. The moon goddess does it for you! I sigh thinking to myself what I was thinking. I can't talk to my mom, she would just worry and he would freak out and God KNOWS I'm not ready/wanting to have THAT fight again!!!!! when I hear a car pull up. I look at my watch and started to panic. "OH NO! How could I have lost track of time? I don't even have dinner ready for him. How could I have been so stupid?" I say to myself. He comes in the door and slams it behind him. This is when I know I am in trouble. He is in one of his moods. He storms into the living room and screams at me: "What the F**K B***H!" He then grabs me by the back of the hair on my head and drags me to the kitchen. "Get in there and make me some food you useless piece of s**t. What have you been doing since you got home? Sitting on your ass reading one of your s****d books I bet." I am left there crying. My head hurts. I can feel my scalp bleeding from the way he pulled my hair. He storms off to my book shelf and pulls out my books one by one. Ripping and throwing them outside in our back yard. He goes to the garage, and pours gasoline all over them. Crying, begging and pleading with him to stop, he lights a match, grins at me and says "I should've done this months ago!" He then drops the match. The remnants of the books of my childhood ignite into flames. He turns towards me, grabs me by the hair again and drags me back to the kitchen. He looks at me with his evil eyes and he kicks me repeatedly in the stomach and side one after the other. I can feel my ribs break with each kick. When he is done, he spits on me and leaves the house again. I am now lying on the floor with no hope in the world or man kind. I don't know how long I have been lying here drifting in and out of consciousness, but, I hear a gasp and I feel my mom's warm embrace. Crying, she coos "Ella my darling, you can't keep doing this." "I know mom, but there is nothing I can do. The police won't do anything... I've tried he is too powerful. He also said that if I tried to run he would find me and hunt me down. I don't know what to do anymore" I reply sobbing. She then picks me off the ground and walks me to my room. She grabs a washcloth and washes my face. She then goes to my closet, pulls out the biggest suitcase I have and starts filling it. I ask her "Mom, what are you doing..?" She throws me a large wrap and my medical bag and replies "Enough is enough! I am not going to watch that man kill my beautiful daughter. Bandage yourself up as best you can. I am packing your stuff and you are leaving TONIGHT. Your dad and I have money saved for this and you are to take it and run. Get as far away from this town as you can. When you get there you are going to get some medical attention, get yourself healed up and you are going to go somewhere where I know you are safe and can live your life in peace away from him." Sobbing, I look helplessly at my mom and say "but what if I never see you again? Mom, I don't want to put you or dad in danger." She replies sternly "Nevermind that. If I never get to see you again... I am fine with that. The longer you stay here, the more I fear that I will find you dead. Hurry up, we don't have much time sweetheart." Just then I hear the door to my house. I jumped and looked at my mom in a panic. "Don't worry, it's just your father. He came with me and I told him if I wasn't outside, within 15 minutes to come in." My dad rounds the corner, looks at me and says "Ella, that is it your leaving. Go to Toronto, pay CASH only. Park your car in a random parking lot and take a taxi to the airport. Take a flight to Saskatchewan. I have a friend there that will give you a car and drive as far as you can go." He then hands me an envelope full of money. My dad grabs the suitcase that my mom has finished packing from my bed and carries it to my car. I meet them outside now dressed in sweatpants and a hoodie with my ribs all bandaged up. I give them each a hug and a kiss. I cannot believe this is happening. Mom coos at me as I sob. Dad wipes a tear away from his eye and says "We love you and we are both so proud of you peanut." I get into my car to drive away when Dad opens the door. "Give me your phone. I don't want him to be able to track you." He then gives me a pay as you go phone that you buy at Walmart. "DO NOT CALL HOME! We will call you from a random line when we can so it cannot be traced." He closes the door. I drive away as I watch my parents in the rear-view mirror waving goodbye. I fear I will never see them again.