Run Away From Him “Oh, hey, love!” Natasha dropped into the chair next to Lila. “Long time no see. How are things?” “Hi, Nat,” Lila replied, sounding a bit distracted. “Everything’s great.” “Then why won’t you look me in the eye?” Natasha studied her friend closely. “Roma up to something again? What’s happened this time?” “Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Lila rolled her eyes, clearly regretting ever coming into this café. “Everything’s fine with me. And Roma and I are perfect. Honestly, he’s a good man. Let’s just drop it, okay?” Ignoring whatever Natasha tried to say, Lila left, abandoning her half-eaten slice of cake. She didn’t want to listen to anyone, naively believing everyone was simply jealous. Roma was… well, brilliant. Handsome, successful, caring. True, his demands were sometimes odd. Like forbidding Lila to dye her hair blonde. That was their first real row. It almost ended in a breakup! And all over such a silly thing. Lila had gone to get her hair freshened up at the salon. Her stylist was convinced she was born to be blonde. Lila gave in. She came home with platinum curls. Roma turned white with rage. A book he’d been calmly reading on the sofa went flying. There were harsh words, and the demand: dye it back. Immediately. He wouldn’t tolerate blondes in his house. Choking back tears, Lila rushed to the nearest salon. They tried to talk her out of it—the colour really did suit her—but seeing her cry, quickly fixed it all. Roma simply nodded in satisfaction and said nothing more. The next morning, he gave her an expensive bracelet as compensation. And then, there was no wearing white. Red, blue, green—any other colour, but not white. She once jokingly asked what colour her wedding dress would be. The look he gave her made her drop the topic on the spot. “Run away from him,” Natasha implored her, back then. “Don’t look back, Lil. Today it’s ‘no white dresses,’ tomorrow—what next? No stepping outside? However ‘good’ he may seem, you need to find someone else. Someone normal.” “Everyone’s got their quirks,” Lila shrugged. “It’s serious, Nat. We’re even planning a baby. Roma really wants a girl. He’s already picked the name—Angela. And you’re telling me to run.” **************************************** She should have listened to her friend. Natasha, as it turned out, was spot on about Roma’s oddness. Lila would soon see for herself. There was always one room in the house Lila was never allowed to enter. Always locked. She once joked: “You’re not related to Bluebeard by any chance?” “Don’t worry,” Roma snorted, “no bodies of ex-wives in there.” That ended the conversation about the mysterious room. Until, by chance, Lila glimpsed inside. Her last class of the day had been cancelled; she came home early. She knew Roma was in, but couldn’t find him. Passing by the forbidden door, she heard a strange voice. Carefully, she pushed at the door. Through a narrow gap, she saw a scene that chilled her to the bone. A giant portrait of a girl covered the wall. Roma knelt before it. The girl in the painting smiled sweetly, arms outstretched. She looked uncannily like Lila. They’d be sisters, if not for the hair—the girl in the portrait was blonde. “Just a little longer, Angela,” Roma kept repeating. “We’ll be together soon. She’ll give me a daughter—you’ll be reborn in that little body. Then you’ll be with me. Always. I’ll take care of you, and once you grow up, we’ll love each other again.” Lila’s mind screamed, “Psycho!” She bolted for the exit. Her friends had been right. But now what? How does one escape a madman? Especially, terrifyingly, because Lila was pregnant. Who was to judge what to do—it was still so early. Her parents were far away; her only close friend was Natasha. So that’s who she ran to. “I never imagined Roma could be like this,” Lila whispered, wringing her hands. “If I hadn’t seen it myself, I’d never have believed—” “Calm down,” Natasha handed her a glass of water. Lila drank gratefully. “You’ve got to decide what you’re going to do. Will you stay with him?” “Not a chance!” she shook her head wildly. “He’s mad! I’m scared for myself and for the baby.” She forced a crooked smile. “Well at least now I know why I wasn’t allowed to dye my hair or wear white—he wanted me to look less like her.” “Thank goodness you found out before the wedding,” Natasha said sensibly. “You haven’t told him about the baby yet?” “I wanted it to be a surprise…” “Well, don’t. Just tell him you’ve met someone else. Then leave. Go home, transfer to a local uni. The important thing is to stay away from him.” “I suppose you’re right.” ***************************************** The last six months were gruelling for Lila—emotionally more than physically. Moving, explaining things to her parents… She had to drop out of uni because of the baby—she couldn’t bear the thought of an abortion; after all, the baby was innocent. As it turned out, she had a daughter, just as Roma had hoped for. Surprisingly, Roma let her go without much fuss. He only hinted that loose tongues could get her in trouble, and never asked where she went—it was as though he really didn’t care. Sometimes Lila wondered if she’d made the right decision in leaving him, and never telling him about the child. That evening, after putting little Ellie to sleep, she gazed out of the window, lost in thought. The doorbell rang. It was a food delivery—Lila never did learn to cook. After a quick dinner, she sat down at her books, determined to get back to her studies. The words blurred on the page, her head spun… Lila reached for her phone to call an ambulance, but her hands wouldn’t work. She couldn’t move at all. Just before she lost consciousness, she saw Roma, gently cradling their newborn daughter. *********************************************** Lila came round in hospital. Her mother had picked the perfect moment to visit. The police tried to find the baby—but there was no trace. Roma had vanished with the little girl, as if swallowed by the earth. It would be years before the grieving mother received any word. A photograph—of Roma, holding a beautiful blonde child in his arms.

Run from Him

– Oh, hello, love! Natalie slid onto the chair next to me at the cafe. Havent seen you in ages. How are things?

– Hi, Natalie, I replied, a bit distracted. Im fine, all good.

– So why cant you look me in the eye? Natalie fixed me with a stare. Has Rob done something again? Whats he pulled this time?

– Oh, dont be so dramatic, I rolled my eyes, already wishing I hadnt come in here at all. Rob and I are perfectly fine. Our relationship is just right. Hes really a good man, honestly. Lets drop the subject.

Before Natalie could say another word, I stood up and left, abandoning half my slice of Victoria sponge. I didnt want to listen I told myself that people just got jealous sometimes.

Rob, after all, was brilliant. Good-looking, well-off, attentive. Sometimes though, he could be a bit odd with his rules. For example, hed outright forbidden me from dyeing my hair blonde.

That was the first time we had a proper row. It almost ended in a break-up, and that was over something so silly!

You see, Id gone to a salon to freshen up my style. My hairdresser assured me that I was meant to be a blonde. I couldnt resist. So, I came home sporting platinum waves.

Rob went absolutely sheet-white with anger. He hurled the book hed been quietly reading on the sofa at me, then spat out a string of harsh words before ordering yes, ordering me to go back and change my hair. Immediately. After all, he said, blondes had no place in his flat.

Fighting tears, I dashed to the nearest salon. The stylists tried to talk me out of it at first the colour really did suit me but I started sobbing and they sorted me out straightaway.

Rob only nodded his approval and said nothing. The next morning, though, he gave me an expensive bracelet as a kind of apology.

But there were more rules. I wasnt allowed to wear white. Red, navy, green, anything but white. Once, as a joke, Id asked what colour my wedding dress would be, and he responded with such a peculiar look I didnt dare mention it again.

– You need to run from him, Natalie had tried to convince me. Run now, before its too late. Today its no white topswhat on earth will it be tomorrow? Locked indoors? No matter how wonderful he acts, you need to find someone else. Someone normal!

– Everyones got their quirks, Id just shrugged. Its serious between us. Were even planning a family now. Robs set on having a daughter. Hes already picked a name Angela. And youre telling me to run.

****************************************

Looking back, I should have listened. Natalie was bang on about Robs oddness. And soon, I had my own proof.

There was one room in the flat that was always firmly locked. I was never allowed in. Once, Id joked with Rob, What are you, Bluebeard or something?

– Relax, Rob smirked oddly, I havent got my ex-wives shut away in there.

That ended the subject, until fate intervened. Id come home early from uni after a lecture was cancelled. I knew Rob was in, but I couldnt find him anywhere. As I walked by the forbidden door, I heard a strange voice. Pushing it open just a crack, I saw something that chilled me to the bone.

A portrait of a woman, floor-to-ceiling, dominated the back wall. Rob knelt reverently before it.

The woman in the painting smiled sweetly and reached out with her hands. She looked uncannily like me you might mistake us for sisters, except for her bright blonde hair.

– Just a little longer, Angela. Well be together soon, Rob muttered over and over. I felt both shocked and insulted, and was about to confront him, but then he kept talking.

– Shes going to give me a daughter, she must. Then youll be able to return, your soul in that little body. Youll be with me again. Always. Ill take care of you, and when youre grown well fall in love, just like before.

Certifiable!
The thought screamed through my mind as I grabbed my bag and bolted. Natalie was right, so right! But what now? How do you escape a madman? And the worst partthey didnt even know I was actually pregnant, though it was too early for anyone to be sure.

My parents were far away; Natalie was the only real friend I had locally. So I headed straight round to her.

– I honestly never realised Rob could be like this, I whispered, trembling, clenching my fists. If I hadnt seen it for myself, Id never have believed it.

– Calm down, Natalie handed me a glass of water, which I gulped down without arguing. Now, think. What are you going to do? Are you staying?

– Never! I shook my head, hard. Hes insane. Im terrified, for me and for the baby. I tried to laugh. Now I understand the hair and white rule. If Id gone blonde, Id have looked too much like her.

– At least you found out before the wedding, Natalie said, ever practical. Youve not told him about the baby yet, have you?

– I was planning to surprise him…

– Well, dont. Tell him youve found someone else, pack your things, and move. She sighed. Honestly, youd be better off going home. Transfer uni, finish your degree. The main thing is to get far away.

– Youre probably right.

*****************************************

The following six months were the hardest Id ever known. Not so much physically, but emotionally. Moving back, the agonising chat with my parents In the end, I had to leave my courseabortion felt out of the question; the child hadnt done anything wrong. Or rather, the little girl. I had a daughter, just as Rob had wanted.

He let me go surprisingly easily. Just muttered that I shouldnt chatter about things. He never even asked where Id be moving to. It was as if he genuinely didn’t care.

Sometimes, I wondered if Id made the right decision, not telling Rob about the baby or giving him any explanation. Even tonight, after putting my daughtermy little Ellieto bed, I stood by the window, lost in thought.

The doorbell rang. It was the delivery chap with my takeaway I still hadnt learnt to cook. I ate quickly and settled in with my textbooks, determined to get back into my studies.

But the words blurred, my head spun I tried to grab my phone to call for help, but my arms just wouldnt move. I couldnt even twitch. As I slipped into darkness, the last thing I saw was Rob, cradling my newborn daughter.

***********************************************

When I woke up in hospital, my mum was beside methank God shed decided to visit just then.

Police searched for Ellie, but turned up nothing. Rob had vanished, and my baby girl with him.

A couple of years later, Id get just a fleeting worda photograph. Rob, arm around a beautiful blonde child.

If theres one thing Ive learnt, its this: Sometimes, it doesnt matter how perfect someone looks on the outsideor how desperately you want to believe in love. Youve got to trust your instincts, and when someone shows you a side that chills you, dont talk yourself out of it. Run, and dont look back. I wish, more than anything, Id run far sooner.