Casey stared up at the painting that had hung in Todd’s living room for years. His living room. His house. He never let her forget. He made the money. He made the decisions. Her wrist was still red. He’d squeezed it so hard after he checked their online banking and saw she’d bought new shoes, despite the fact that all the ones she had were falling apart.
She looked closer at the painting. She’d never paid it much attention. A cowboy from the Old West, a ranch, some horses. But now, she saw a brutal master, his animals cowering under his steely gaze. Sadness in their eyes. She wished she could jump into the painting. Release each one, let them run free.
Her heart raced. She grabbed her purse, making sure Todd hadn’t confiscated her debit and credit cards again. He hadn’t. She left her house key on the table, walked out the door with the clothes on her back and new shoes on her feet, hailing a cab.
“Where to?”
“My bank. ” She’d leave Todd with $1. He made the money right? Replacing it should be easy. “Then the airport.”
In response to Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers!
Great story! Good for her for getting away from a tyrant! I like the line about her wanting to jump into the painting and release the horses. Well done! Thank you for participating in FFfAW challenge!
I appreciate that. Thanks for the challenge!
You’re welcome and I love reading your stories!
Really interesting take on this prompt. It is great to see it go in a completely different direction as being a painting in someone’s house and about an abusive relationship. A happy ending though.
Thanks! I know next to nothing about the Wild West, so I didn’t have much choice. 🙂
Well it’s great to approach things creatively and it doesn’t have to be the same approach for everyone.
The idea of getting into the painting and freeing the animals is novel and she just did that to herself; freeing herself from a tyrant.
She was right in saying that he had made the money and he could replace it.
Enjoyed reading your post.
Thank you. I hate to see animals in captivity so that’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the picture.
Good for her! Great story and take on the prompt.
Thanks!
Nice touch, to use the image as a painting and have her reinterpret it — so that we, also, reinterpret it along with her, and get so many hints at her life in the process. Smooth writing, very compelling.
Somehow I don’t think he’s going to let her get away with this, though. I hope she has a good lawyer, and a good safe house.
Thanks for reading. I’m worried about her too. I sent her out there in the world with no back up plan.
Okay, we’ll think positive thoughts for her, and imagine that she knows about good resources to get her through this.
Great story! It’s a really unique take on the prompt.
Thanks!
Go Girl! I like it. We can all feel for the dominated – even when they are horses
Thank you!
What a mean guy, he deserves everything that is coming to him!
I agree! Thanks for reading.
Good for her! She deserves to be free of him. The painting was sad for her, but it did wake her up to the fact that she was not any better off than they were, so she decided to do something about it. Wonderful story, I enjoyed it!
Thank you for reading!
Great story, I hope she finds peace in her new life. I’m glad she was brave enough to leave.
Yes, exactly what Kalpana said. She projected her feelings onto the horses in the painting and then took matters into her own hands to free herself. There might not have been visible ropes and chains, but there definitely was psychologically and emotionally. Who knows if what comes next is better or worse, but I’m happy she’s taking that chance. (And hopefully he doesn’t come after her). Excellent job from start to finish!! I’d pick out lines I loved, but that would mean copying and pasting this whole piece.
This is so sweet. Thank you so much.
Very nice take on the photo prompt. Great story, liked the ending. If he could earn the money she too could do so it wouldn´t be that hard. The tale of of another tough woman, like many others.
Thank you! I love to write about women realizing how strong they really are. I think that’s a moment most of us have at some point in our lives.
You certainly don´t have to school me about the power woman have, I´ve been raised by Mommy “Rambo” as I call her with 33 years old. You know one of the quotes she likes? “Don´t mistake my kindness for weakness. I´m kind to everybody but when someone is unkind to me, weak is not what you are going to remember about me.” And who said that….Al Capone!! She cares the s..t out of me. 😉
She is definitely better of on her own than with a slave master.