“You have two choices. Leave and the boy lives, or stay and I hunt you and the child down. And when I catch you, I’ll kill him in front of you.” Jackson sneered at me, knife in hand, gesturing with it towards my sons room. I thought for sure he’d never find us here. How’d he find us so quickly anyways? Could I make it around him and get to the baby? No, he’d either block my way or kill him now. I can’t risk that.

“Alright,” I said with a shakey breath. “I’ll go. Just- just let me say goodbye. Please?” I glanced at the door then back at Jackson. I knew leaving with the baby was going to cause issues, but not these kind. I thought he was “slamming doors and throwing things” kind of crazy, not “I’m going to murder you in your sleep” crazy. He watched me inquisitively for a moment, before sighing and nodding for me to go in the room.

“You have sixty seconds.” I crept slowly around him, scared he might attack me if I did otherwise. Then I booked it to my sons door, I walked in and hovered over his crib. He was laying on his stomach with his hands pulled up to his chest, butt up in the air. He was snoring lightly, his hair falling over his little eyes and his sweet chubby cheeks and sticking up in other areas. I felt my eyes begin to water. If I stayed, I wasnt sure I could protect him, but what would happen to him if I did leave? Would Jackson kill him anyways? Would he be abusive? Would he raise him properly? Would he turn out just like Jack?

My mind raced a mile a second. I expertly manuvered my son into my arms and held him to my chest. He instinctively wrapped his arms and legs around me. For half a second, I contemplated climbing out the window with him and running away. Maybe I could make it, I thought.

“Thirty seconds, Natalie.” Jackson’s voice booming into the silence broke me out of my thoughts, and I knew I wouldn’t have enough time before he came to escort me out. I sighed a heavy broken sigh, and buried my face into my sons neck. Breathing in his scent as tears fell from my eyes. I studied his sleeping face and squeezed him gently.

“I love you my sweet handsome boy.” I whispered as I gently set him back in his crib.

“I love you, I’ll come back for you, I promise.”

That was 2 years ago.