Escape from the Binding Vow

Ella stood in the middle of the basement, with tears filling her eyes, as her husband Micheal was continuously beating up her driver, Corey. "How dare you!!" Michael's voice roared loudly as he kicked Corey's stomach.

Corey looked small as he curled up in pain, his clothes stained with his own blood and covered in dirt. He gasped in pain.

Corey was all bruised up from the beating, blood dripping from his mouth and even his nose "Please" he weakly begged " I have a sister, please she's really sick please please I won't make this mistake again" he continued to plead, tears rolling down his cheeks mixing with the sweat on his face.

Ella looked away from him in regret, she held herself from going over to where he was and protecting him from all the beatings. From crying and apologizing to him for putting him in this situation.

Ella really wanted to beg for Corey but she couldn't, she knew it would only make things worse for both of them. Her husband had a really bad temper. All she could do was pray he wouldn't kill them.

Three hours earlier, Corey was driving Ella to her hair appointment in Beverly Centre. Corey was a slim, tall black kid who didn't look like he was over 21. He had full hair and a small mustache that made him look a bit mature but still had that young look in him.

They drove in silence, the radio in a low volume playing a pop song. Corey hummed to the song, swaying a little to the rhythm. He seemed a bit carried away by the music playing. Ella looked at him with a small smile.

"What song is this?" Ella asked him. Corey looked at her in surprise through the rear view mirror. "Uh...it's sunlight..."he said almost in a whisper but Ella heard him and simply nodded "Catchy..." she said turning to face the window.

She could see now that he was a bit nervous even uncomfortable. This was the first time they were speaking and he's been driving her for almost a month. Sometimes she wondered if her husband, Micheal would warn the male staffs not to speak to her. It wasn't out of some romantic possessiveness, he wanted to be in control of her life.

Corey then cleared his throat and spoke up, "Mrs Diviski, is everything fine?Your eyes....they're bruised" Corey asked still looking at her through the rear view mirror.

Ella looked at her driver, in confusion because she had worn some makeup to cover the bruise on her eye. "It's nothing I uh I fell in the bathroom that's all" Ella said looking away but slightly touching her bruised eye.

She didn't actually fall her husband Micheal had punched her for mistakenly pouring hot tea on him. Micheal was a very abusive man with not just her but with everyone and no one could do anything about it. Corey faced the road and sighed 'He must have hit her again' Corey thought to himself.

"Uhm....could you please step out of the car" she instructed Corey once they had arrived at their destination. He did as he was told,backing the car. Ella took out her powder and applied more to cover the bruises. "All good" she said looking at herself through the rear view mirror. She sighed and got out.

After Ella's hair appointment, she got in the car ready to go home but Corey didn't start driving, instead he spoke up "Ella you could run away" this time he called her by her name. Ella looked at him confused "What did you say?" She asked, her brows knitting in confusion.

"Look I know he hits you, I've been here only a few weeks and I know what he does to you and how he treats you.You shouldn't go through this no matter how much he has or the power that he has" he said facing her this time.

Ella stared at him blankly, none of the staff had ever acknowledged what Micheal had been doing to her. She couldn't blame them because Micheal would kill them off if they tried anything.

"He's a coward and a bastard who should be locked up" he said abit loudly. Ella sighed shaking her head "I don't know if you've noticed but I really don't have a choice kid. He'll kill me if he catches me and he will catch me" Ella tried to not say too much because he was a new staff and the way he spoke with so much confidence, she knew Corey didn't know who her husband really was.

"Please just forget this....look I know you mean well but please...." Ella was worried, she had been married to her husband, Micheal for almost 2 years and he has killed quite a number of people in front of her. He did things like that to instill fear in her. He constantly reminded her she lived by his mercy and he could kill her at any time. If he catches them, this could be the time. He would kill Corey too.

"Look Ella I'll help you. You don't deserve this" he urged, but before Ella could answer he turned away from her, started the car and began to drive the opposite direction. Ella sighed 'this could be my chance to get my freedom,but what if he catches us' she thought to herself.

She wanted to tell him to turn back, she knew how ruthless her husband was but this could be her chance to run away. She felt conflicted. "Corey, please turn around. You don't know Micheal" she finally said leaning towards the driver's seat gripping the leather in worry.

Corey didn't bother looking at Ella, his eyes fixated on the road with determination. He could sense her worry, "Look it's fine to be scared but you cannot keep living like this. It's not right. We could even report him to the police" Corey tried to convince her. Ella sighed at the mention of the police 'if only he knew how powerful Micheal truly is' Ella thought to herself looking at Corey.

"I can take you to my apartment, it's at the other end of town it's small. It's just me there because my sister..." he sighed loudly, not finishing what he was saying "but it should be fine until you can find a way to leave the city" he continued to say as he drove faster.

But Ella still wasn't at ease, her heart was beating fast "Corey turn around. Corey!!" She said his name loudly but he didn't budge. She felt desperate, Corey wasn't budging, she didn't want him to but at the same time she did. But both their lives were at risk.

Suddenly, she reached out for Corey's hand, trying to pull it away from the steering wheel. "What are you doing!!" Corey screamed at her, wondering why she didn't want his help "Stop, Corey stop the car" she shouted back at him in desperation. The car swerved as they struggled. Pedestrians screaming and running for their lives.

Corey and Ella continued struggling. "Ella stop it!!" Corey continued to repeat but Ella didn't budge. Corey finally had enough and pushed Ella off him. He turned to her, with one hand on the wheel "Ella I'm trying to help you" he said loudly "I don't need it. This isn't helping!!" She shouted back but before they both knew it the car had crashed into a newspaper stand.