CONTENT WARNING: Themes of abuse, child marriage, death, and miscarriages throughout this chapter.
14 year old Evelyn stared out the carriage window, blue eyes glazed over and tinged red from the tears that had run out from this morning's cry session. Her mother, Teresa, sat next to her, fussing over the curls that fell over Evelyn's shoulder and the puffy white sleeves gripping her arms like vices. As the carriage pulled up to the church Teresa delicately plucked a white veil into the updo. Satisfied, Teresa turned to Jeremiah, Evelyn's father, who sat across from them.
"Isn't she just a vision, dear? Our beautiful baby girl all grown up and to be wed!" Teresa twittered, to which Jeremiah guiltily looks to Evelyn, stroking his salt and pepper beard anxiously.
"Certainly, dear." Evelyn's heart twinged painfully in betrayal.
The carriage jerked to a stop and the family exited quickly, Jeremiah pulling Evelyn along behind him and Teresa still plucking and fluffing at any small imperfection she could see. As Evelyn stood at the looming double mahogany doors, she breathed deeply, holding back a sob. Her father linked his arm with hers, and the Organ began its song, to signify the start of the marriage, and the end of Evelyn's freedom.
Walking down the aisle felt stiff and claustrophobic, family friends and strangers, family members, and her now in-laws' eyes boring into her as she proceeded slowly to the altar.
30-year-old Glenn Kings stood at the altar, blonde hair slicked back and brown eyes locked onto her. A smirk graced his handsome face, pristinely shaved that morning. He took her hands into his when she approached him, and they listened intently to the minister recite his script. With a tight throat Evelyn said the words;
"I do." With that the marriage was sealed, and she was pulled into a passionless kiss for the audience to politely clap at.
"You are glowing, my wife." Glenn said, taking in his new brides appearance from her black hair donned with a veil to her long silk train trailing gracefully behind her.
"You are too kind." She replied, forcing a smile upon her face.
The night passed slowly, filled with cheering and dancing, guests and family voicing their congratulations and Evelyn thanking them, perched at her husbands side like a sad, beautiful ornament.
That night, as she performed her wifely duty, she fell pregnant. A beautiful baby girl came into the world, bright blue eyes just like her mother and golden tresses like her father. She was perfect, and now 15-year-old Evelyn felt nothing could take away her happiness and her overwhelming love for her child.
Three years pass, and Evelyn had fallen pregnant once again. She sat at the head of the table beside her husband, gracefully accepting her guest's congratulations and praise as they complimented her pregnant glow in her dating evening gown, her belly slightly swollen. Though in a loveless and painful marriage, Evelyn was happy to be bringing another joy into the world. Her Three-year-old daughter sat restlessly beside her, wanting to play. Having been told no, the toddler began to cry, and Evelyn excused them both to go to the powder room, leaving her husband and his guests to themselves.
Once the guests had left, however, Glenn's charming and sociable facade fell. In a drunken fury he slammed up the stairs, yelling for Evelyn who came running to see what was wrong.
"You dare embarrass me at my own home? You couldn't keep that brat silent for one night so you leave? Do you have any idea the shame I felt as I explained to why my own wife had to leave the party because my own daughter can't control herself?" He roared, running a hand through his neat hair and rustling it up, his eyes bloodshot he glared at her with a snarl on his face.
"Please Glenn, she's just a child, she doesn't understand-" Evelyn plead, but was cut short by a sharp slap to the face. She fell to her knees, cradling her cheek.
"I'm sick of your excuses. I should've known the second your father proposed we wed to save his ass I should've threw him to the street. But I didn't Evelyn, because I care too much. I loved you, the minute I saw you, and you continue to spit in my face." He sobbed drunkenly, swaying at the banister watching as Evelyn shakily rose to her feet. He scoffed bitterly.
"You were a mistake. A lowly pastor's daughter. But I just cared, too much. And you take advantage of my kindness." He bitterly chuckled and moved to shove past her. "Get out of my way."
his shoulder connected with Evelyn's, who lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs. She laid sobbing at the floor as her husband's footsteps past her and went down into the wine cellar. She cradled her stomach, which flared in searing pain. Evelyn managed to crawl into the restroom, where she spent her night holding back screams of agony as she felt the pains of birth. Only she wasn't giving birth, but was experiencing the loss of one. She sobbed, in pain and in heartbreak.
With barely any strength and shaking legs, Evelyn carried herself to the trophy room. Grabbing Glenn's prized revolver, she headed to the wine cellar. Her heart was numb, and her mind was silent. Hours had passed since the fall, and the moon shone bright in the sky. Everything was quiet. Glenn lay unconscious at the bar, glasses of wine and beer surrounding him. She stood and listened to his quiet snoring. Then, without a second's hesitation, she raised the revolver to his heart and pulled the trigger.
As he sputtered and bled on the floor Evelyn turned away. She gathered two bags of clothes and food and secured a satchel which she filled with cash from her husband's safe, and a second one. Changing into her ragged cleaning clothes she quietly gathered Annabell in her arms and together they fled the Estate on horseback.
The horse ran until it's breath grew ragged and its knees shook hours later. Evelyn patted the horses' neck, and pushed it to go further, trotting upon a homely Estate. The sun was rising, casting the sky in a hue of yellow pink. Evelyn stumbled off the horse, and collapsed at the door, Annabell still bundled sleeping in her arms. The door opened, and an old woman stood at the door, shotgun barrel at the ready. She looked upon Evelyn and her child, and begrudgingly rushed them inside.
For two years Evelyn and Annabell lived with the old woman Bethany, who had become a grandmother to them. Evelyn cleaned and cooked, and in return Bethany housed them. Bethany was a spitfire, who could wield a shotgun like any wild west outlaw and everyone in Armadillo knew it. She had no children and never married, shunning the idea of having to be tied down to a man her entire life, Which Evelyn deeply resonated with. Bethany enjoyed passing her time with teaching the girls how to shoot, how to hunt, and how to protect themselves. Annabell is now five and could comprehend most of what she was being taught.
Unfortunately, Evelyn couldn't hide forever. On a humid evening Evelyn tended to the garden behind the house with Annabell when Bethany rushed over to them.
"Listen ladies, there's some fancy folk in town. Says they's lookin' for a woman looking mighty similars to you, and a youngin' with her. They've caught trail of ya's, and they's know you're here. I'll buy you some time, you take my horse and you run, you hear?"
Shocked, Evelyn shook her head. "But what are they going to do to you? I can't leave you!" She began tearing up, grasping the elderly woman's hand tightly.
Bethany shook her head, pumping her shotgun and shoving the girls towards the stable.
"I don't wanna hear it. You gotta youngin' and you're a youngin' yourself. I've lived my old life, and I'm more than happy to give them frumpy lawmen a run for their money."
Evelyn sobbed and nodded, hugging the old lady and quickly gathering hers and Annabell's belongings, then running to the stables where she strapped everything down to Bethany's piebald Hungarian Half-bred. She secured Annabell in front of her and whipped the horse to run, getting far away into the distance when she heard gunshots ring through the air. She held back sobs, and ushered the horse towards West Elizabeth, where she was certain the law wouldn't follow her.