Chapter One
John
John and Marie rode for several hours to get to town. They did it under the cover of darkness. City folk never saw country like this. Gravel roads and dirt trails that cut through farms. No lights, just the stars and moonlight to guide them. The adrenaline and fear subsided from John within the first hour of riding, but they gave way to the worry that spread throughout his entire body. If it wasn't for Marie, he'd have turned back by now. Returning to his abusive father with his shoulder slumped and face focused on the ground, he took his whipping of leather belts on his back or the beating of sticks across his face and chest. The pain would only last until his father Wood tire and then it would subside for a week or two until his father's next bender.
But something changed when he was not the only one receiving the abuse. Oddly enough, you could imagine his future beatings. The way he saw it, the 20 years of beatings he survived, why couldn't he survive another 20 years of beatings? But he could not imagine sitting through 20 minutes of hearing, seeing, or even knowing that Marie was a victim of those beatings.
Their two horses, Jonah and Marley, traded into town when it was probably close to midnight. What town was quiet? No lights were on, no people were out, and while people used electricity here, they still believed in the old ways of closing stores early and being in bed not long after dark.
"What now?" John asked.
"I don't know..." Marie admitted. Their horses grazed in the grass alongside the road. They would need to get them water soon, as well. They were working horses and used to hard rides, but even athletes need rest. "Maybe we could..."
Marie's words trailed off, headlights shined down upon them. Brother and sister both held up a hand, shading their eyes as the pickup truck slowly rumbled closer. The bricks squealed as he stopped beside them and the windows rolled down.
"What the heck are you two doing out here?" The driver asked. It was Bill Tillings. A ranchman from the other side of town. He was a good, god fearing man with a family farm that stretched back a hundred years. He was gray-haired and wore his cowboy hat.
John knew any lie he told would break apart like a fistful of sand. Besides, they looked foolish riding how they were. In the middle of the night, with no saddle, and Marie wearing a dress.
"We..." John started but looked to Marie, who Marley brought closer.
"We had an issue back at the farm," Marie said, and the headlights illuminated the bruise on her cheek. "We couldn't stay there."
Bill took his hat off, and his wife, Tammy, leaned forward from the passenger seat. "Oh, Bill, didn't I tell you there was trouble over there?" she said.
"Are you two alright?" Bill asked.
"We're fine, but we just need a place to stay for the night, if that's okay," Marie said.
"Of course," Bill smiled. "We're just pickn' up Tammy's car she left in town earlier. You can follow us back."
"Thank you," John said.
They waited for Bill to drop his wife off behind a farmer's supply store and the two to drive ahead. Marly and Jonah led them back to Bill and Tammy's farm house. It was a quiet place. John couldn't stop smiling at the light bulbs that lit up the house in the dead of night. It was the little perks that he appreciated. After getting their horses some oats and water, Tammy brought John and Marie inside. Their children were already in bed. They only had one spare bedroom and Tammy set up a spare air mattress on the floor beside the twin bed.
"Thank you, really." Marie said.
"No problem, dear," Tammy smiled. "If you two need anything throughout the night, let me know."
Closing the door, Marie held her hand over the light switch and flipped it on and off a few times, making the lights flicker.
"Having fun?" John smiled at her.
"It's the little pleasures," Marie smirked.
John's face straightened, and he sat on the edge of the bed. "What are we going to do, Marie?"
"We're going to be okay," Marie said as she walked to John.
"But how do you know that? For 20 years I've had chores every morning. I've had a routine. I've had... This is the first time in my life I don't know what I'm doing tomorrow when I wake up."
Marie combed her fingers through his hair as she looked down at him, smiling gently. "It's kind of exciting, huh?"
John smirked and shook his head. "Does nothing scare you?"
Marie looked away, then looked back and shook her head. "Just one thing."
"And what's that?"
There was a long pause that was filled with Marie crawling into the bed. Laying down, she pulled at John's arm to join her in the bed. "Come here..."
John laid down on the bed and the two held each other, laying scrunched side by side on the bed. The light was still on as the pair fell asleep, caressing each other's hips and arms.
Chapter Two
Marie
Marie awoke, and she was already out of breath. The neck of her shirt was undone and her left breast was hanging free from her shirt. Before the web of confusion could clear from her head, she felt a finger make a long drag across her pussy lips. She gasped, sucking in air as she remembered that she still was in the guest room of Bill and Tammy's house.