Protection

 

Protection

Her husband had an old gun that he kept in the bottom drawer. He showed it to her the day they got married. In case she needed to protect herself when he was away, the gun was right there, he said. He even taught her how to shoot. They practiced in the back yard. She found it scary, but she did her best to learn, because you never knew when you might need protection. He was often away and at first she found it hard to be separated from him. He was the love of her life. He was also the reason why she didn’t speak to her family, but he was worth it, she thought. She had been only 15 when she had ran away with him. So, now they were alone in this little town, and he was the only person she knew here. She didn’t mind, he was her whole world. He was often away and soon she learnt to cherish these times of solitude, when there was no one in the little house and when the shadows on the walls became long. Every time he went away, he would lock her in, for her own protection. Before leaving, he always told her to use the gun if she heard someone at the door. So, was it her fault that she did as he’d told her? Because someone was at the door. And how was she to know that it was him? 

GloPoWriMo Day 19