The Escape

     Well we left off with Josh taking my oldest daughter to school and telling me he was gonna kill me when he got back.  The darkness in his eyes was terrifying.  I knew he meant what he said.   I just said a prayer and asked God to protect me.  Over the years I prayed to God to get me out.   However I was so angry with God for allowing this to happen that I never saw the signs he was giving me to get out.  I was asking for Gods help but I wasn't giving him a chance to answer or listening to what God had to say.  Anyways Josh got the truck started and left to take my oldest daughter to school.   He was mad when he left and I was terrified that my life and the lives of my 2 youngest would be over when he returned home.  It was only about 20 minutes round trip to take her to school and come back home.  I was panicking and then I heard Gods voice for the first time and he said check the door.   I didn't hesitate I got up and grabbed the door knob and when I turned it the door opened.  Josh had been so mad he completely forgot to lock the door back when he left.  I knew I had to get my girls and get out    I tried to put shoes on but my feet were so swollen that I couldn't put them on.  I grabbed a few diapers and woke the girls up and put shoes on them.  I was terrified about trying to leave because I knew Josh had the cameras up around the house inside and out.  He also always told me his brother was always watching the house so I knew that walking out of the house I was taking the chance of his brother seeing me and catching me.  Somehow I knew in my heart that God would protect me and my babies.  My two youngest were only 2 and 3 at the time.  We made our way out the front door and I knew I had to get out of the line of sight of his brothers house so we went around the side of the house.  There was a small opening in the fence where the barbed wire was low so I lifted the girls over and then climbed over myself.  My feet and legs were killing me but I knew I had to carry on for my girls.  I had an adrenaline rush too I guess because I was able to keep moving.  We crossed the street which took forever it seemed because I was so slow moving.  Once we crossed and walked a short distance I heard a truck coming and I knew by the sound that it was Josh coming back home.  There was nowhere to hide so I ducked down in the ditch with the girls and just prayed that he wouldn't see us. I thought it was over that he was gonna kill me and the girls right there on the side of the road.  By the Grace of God, Josh never saw us.  He drove right past where we were crouched at.  I thanked God because I knew he had protected us.  I also knew I had to get hidden now because it would only take a few minutes for Josh to know we were gone.  I knew he would watch the cameras to see which way we had gone.  The only place close to hide was in the woods.  So I told the girls come on we have to hide.  They didn't understand what was going on but they listened to me.  I felt so bad that we were in this situation but my first priority was protecting them.  It was so hard for me to leave and know my oldest daughter would be with Josh still but I didn't think he would harm her. I prayed God would protect her.   So we made our way into the woods and hunkered down.

  Anyways Josh realized we were gone after a couple minutes of being home.  I heard the truck start up and I knew Josh was coming looking for us.  I hid in some trees and told the girls to be quiet.  I sang quietly to them to keep them calm.  Josh drove back and forth by where we were several times before giving up and going back home.  I could see the house from where we were so I would know if Josh left again.  I felt safer in those woods with wild animals than I did being in that house with Josh. We were all so malnourished and exhausted.  The girls fell asleep in my lap in the woods  and I stayed awake as long as I could.  I was terrified if I fell asleep i might not wake back up.  I had to stay strong and keep my strength as best as I could for my girls.   We stayed in the woods for almost 2 nights and 3 days.  On the 3rd day I knew I had to get help.  The girls and I were so weak.  We hadn't eaten or drank anything since the day we walked out.  We made it back to the road and started walking.  I was passed by a few cars that just drove past us like they didn't see us.  I was waving my arms and begging for them to stop.  We just kept walking and stopped a few times to rest.  I knew we had to put distance between us and where Josh was.  I saw the school bus coming so I knew it was about 4:30 pm.   I was worried my oldest would see us and then tell her dad that she had seen us out there on the road.   At one point I sat down at the end of a driveway up the street from our house and the girls just laid there exhausted.  A couple young kids in trucks pulled up and were talking and I was trying to call out to them but I was so exhausted I could barely make a sound.   After a few minutes they drove off.  After we rested a little I knew we had to keep moving, the more distance I put between us and Josh the safer we would be.   After walking  a bit a miracle happened.  

Come back to learn what that miracle was.