Running for Freedom

Trigger Warning:

This story contains themes of emotional manipulation, psychological trauma, non-physical abuse, and control. Readers may find these elements distressing. Please proceed with caution.

Nadine could feel it. The faint prickling at the base of her neck, the unsettling hum in the air. Someone was there, lingering close. She kept her head down, quickened her pace, and gripped her son Yulian’s hand a little tighter as they climbed the steps to their new home. After months of planning, it was meant to be their refuge, a place where the past couldn’t reach her.

But no matter how many locks she turned, doors she closed, or windows she watched, Nadine couldn’t escape the fear that seemed to creep in with every shadow. She hadn’t seen Ydal in over a year, hadn’t spoken to him in nearly as long. And yet, in every creak of the floorboards and every shifting shadow, he was there just watching, as he always had.

She shook off the thought and closed the door firmly behind her. Inside, she forced a smile for Yulian, who looked up at her with wide eyes. “What’s wrong, Momi?”

“Nothing, son.” But even as she said it, her mind pulled her back to that cold November day, the last time she saw Ydal. They’d gone shopping together, played golf in the chilly autumn air. It felt surreal now, thinking of those ordinary moments when everything had already begun to unravel.

He’d watched her every move even then. "Keep the bed made, laundry folded, everything in its place." His voice echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that her every action was scrutinized. She was walking on eggshells, living within boundaries she hadn’t set. And yet, every time she tried to leave, he would find her, his presence lingering like a shadow she couldn’t shake.

Nadine moved through the house, checking windows and doors, ensuring every lock was secure. Her fingers brushed her Bajih, the fabric a reminder of the promises she’d once made in front of the Jasijidoon congregation. She’d been so young, eager to believe in the fantasy of love he’d sold her. But the Bajih, once a symbol of dignity and respect, had become a veil that concealed her own desires, her own life. She had become invisible, a secret hidden behind closed doors.

“He never trusted me,” she thought, her fingers tracing the edge of the cloth. Ydal had watched her even then, his possessiveness disguised as protection. He’d wanted her covered, hidden, and safe from the eyes of other men. But the truth was, he only ever wanted her to belong to him, even now, after she had remarried.

She shook herself from her memories and turned back to Yulian, who was seated by the window, oblivious to the tension filling the room. His innocent face reminded her of why she had to be strong, had to keep running if she needed to.

But the gifts. She shuddered, thinking of the seven meticulously chosen items he’d sent her just after she’d moved. She’d returned from a brief vacation to find them waiting at her doorstep, each one a reminder that he knew exactly where she was. The scarf he’d once admired, a framed picture of them taken in a happier moment, a handwritten note in his familiar, slanted script. A bouquet of her favorite flowers, hearts drawn on each card, and a box of chocolates with flavors he knew she loved. They had seemed harmless, even sweet, but to Nadine, each one was a warning. They were a reminder that he could find her, no matter where she went.

“Mom?” Yulian’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“Yes, son?”

He tilted his head, a small frown creasing his brow. “Are we safe here?”

Nadine swallowed, forcing the lie to the surface. “Of course, Yulian. We’re safe.” But her voice was thick with the weight of all the precautions she knew they would have to take. The protective measures she’d arranged, her marriage to Esmir Ralku—a step she’d hoped would finally sever the ties that bound her to Ydal’s shadow.

“I can’t let him control us anymore,” she yelled, her fingers tightening into fists. She had tried to break free once before, when she’d bought a bright red sports car—a bold rejection of the quiet, unassuming life into which she’d been forced. The sacrifices she’d made to avoid drawing attention to herself, to blend into the background, all unraveled with that one act of defiance. She’d returned out of compassion, out of fear, and for the security he had promised. But the security he offered was a cage, an endless cycle of control and possessiveness.

The door rattled softly, and Nadine’s heart leapt to her throat. She moved quietly, checking the peephole, but no one was there. She glanced at Yulian, who had returned to his drawing by the window, lost in the innocence of his world.

But she knew the truth. He had found her again, even here, in this place meant to be their sanctuary. It seemed that he would never let her go.

Her mind flashed back to the final time she’d seen him. He’d been polite, charming even, but his eyes held a darkness she couldn’t ignore. "Don’t think you can leave me," he’d whispered, his voice low, filled with an edge that sent a chill down her spine. And yet she had left, knowing she’d never truly escape.

Now, she moved through the house, whispering prayers under her breath, her hand instinctively brushing her Bajih, a shield she wore for modesty, dignity, privacy. It had become her armor, her silent reminder of the life she was trying to protect.

As night fell, Nadine locked every door and window, the weight of Ydal’s shadow pressing down on her. She could still feel him watching, his presence lingering in the silence, a reminder that she was never free. And as she lay in bed, her heart raced with the fear that he would find a way in, that the past would break through her carefully constructed walls.

The darkness settled over her, thick and impenetrable, and in her mind, she could hear his voice, whispering through the shadows: “You can’t hide from me.”

But this time, she wouldn’t run. She would stand her ground, fortified by every lock, every barrier, and every silent prayer.

Because no matter how close he came, no matter how many times he followed her, Nadine knew she would fight to keep her son safe, to keep herself locked away from the man who refused to let her go.