For Abby, routine had become something she relied on. Every Wednesday night she would attend group therapy sessions at the local community center. The free pamphlets given out to first-time attendees referred to it as the Abuse Victim Awareness group. Abby looked at the other members, each in various stages of therapy. Collectively, they were like a giant discolored bruise, blotchy from healing at different rates of speed.

She was sitting next to a tall redhead named Rose.

"You look good today, Abby," Rose said, gesturing towards Abby's outfit.

Abby self-consciously patted down her black suit. "Thank you. I had a job interview today."

Abby couldn't help but remember feeling so inadequate when she had compared herself to Felicia, Alex Carter's secretary. To the women in this group, her plain black dress-suit and cheap shoes were fancy.

"A job interview?" Rose grinned. "That's good since you're so smart. More so than the rest of us, anyway. I'm real proud of you, Abby."

A small smile tugged at Abby's lips. "Thanks, Rose."

"Okay, ladies and gentleman." Jason, the group's leader and therapist, clapped his hands together which meant it was time for the meeting to begin. "Just a reminder, everything we share in the group is confidential. This is a safe circle. Does anyone have any news to share?"

Nervous glances quietly darted around the room. When no one spoke up Rose winked at Abby and said loudly, "Abby had a job interview today."

Polite murmurs of congratulations floated towards Abby who slightly ducked her head. "Yeah, I actually got the job."

Jason quieted everyone and smiled. "That's great news, Abby. How does it feel to have a new job?"

How does it feel?

"If I'm being honest, I really needed this job. After I graduated college, I always imagined having a career but then Bryce happened." Abby's fingers twisted amongst one another as she spoke. It was something that always happened when she spoke of Bryce. "He was so adamant about me not having to work. At first, I thought I was lucky to have a boyfriend who'd take care of me. I didn't even realize I had come to depend on him so much until it was too late."

"Having a job now must feel pretty empowering," Jason noted.

An internal glow warmed her. "It does."

"You're brave Abby," Luis, a man in his twenties, whispered. "I'd be too afraid my boyfriend would make a scene at my place of work. When I worked at McDonald's, my boyfriend used to come in pretending to be an irate customer. After he got his food, he'd yell at the manager to fire me for getting his order wrong. After we broke up, he continued to bother me at work until I started working from home."

A few empathetic comments were tossed at Luis who held them close to his heart.

"I'm not afraid of that happening," Abby answered. "Bryce...he never went to my jobs and I'm sure he won't bother me again."

Jason cleared his throat loudly. "Well, congratulations again. Remember everyone, it is possible to make it on your own. It may not be easy...but it is possible. Last week we talked about finding courage in odd places. This week I want to continue that topic. Is everyone still wearing their blessings bracelet?"

Members raised their wrists to reveal the beaded bracelets Jason had handed out the week prior.

"Very good. I hope everyone is remembering to count their blessings throughout the day. This is the best way to remember that you deserve a safe and sound relationship. That you deserve positivity and kindness in your life."

Abby tapped a bead on her bracelet.

I have a new job.

As Jason's words faded into the background, Abby thought of her ex-boyfriend Bryce. In a matter of months, her relationship with him had consumed her to the point that nothing and no one else mattered. Whatever Bryce said was golden.

Fool's gold.

If she wasn't careful, memories of Bryce would creep up on her like tiny ant bites eating away at her soul. 

I am strong. I am strong. I am strong.

She repeated the mantra in her head while her hand wrapped itself around the smooth beads encircling her wrist. She imagined herself becoming even stronger in the upcoming weeks. She needed to be stronger...craved it. It was the only way she would completely forget about Bryce and the memories that haunted her.

----------------------

A week later, tiny droplets of rain splattered against the windows of the rental car Abby was driving. She flipped on the wipers as she juggled the crinkled map she had purchased two hours ago.

"Lord, please help me get there safely," she whispered as she made a right turn on an unmarked road.

A rusted green and white sign answered her prayers.

Welcome to Bayless
Population 372

A few minutes later, Abby pulled up to Caldwell's Grocery and Supply Store. Before she could exit her vehicle, a lanky young man, in his late twenties if Abby had to take a guess, eating sunflower seeds came towards her.  He was dressed in red and black plaid and for some reason, he reminded her of a young Norman Bates from Psycho.

"Howdy, ma'am. Are you lost?" He didn't wait for Abby to respond. "If you're lost, I can try and help you with directions. Most people from the city end up here by mistake. I'm Wally by the way. Well, my name is Walter but people call me Wally. You can call me Wally too if you like," the man continued, offering Abby a friendly smile which she couldn't help but mirror back. She tapped a bead on her bracelet.

I meet friendly people.

"Nice to meet you, Wally. I'm Abby Redding. I'm here to air out the old Caldwell Cabin. My boss Alex Carter sent me."

"Did you say Carter?" a gravelly voice called out.

Abby looked past Wally as a grizzly-looking man in a wheelchair came out from the store as well. His graying hair was matted to one side and his beard was dark and bristly to match its owner's personality. He shook his head and spit, just missing the wooden porch beneath him.

Abby took a step back, nervously biting her bottom lip. "Uh...yes. Mr. Carter sent me here to air it out a bit. His secretary told me I could purchase anything I needed from this supply store. I have a list." Abby held up the list she had painstakingly made after talking with Felicia about the condition the cabin was currently in.

"Yeah, I was told anything you needed would be charged to his account," the bear-like man muttered. "I'm Zachary Caldwell. I own this shop."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Caldwell."

"If you want, I can get all of your items for you while you wait out here Ms. Redding," Wally offered.

She handed him the list. "That would be incredibly helpful. Thank you and please, just call me Abby."

Wally shoved his sunflower seeds in his shirt pocket and winked. "I'll be back in a jiffy, Ms. Abby."

"I'm surprised Carter isn't here. I thought he was anxious to visit the cabin." Zachary scratched his scalp, making Abby cringe.

She wished she had gone inside with Wally. It was uncomfortable to be the object of Zachary Caldwell's unwavering gaze.

"You going to that cabin alone?" Zachary asked.

"Yes, sir. Mr. Carter will be here in a few days."

"All by yourself?"

Abby bit her lip again. Why did he care so much? Before she could answer, a sheriff's car drove up beside her, the tires crinkling against the gravel that acted as the store's parking lot. 

She felt her body relax as someone from the sheriff's department exited his patrol car and stood next to her. He looked at her rental and then at Abby, his eyebrows drawn together. "You lost?"

"This town must not get a lot of visitors." Abby gave a nervous laugh. "I'm here to air out the old Caldwell Cabin."

"Caldwell Cabin? Shouldn't it be the Carter Cabin now? I'm Don Caldwell by the way."

"In case you couldn't tell, he's the sheriff around here," Zachary said. "And my brother."

"Well the family has to have one law-abiding citizen," Don teased. He turned to Abby. "So you're here for the cabin, huh? It used to belong to our family but no one's lived there for years. Are you going out there alone?"

Why is everyone asking me this?

"Yes, sir. I heard Bayless was pretty safe. Should I be worried about being alone?" Abby asked.

A look passed between both brothers that made the hair on the back of Abby's neck stand up.

"Not at all. It's just that it looks like a storm's brewing and the roads flood easily here in Bayless. Plus there's not much cell phone reception out there. I don't want you to be defenseless against the elements."

Images of her ex-boyfriend, Bryce, flashed in her mind. She gripped the wrist that held her bracelet before saying, "I think I can manage getting through a storm."

"Ms. Abby, I got your list together," Wally shouted from the doorway. "I went ahead and put the balance on Mr. Carter's account. I also tossed in some more grocery items just in case you need them. The storms out here can be unpredictable."

Abby shook herself free from the painful memories and gave a crooked smile to Wally. "Thank you, Wally. It's much appreciated."

Sheriff Don took the box and bottled waters from Wally and put them in Abby's car. He pulled a card from his pocket and in a low voice told Abby, "If you need anything. Be sure to call me. Reception is spotty out there but if you move around a bit, you'll eventually get a signal."

Abby took the business card and nodded. "Yes, Sheriff, I'll be sure to call you if I need you. Thank you."

As she drove away, she couldn't help but shudder at the three men that stared at her from her rearview mirror.

Caldwell Cabin...now known as Carter Cabin was a beautiful two-story cabin surrounded by oak trees. She could hear the sound of a river nearby and the faint sounds of barking dogs. She knew the cabin was secluded so she wondered if residents still took their pets out here for exercise.

The darkening sky motivated Abby to hurry her entrance into the cabin. Inside, the room was filled with dust and furniture covered in white blankets. A musty scent tickled her nose, causing her to cough. She flipped on all of the lights and opened a window. It would be dark soon and the heavy clouds outside looked ready to weep. Another quick glance around showed that the house had been abandoned by its previous owners. Family photos still sat on the mantle of the fireplace.

"Why would someone leave their personal photos behind?"

It was a question that remained unanswered as she put away her groceries. Abby was making her way upstairs when she heard a child's laughter. She stilled.

"Is anyone here?" Abby knew it was stupid to ask because if someone really was hiding in the cabin, it's not like they'd shout, "Here I am!"

"Maybe I'm just tired from the trip," she told herself as she continued upstairs.

She made her way upstairs and noticed that all of the rooms had cardboard boxes stuffed with personal items. Abby flipped the light on in the last room and grinned. It must've been a little girl's room. Pink paint covered the walls. She rummaged through the box in the corner of the room, pulling out a rag doll, some storybooks, and a sad-looking music box with a frowning prince and princess.

"This looks depressing," Abby muttered as she opened the box and wound it up. The tune that played was an old song that reminded her of Bryce. It was a song called Killing Me Softly. He used to play it for her after they fought. She shut the box and set it aside. She didn't want to think of her past. Her relationship with Bryce was over. He couldn't hurt her anymore.

She placed the music box on top of a sheet-covered desk and made her way towards the door when the soft melody of Killing Me Softly began to play again.

Abby turned around and stared at the music box. It was closed.

Goosebumps rose on her bare arms.

Am I hearing things?

A sizzling sound grabbed her attention and Abby looked out the nearby window to realize it had started pouring outside. She ran downstairs to close the window she had opened earlier.

She stared out at the dancing trees that moved in rhythm with the howling wind and wondered how her life would be different if she hadn't met Bryce. Only the phone's ringing was able to break her reverie.

She picked up the receiver. "Carter residence. This is Abby speaking."

A rustling noise in the background was all she could hear.

"Hello...hello is anyone there? You're breaking up on your end."

She thought she heard someone breathing on the other line and rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry but I'm hanging up. Get your kicks calling someone else."

She hung up the phone and walked over to where her purse was at. She wanted to see if her cell phone worked. The landline rang again.

She once again picked up the receiver. "Hello, Carter residence. This is Abby speaking."

Again, it sounded like someone breathing heavily into the phone.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace, I'm about to hang up the phone again."

A crackling sound from outside caused her to jump and she hung up the phone before grabbing her cell. She was holding it up to see if she could catch a signal when the phone rang for the third time. "Hello?"

Again she heard heavy breathing which angered her. "If you don't stop, I'm going to call the police."

She was about to hang up the phone when the haunting melody of the music box began to play over the phone.

Killing Me Softly

Abby's breath caught in her throat. She asked in a strangled whisper, "Bryce?"

Abby let the receiver fall from her hands and took a step back. What was happening? She ran to her purse to pull out Sheriff Don's business card when she heard three strong bangs against the front door.