Chapter One

Twenty-three year old Casandra (Cassie) Madison jerked awake as the Greyhound bus traveled down the long stretch of deserted highway. Dawn was approaching, but it was still dark out. She was two days travel away from her abusive husband, but she still couldn't keep from looking around for him. Mark would be arriving home tomorrow evening and would find the house empty. He would go into a rampage, destroy the house, and then start either calling her friends or hunting them down, trying to find her. But by then, she would be safely out of his reach. She settled back down and tried to drift back to asleep again.

Cassie had been eighteen when she meet Hank Madison; nineteen when she married him; and twenty when she found him in bed with another woman. It was then that the abuse started; both verbal and physical. And now, thanks to the help of an "underground network" of people, she was starting a new life.

The bus slowed to a stop and Cassie raised her head. Daybreak showed the population sign of a small town called Hope. "Hope...," she thought, "that's all I have left." She waited until nearly all the passengers were off before grabbing her own backpack and exiting the bus. She felt the note in her back pocket, but didn't take it out. She knew it by heart. It was instructions on what she was to do once she reached Hope. Now, she was to take a cab to a place called The Hideaway Bar and Grill and ask for Charlie. Then, after hearing a key phrase, she would respond with a phrase of her own, thus acknowledging them to each other and why she was there.

Hank Anderson, a thrity-three year old ex-Marine, now barkeep, wiped down the last chair before turning it upside-down and placing it on the table. The bar's last call had been hours ago. The last customer had finally wondered over to the grill part a half hour ago and he was now able to finish cleaning up. That was the thing about The Hideaway; it stayed open 24/7 with the bar and grill each being open at certain hours. They did however over lap about ten hours so that the patrons could grab a bite to eat and have a drink as well; getting the best of both sides.

Heading back behind the bar, Hank couldn't keep from grinning as the owner, Charlene Williams, entered with her mother right behind her. "I know, Charlie," the older woman said as they walked in, "but your not getting any younger." "Not now mother," Charlie said, "I've got work to do." "Fine," the older woman huffed, "but don't blame me if you end up a lonely old woman with no one to look after you and care for you. If you want someone, like a husband or children to take care of you when your old, you have to marry first." "Not necesarily, mother," the younger of the two said, a smile from ear to ear on her face. "We're not have that decision again, Charlie," the older huffed. "Then we have nothing further to disuss, mother."

Hank watched as the older woman bid her daughter "good-bye" and then left the bar. His attention turned to his boss, who now looked like she was ready to scream, as she too came around to the backside of the bar. Neither of them noticed the young woman who had approached them. "Excuse me," came the barely audible voice. Both of them turned towards her.

Nearly falling over, Hank stared at the young woman standing only a few feet away. He had been so amused by the two women arguing that he had let down his guard and had not heard the woman approach them. She was beautiful. She was about a half a foot shorter than he, putting her around five foot six. Even in the dim light of the bar, he could make out her steel blue eyes and long brown hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. She was thin and looked extremely tired. He had seen several women like her over the past few years that he had worked her and knew that with a little rest and plenty of food, she would be healthy again.

Cassie cautiously approached the two standing behind the bar. "I'm looking for Charlie," she quietly said. "Who," the women gruffed. "Charlie," she said again, only this time a little louder. "Well, ya found her," the woman said. But before she could explain why she was there, the woman continued. "If your looking for a job, I've got all the help I need. If your looking for a hand out, I don't give them." She watched as the woman turned from her and grabbed a stack of books and mail from under the bar. Facing her again she said the phrase she had been waiting to hear. "And if your looking for the end of the rainbow, then keep looking."

Cassie smiled as she said, "I have found one end already and there was nothing there. I now am searching for the pot at the other end and hoping for a second chance." She watched as the woman's hardened face turned to a smile and she extended a hand. "You must be Cassie Madison," Charlie said. "I'm thankful to see that you made it here unharmed." She tilted her head away from the bar and said, "Follow me."

Cassie followed Charlie, but was confused when they entered the women's bathroom. She watched as the other woman stopped in front of the last stall on the left. The sign on the stall door, reading "OUT OF ORDER" in big bold letters, didn't seem to stop her. "Come on," she said. "Where," she asked. "Upstairs," Charlie smiled. She felt her head shake in disbelief, wondering if the woman was crazy. "When you're out with your husband, where's the one place you can go to feel safe," Charlie asked. "The bathroom," she said smiling. "Make since now," Charlie asked. She shook her head "yes" and stepped in the stall with her.

The stall itself had no stool, or place for one, but was decorated like the others she had passed with white tiles, and randomly placed ones with a single rainbow on it. She watched quietly as Charlie pressed one of the rainbow tiles, the one in the center of the wall, and gasped as a door swung open. Stepping through the door, she watchedover her shoulder at it and heard it close with a click. She noted the door handle on the back side of the door, showing her that there a way back out. Still following Charlie, she passed through a short hall, up a small flight of steps and through another door by again pressing a rainbow; this one in the upper right hand corner.

The room Cassie entered in was a large one. It reminded her of a common room that would be found in a college dorm. A dozen doors lined the other three sides; three of them open, one with a large "EXIT" sign above it, one noting "LAUNDRY", and another one noting "BATHROOM". "These are the rooms belonging to the other women that live here," Charlie said, pointing her finger to three of the four closed doors. "And that one's mine," she said pointing at the last closed door. She then pointed at the three with signs. "That one is the bathroom, complete with toilet and shower. You're responsible for cleaning up after yourself after each use. This one leads to a set of stairs like the one we just came in, only it leads to the outside. There's no handle, lock for a key, nothing but a smooth steel door that lets you out, not in. It's in case of a fire." Turning around, she pointed to the door they had just came through. It too was closed with an "EXIT" sign and a door handle on it. "You know where that one leads." She then contiuned by pointing at the last one, "And this one is complete with a washer and dryer. We rotate days and times in which you can do yours so that no one fights over who's turn it is."

Cassie followed Charlie to the end of the hall, and too one of the open doors. "This will be your room. Now for the rules. There's no curfew, we're all adults here, just don't play any music loudly one the music downstairs has quit. No men allowed up here for obvious reasons. No smoking in your room. That's what the bar and outside is for. No cooking up here. If your hungry, you can either eat something at the grill downstairs, when it's open that is, and it will be put on your tab and taken out of your pay. Or, you can go out and have something somewhere else. I don't mind if you eat in your room, just no cooking. Keep your room clean. And you'll note that none of them have locks on them. We work on an honor system here. Caught stealing and you're out of here with no help of any kind."

Cassie flipped on the light and looked about the small room. It contained two dressers; one with a mirror, and a twin sized bed. It occured to her then that Charlie had said that the food would be deducted from her pay. "What do you mean that my food would be deducted from my pay? I don't have a job," she said. "Everyone that stays here, helps out downstairs either in the bar or the grill and you're paid for it. In a few days, we'll see where you work out the best. Right now, you just need to get settled in and rest. If you need anything, money for personal items, or whatever, just let me know." "Thanks," she said and smiled at the other woman as she closed the door behind her, leaving her alone to unpack.

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It's only funny until someone gets hurt, then it's hilarious!