Young, Wild, and Free (Crusade and Mim)

[Madam Mim]

Celia sat, curled up in a corner and gingerly covering her face. She wanted to stop crying; it hurt to cry. But the pain was just so much. Henry had come home drunk as usual, and she had accidentally burnt his supper. It was the second time that week. He just made her so nervous and it was easy to lose watch of the stove when she was more focused on where his fists were.

Before the stock market crash they hadn't done too badly for themselves. Sure, he still drank but it wasn't as much. Henry had had a job out on an oil rig and provided well for his wife and child. But then in the summer of '29 their toddler son, their sweet little Henry Jr., had died. Bitten by a rattlesnake. That was when Henry had started getting violent, telling Celia it had been her fault; she hadn't kept a close enough eye on the boy while he was playing outside. The flatlands of Oklahoma weren't exactly the kind of place you let a child play out on his own, but she had and now he was dead.

That was two years ago. Since then, Henry had lost his job in the oil fields because the company went under with the market crash. He managed to get a job on a farm belonging to a friend of theirs, but the soil was starting to dry up and it looked like this job, too, would lead to a dead end like so many before it. They may even have to leave Bernsflat so he could find another job. They'd be starting all over again in a new town, maybe even a new state, with hardly a dollar to their names when the farthest either of them had been from this tiny town was Tishomingo.

"He...he's just under a lot of stress." Henry had since gone back to work, and the quiet words echoing in the small house were spoken to try to assure herself that that's what it was. "Henry...he cares for me...he's just under a lot of stress, and he shouldn't have to have burned food on top of all that."

Henry cares for her. That was what Celia kept telling herself, though she knew it wasn't true. If she genuinely thought it was, she wouldn't have taken a lover eight months ago and spent every moment she could with him. Even as she walked to the bathroom to clean herself up she knew that she was married to a hateful drunkard. How she wished she could just leave, just run away with her lover and never look back...but she had vowed "til death do us part," and although divorces weren't unheard of not only were they still taboo but she took her vows seriously.

"Til death do us part," the battered woman sniffed thickly as she shuffled into the bathroom and turned on the faucet to rinse the blood off her face. Once she had she looked in the mirror.

Celia's twenty-year-old face was worn with cares far beyond her years, that much was clear even through the swelling. How had it come to this? How could her Henry, who she'd loved so much, have become this and done this to her? Sure it had been a shotgun wedding when at fifteen she'd gotten pregnant, but hadn't it been heading that way anyway? Surely he didn't mean it whenever he said he'd been saddled with her, that she'd gotten pregnant on purpose to keep him with her, that he'd been about to leave for New York when she told him she was having his baby. No, he couldn't have meant it...even though even back then he'd shown these kind of tendencies.

He'd apologized back then. Every time he slipped, which was far less often than the nearly-daily basis it was now, Henry had come back to Celia with flowers or candies and apologized. He told her he didn't mean to, that he had just lost his temper. She used to think she could help him tame that temper...ha! What a fool she'd been! He never apologized now. Sometimes he even smiled when he hit her. Often if it was in the evening or if he had time before returning to work, he'd throw her onto the bed while she was still bleeding and rut away like an animal while she still hadn't the strength to protest.

Maybe one day he'll take me away from all of this, Celia thought to herself of her lover as she dabbed iodine into a cut over her eyebrow. Maybe one day he'll give me the strength to leave. She highly doubted it, though.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Brathwaite's General Store had been a place of refuge for young Willie. Since he was a boy, he found himself frequenting the place, running up and down the old set of wooden stairs that led from the store up to the lodging that held the owner, Lloyd and his wife, Ethel. The two always took a liking to the rambunctious youth, sneaking him candies and other goods since his parents were essentially absent throughout his life.

Willie was born to a drunk who left his mother when he was only three. He never saw the bastard again. His mama did the best she could, but with Willie being the youngest of four, being dirt poor was just a way of life. His mama would often just sit in her rocker on the front porch of their ramshackle old hut and stare off into space for hours while her babies let off menacing cries just feet from her inside. They had no heat, so in the colder months, Willie and his brothers and sisters would all huddle together on the floor to keep warm. It was a meager existence, one that left the boy born with a chip on his shoulder instead of a silver spoon in his hand.

The Brathwaite's were the only means for Willie to have any normal sort of childhood. He only attended school through the fourth grade. He figured it was easier to try getting work at the general store sweeping up or something than it would be to have to endure school and his mama's blank expression when he got home. They would give him a penny here, a nickel there. It was enough for a boy his age.

When he became a teenager, Lloyd got Willie a bike and hired him to deliver food to some of the people around town. It was a good time and Willie was really good at navigating. The only problem was, some of the food he was delivering he just couldn't pass up. He stole what he figured had to have been at least 10-15% of the things he was supposed to hand out.

Soon, oblivious to his sticky fingers, the old couple invited Willie to stay in their spare room above the store. He jumped at the idea and thanked them for a good two weeks. It was bittersweet leaving mama. Unfortunately, she died just a month after he left. He hated to reason it was from a broken heart, but he couldn't formulate any better reason for it. The Brathwaite's helped with funeral expenses and then Willie got back to work. They had upgraded him from delivery boy to an actual clerk in the store.

Willie was a little quirky, but he seemed personable enough to run the register. Everyone around town knew him and liked him, even if he had kicked their dogs and beat in their mailboxes and tore their shutters from their hinges. They didn't know any of that stuff. They also didn't know that he'd been in almost all of their houses, stealing little trinkets and petty cash that he used to keep himself afloat. Nor did the old couple who boarded him know of his propensity for taking money from the till. He hated to think it, but he got off on stealing.

Since his youth of debauchery, Willie aged a few years. He was just a few days shy of his twenty-first birthday. He still lived above the general store and still worked as a clerk, but old Ethel had died a couple of years back. Lloyd tried going on without her, but he ended up retiring and handing the business not off to Willie, but instead to their oldest son, Roy. Roy was a prick. He detested Willie and Willie felt the same disdain for the sleazy fellow. He had threatened to fire him on more than one occasion and told him he'd be out on his ass if he didn't start wising up.

Willie took idle threats like that to heart, so instead, he put on a nice guy persona and proceeded to rob the bastard blind. So much so that the old general store was caving in on itself. Thankfully, Willie had pocketed enough cash to move into his own apartment, which was just a room in a home owned by one of the wealthier family's in town. A room with a small bathroom and no kitchen. Not exactly high living, but these were tough times.

With no means of income aside from stealing, Willie stepped it up. His small time burglaries weren't getting it done. He was going to have to kick it into another gear. Luckily, despite all of the hardships, he had one silver lining in a girl he'd met nearly a year ago. Her name was Celia and she was married. Not exactly the type of girls he usually went for, but Celia was gorgeous and her husband beat her. No matter how violent he liked to get, Willie had never and would never hurt a woman the way Henry hurt Celia. He didn't have it in him.

The two started having late night rendezvous while Henry got drunk or midday escapades while he worked. The two were smitten, but Willie felt the need to wipe out Henry so the two could be together properly. He swiped a Colt pistol from Eli down the road. Had bullets and everything. He planned on showing Celia and hinting at giving old Henry a taste of his own medicine.

With no other way of contacting her since the store went out of business, Willie had to either walk by Celia's house and knock when Henry's truck wasn't outside or he had to wait for her to see him. He was itching to see her as he lay in his bed, spinning the chambers of the gun in his hand. "How's that, ya bastard? Pop. Right in that stupid fuckin' face of yours," Willie muttered, pretending to aim the gun at a bare space of wall he imagined to be Henry's face. He hoped to see Celia soon. He couldn't wait to see her face when she saw the gun!

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

A soft, timid knock came at Willie's door. Celia was able to visit Willie once or twice a week during the day without his landlords getting to suspicious. It was under the guise of teaching him how to read, so he could get a better job. That was one thing Celia's parents had given her; they'd kept her in school until sixth grade, so she was able to read at a passing level and she sometimes made a bit of extra money teaching others. She couldn't afford to come by his room too often. In a small town like this people talked, and if word ever got back to Henry he'd be furious. He might even kill her.

"Willie? It's me," she said softly. "It's Celia. I uh...I've come for our lesson."

Quietly she waited, head bent, trying to avoid the gaze of the landlord and his wife. They saw what her husband did to her, everyone did, but nobody ever said anything. Nobody ever offered her help or healing, nobody ever told Henry he oughtn't hit women. They just...let it be, because they were scared of him. Henry was a big man and could easily take on anyone who tried to tell him him how to treat his wife. That was what made his beating on her particularly savage. If other men couldn't stand up to Henry, how was little Celia supposed to hold her own?

"Are you decent?" she asked after a few moments of silence from the other side of the door. She quietly hoped he wasn't.

Celia had over the last few months found herself falling desperately in love with Willie. She wanted to spend every moment of every day with him and often found herself fantasizing of him while her husband took her in their bed. She didn't know Willie's true nature, that he was a crook and a vandal. All she knew was that he was kind to her and treated her like a queen. The first time they'd been together was the first time in a few years it hadn't hurt for Celia, the first time it hadn't been violent and vengeful but instead loving and sweet. Over time she came to realize that she'd do just about anything for her Willie...anything but leave Henry. She often quoted the "til death do us part" vows at him whenever he talked about her leaving Henry, and besides she was scared of him. If she ever left, she was convinced he'd hunt her down and kill her and there would be nothing Willie could do to stop him.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Willie had been contemplating stealing some of the fine china his landlords kept inside of the house. He was sure he could get decent money for it, but the longer he mulled it over, the more ludicrous it seemed. They were the only people he didn't want to anger. They'd been gracious enough, even choosing to take him in despite rumors Eli was propagating that he'd been the reason for the general store's demise, even if those rumors did happen to be true.

As he lay there with his gun, Willie's mind was alight with all of the possibilities. With a gun, e could step it up to the big time. He didn't have to stick to breaking into homes while their occupants weren't home. Hell, he could jack cars or even rob stores and banks at gunpoint. The opportunities seemed endless. Willie really did get a hard on for crime. The mere thought brought a smile to his face. Consequences were an afterthought.

Willie was a lanky guy, standing around 6'2" with straggly dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. That day, he wore a button down flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. When he heard the knock at the door, he was startled out of his thoughts. He quickly tucked the gun into his waistband and sat up, proceeding to slip on his boots before heading out. He was the only one home at the moment.

Willie made his way to the door and opened it, smiling when he saw his love at the door. "I'm decent. Teach me that fancy book learnin', honey," he said, flashing her a smile as he stepped aside to let her in. "Christ, what did he do to you this time?" Willie narrowed his eyes at her face and shook his head. He could feel his face warming from anger, a crimson tint to it as he clenched his fists. Enough was enough. If she wasn't going to do something about the abuse, Willie had to. It was time to propose the plan to his girl. He just hoped she'd be up for it.

"C'mon. I got somethin' to show ya." Grabbing hold of Celia's hand, Willie walked her up to his room. He closed the door behind him and locked it, turning to face her as he let her hand go and brought his own to his waistband. Pulling out the Colt, he smirked and twirled it around his finger. "Whaddya think? I say it's time to show that bastard Henry we mean business."

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Celia smiled when she saw Willie through the screen door. The petite auburn-haired woman could be considered pretty when she wasn't bruised up. Not stunning or gorgeous, or at least she didn't think so, but pretty enough to get a husband at least. The smile dropped quickly, however, when her cheeks burst into pain from the bruising. She turned her tawny eyes to the ground when he asked what Henry had done to her this time.

"I uh...I burnt his food," she said quietly before ducking inside and following him upstairs. "I bet a little snugglin' would help me get better pretty quick, though," she suggested quietly right before they slipped into his room. She attempted another smile before coming in and sitting on his bed. "So what is it you wanted to show--?"

Celia cut herself off short when Willie pulled out the Colt. Her eyes grew wide as he twirled the gun around his finger and suggested using it on her husband. Was he talking about what she thought he was? No, he couldn't...not Willie. He was such a sweet, gentle soul.

"Darlin' you don't mean...you don't mean to kill 'im, do ya?" She stood and put her arms on his shoulders. "Willie, you couldn't hurt a worm. Not even a worm. Sugar, don't tell me ya mean to put that black spot on your soul? Not for my sake." She couldn't deny to herself, however, that the thought was tempting. Til death do us part...well, this would certainly ensure they could part now. It was so, so very tempting to just let him do it.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Celia was too damn sweet. He knew at the mere mention of offing that bastard Henry, she would relent. He had a way of charming her, though. Maybe if he properly explained himself, he could get through to her that it was the right thing to do. "C'mere, darlin'," he said, taking her hand in his own before walking her to the wall with the mirror. He let her stand in front of it and then proceeded to stand behind her, the gun still in his hand. It was unloaded. He left the bullets in his nightstand.

He pressed the front of his body against her back, resting his chin on her shoulder so he could see the reflection in the mirror as well. He looked at her bruises and let out a sigh. Willie tucked the gun back into his waistband before bringing both hands to rest on his girl's hips. "Now look at that pretty face all bruised up, Celia. Look at it. See what he done to you. This ain't even the worst of it. You give him more time, I wouldn't put it by him to kill ya. Do you wanna give him that chance? I mean, god forbid he found out about us. He'd off you and me both."

Willie reached up and brushed the hair from Celia's neck before leaning in to pepper it with kisses, all the while looking at both their reflections in the mirror. "Just lemme do this, love. Or I can even let you pull the trigger. I know you'd like it. Knowin' you gave him what he really deserved." Willie could actually feel himself getting a little aroused just talking about the act. Luckily the gun provided a little barrier between Celia's backside and his crotch, so she couldn't tell how excited the thought of killing her husband got him.

"Now hear me out. We wait 'til he's so drunk he passes out. I'll stake out the place from the outside. When you gimme the signal, I'll come in, we get it done and we make a clean escape before anyone wonders why he ain't showin' up to work the next mornin'. Whaddya think?"

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Celia allowed her man to take her hand and tug her over to the mirror. It was gentle, the way he walked her over; nothing like how Henry would have treated her. Her body thrilled just at the feeling of his body pressed against hers, and when Willie rested his chin on her shoulder she leaned her cheek against his, putting her hands over his on her hips. She winced at the bruises on her face. She hadn't looked at them since she'd cleaned up and they were now turning an ugly shade of green.

"He wouldn't kill me..." But it didn't sound like she even believed herself. "He...he's my husband." She didn't even bother protesting what Willie thought Henry would do if he ever found out about them; she knew he'd kill them both. She opened her mouth to protest again, to try and throw out weak-at-best reasons why he wouldn't kill her, why they shouldn't kill him first, but then Willie's lips were on her neck.

He was cheating. This wasn't fair. Celia's neck and ears were weak spots for her and he knew it! He knew he could get anything with a few well-placed kisses, and this was cheating. Her body began to awaken more as he kissed her neck and she started imagining a life without Henry. A life where she and Willie could be together properly and they could do whatever they wanted. A life she would never have...unless Henry was dead.

"But...where would we go?" Celia hadn't relented yet, but it was clear she was about to. She hadn't explicitly said she agreed to Willie's plan, but she hadn't said no, either. All she was looking for now was reasons not to do it...or just things to think about before they did. "Once they found 'im, and they found you'n'me lit up outta here, they'd know it was us." She turned and wrapped her arms around her lover's neck, pressing her body against his. "I ain't got no car, not much money, neither. How would we live? Where'd we go?"

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Willie let Celia do what she did much better: rationalize. He thrived on impulse and even as he listened to his girl do her best to think logically, Willie was having none of it. Once he had something in his head, there was no changing his mind. Not even that pretty face was going to sway him. He wanted Henry dead and he knew deep down, she did, too. They had the rest of their lives to worry about consequences and living arrangements and the rest.

Willie pulled back from Celia and walked over to his bed. He pulled the gun out of his pants and set it down on the nightstand. "Listen to me, C. If I promise to take care of you, meanin' I make sure you got clothes and food and a roof over your head, would you go through with this? I'll take care of everything. I'll get us a car and I'll get us money. We'll just take to the open roads, C." He motioned towards the window. "We got miles and miles of open road out there callin' our names. We don't have to settle down in one place. We can go wherever we want. Spend a night here, a night there. It'll just be me and you."

The exuberance in Willie's voice told the story. He was legitimately excited about the prospect of hitting the road with his girl. What he didn't let her in on was the way he planned to acquire the cars and money that were going to make all of that traveling possible, but he was sure Celia's rational mind would be able to figure that out on her own.

Her precious Willie had a mean streak, one that he'd soon let her in on. He just didn't want her to confuse his propensity for violence and crime for an ill-willed penchant for abusing her, because he would never hurt her the way Henry did. He loved her more than anything and it was that love that drove him to want to kill Henry and take her away from the town that would be a constant reminder of what he did.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

As Willie sat on the bed, Celia stepped closer and straddled his knees, draping her arms over his shoulders. Now what appealed to her more than getting away from her abusive husband was the prospect of adventure. Before she'd gotten pregnant she'd wanted so much to go on an adventure, to leave this tiny little nowhere town. Not that she had big dreams or wanted to be famous or anything...she just recognized that there was nothing here for her and had always wanted to get out.

"And we could get outta Oklahoma?" she asked, excitement clear in her voice now. "Go see all the big cities? New Orleans, Memphis, New York, Boston?" She grinned and put her knees on the bed to straddle her lover fully and sat back in his lap. "Just the two of us?"

The idea of getting rid of Henry was beginning to sound more appealing by the second. Celia smiled and kissed Willie's neck, thinking of all the adventures they could have together. She adjusted in his lap and got her skirt caught under her knees, and so pulled her skirt up to her thighs for better maneuverability. As she kissed his neck her fingers twirled idly in the hair at the nape of his neck. In the back of her mind she had an idea of how he'd get a car and money...but she ignored it for now. She was in a tough spot and surely God would forgive, right?

"Clothes and food and a roof, huh?" she murmured as she settled into that calm sort of state Willie always managed to put her in, eyes closed, face buried against his neck. "Henry always comes home and passes out drunk after work," she said quietly, not putting into words her consent to kill her husband, "wakes up for dinner and maybe sex, then passes out again. A marchin' band could run through our house and he wouldn't wake up."

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Willie grinned as Celia straddled him. Boy, did he love her. He wanted to give her the world and that started with eliminated the biggest obstacle in her life. When she mentioned getting out of Oklahoma, he nodded. "We can go wherever you want, baby. Just don't fall in love with any of those big cities. We're gonna be on the lam no matter where we are. A few days here, a few days there. That's at the most."

When she kissed his neck, Willie let his head fall to one side to allow her easier access. He let out a groan and let his eyes fall closed just to properly savor the feeling of those velvety lips. Momentarily distracted, he seemed to snap out of it rather quickly when she alluded to the fact that she was alright with the plan and wanted to go through with it.

"Then I say we do it tonight. You go home and be home when he gets there. I'll take care of the rest. I'll scope out the place from a distance. When he gets in and passes out, you come out. Gimme a signal and I'll come in. We take care of business and we're outta there before anyone knows what we done. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can start our life together. And I like the thought of spending as much time as I can with you instead of just a couple times a week. Ya know?"

He grinned and leaned forward, kissing Celia's lips. He had to do everything in his power not to just take her right there on his bed as he'd grown accustomed to, but he knew if they were going to set the plan in action, they had to get moving sooner rather than later. While Celia was home, Willie was going to have to secure a car and get a little spending money for the road. They'd have to do plenty of traveling to be a step ahead when the authorities found Henry's body.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

"Well...maybe we can save up enough to go somewhere we ain't gonna be noticed," Celia suggested as she planted more long, slow kisses on Willie's neck. "Maybe like, Europe or something, huh?" She smiled against his throat as he groaned.

She wasn't sure what it was he'd said that made her want him so badly right now, but her body burned for him. Almost unnoticeably, with one hand she unhooked her garters from her stockings and moved her kisses down to his shoulder. God, she loved him! When he suggested she go home she pulled away and pouted, but understood. She couldn't be out all day and then come home just in time for her husband to beat her til one of them passed out.

"I know, Sugar," she said, doing up her garters again. "Just hope he comes home soon, then, so we can be out even faster."

Celia slid off of his lap and pulled her skirt down, panties and garter straps disappearing from view under a worn gingham dress. Pawing at her hair, she looked into the mirror to try and straighten herself out again. People in this town talked, and they talked far too much. Bending over, she kissed Willie's lips slowly, longingly, with a type of seduction one wouldn't think capable of such a sweet, innocent woman. It was almost unconscious, really, but until she'd met Willie Celia hadn't had a kiss like that in years.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

It was a bittersweet sight seeing Celia do up her garter, but Willie knew they'd have time for celebratory antics once the actual deed was done. Smiling against her lips, Willie kissed her back. It was the type of kiss that brought a feeling to his stomach he didn't recognize. There was a wanting in her kiss he wished he could've satisfied in that moment.

Reluctantly pulling back, Willie stood. If she glanced down, Celia would easily see just what she did to him, his trousers tented prominently. He longed for a release, but he would have to wait. He took Cell's hand and walked her out of his room and down the stairs to the front door.

"Just remember to give me the signal. We'll be together soon," he said, giving her a farewell kiss before opening the door to let her out. "I love you, Celia," he whispered before hurrying back to his room. He retrieved the gun, loaded it and tucked it away into his pants. He then proceeded to rummage through the house, finding jewelry in the miss's vanity. He also found a healthy stack of cash in the old man's dresser. They would make that last at least for the time being.

Tucking it away in his pocket, he nearly forgot to pack. He made his way back to his room, collected all his clothing messily into the only suitcase he had and carried the overflowing case down and out of the house. He looked back at the place and gave it a solemn wave. "So long," he muttered and made his way down the street on foot, looking to hotwire the first vehicle he came in contact with.

He tried his luck with an older Model T Ford in the driveway of a residence a a mile and a half from Celia's place. No luck. Although he'd been given an impromptu lesson in wiring years ago, he was rusty, nervous and frustrated. To hell with it. They could use Henry's truck for the time being until they could find something better. That would have to do. They had money and soon they'd have a vehicle. Things were looking up.

Willie found his way over to their residence after his failed attempt at stealing his first car. He ducked a hundred yards away out of view, but made sure he could see the front door from his vantage point.. Henry's truck wasn't in the driveway yet. They still had a little time to gain their bearings.

Willie just wanted it to all be over. He wanted to be in the driver's seat of Henry's truck with Celia at his side and her hand in his lap. Just a matter of time.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

When they both stood, Celia glanced down to see what she had done to her man and gave him an impish grin. He'd shown her so many things Henry had never done with her, and there was a list of things she could think to do to him right now. Things she wanted to do so badly. But that would have to wait, despite feeling the same way he did at the moment.

"I guess the signal'll be...I'll go out to check the mail. It comes after Henry comes home." She nodded and kissed him back just before he opened the door. She didn't have time to find the words to say she loved him too before she was out on the porch and he was hurrying back inside; he's caught her off-guard. It was the first time he'd said it and she found that she did love him back. She had just been stunned into silence.

Celia nearly floated back home across town, trying hard to keep the smile from her face. At home she quickly packed a suitcase; a few dresses, the money she had along with the wad of cash kept in a coffee can that Henry didn't think she knew about, her jewelry and her husband's watch. Along with some toiletries, this was all she'd need for a while to tide her over until they could make some real money. She barely had time to start dinner before her husband came back.

"Celia Jean!" Henry's coarse voice could be heard clearly throughout the small house, despite the fact that he was only in the driveway. Drunk already. Celia wondered briefly if he'd ever been sober in the past several years. "Celia you damn well better have dinner ready, and it sure as fuck better not be like that burnt piece of shit you tried to feed me this afternoon!" Neighbors were used to hearing Mr. Lenox shouting abuses at his wife, whether they were outside or their windows open, yet nobody ever intervened. Nobody ever said or did anything when they could hear Mrs. Lenox screaming and crying, either.

"It's almost ready, darlin'," Celia called through the screen door as she heard her husband's boots tromping up the porch steps. "Chicken stew."

"Chick--? Chicken stew, chicken stew! We had that last night, and the night before!" The screen door swung shut and Henry slammed the heavy wooden door behind himself. Moving more quickly than one might think a man his size might be able to, Henry closed his fingers in his wife's hair and pulled her to him. "I work my ass off day and night to support you," he growled, the smell of whiskey on his breath making Celia dizzy, "and this is the thanks I get? I feed you, I clothe you, I put a roof over your head and for what? Burned suppers and chicken stew every night of the goddamn week!"

Celia felt her scalp burst into pain just before her face and knees did. Henry had thrown her across the room by her hair and she tumbled to her knees just before hitting her face on the doorjam. She cried out in pain as tears began to fall down her already bruised cheeks.

"Henry, please! There's a depression on, we ain't got much more than this! Dinner'll be ready soon. Just...just a few more minutes, sugar. It won't take long." Staggering to her feet, Celia took his arm gently and guided him through the kitchen to the living room.

The furnishings here were sparse; just a radio which Celia had turned on a few minutes ago, a rug, and an easy chair with an ottoman. Henry's easy chair. If Celia wanted to be in the living room she could sit on the floor or stand. After all, Henry reasoned, she didn't do anything all day and he was tired after a day's work so if she wanted to sit she could sit in the bedroom where she was most useful. The large, powerful-looking man sank into his easy chair and his diminutive wife knelt at his feet. Untying one boot then the other she pulled them off before massaging his feet then propping them up on the ottoman.

"Celia Jean," the wife-beater was fond of calling her by her first and middle name the way her father might if she were in trouble, "you're a shit housekeeper and ya can't cook worth a damn, but ya do come in handy for some things." He chuckled and looked down at her, almost daring her with his eyes to ask what it was she was good at. "You got some good hands, and that sweet little mouth'a yers always just looks ripe fer the pickin', don't it?"

Celia smiled softly and leaned her forehead against her husband's knee. "Yes, Henry," she said quietly, looking for all the world as though she adored and worshipped him instead of hated him so much she was about to kill him. "Since I already used my hands, maybe after dinner I can put my mouth ta work, huh?"

Henry chuckled and patted her head like one might pat a favorite dog. "Sounds like a plan, honey. First you get that sweet ass in there and make me my dinner." He swatted her on the ass as she stood and turned to go back into the kitchen to make dinner.

Once she was certain Henry was taking his usual pre-dinner nap, Celia walked calmly outside. She looked around, but couldn't see Willie as she checked the mailbox. All that had come were the usual bills. Taking the envelopes and looking around again, she walked back inside and waited. She had dished up a bowl of stew for herself, but left the pot cooking on the stove. She didn't intend to wake Henry for his dinner, and it could burn to ashes for all she cared now.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

The anticipation was killing him. Crouched down out of eyesight was hard on not only his mind, but his knees as well. Willie had since freed the gun from his pants and was holding it in the same manner he would when he put the bullet between that bastard's eyes. His eyes narrowed as he saw headlights approaching in the distance. The truck found its way into the driveway and when the drunk fuck got out, Willie had to do everything in his power not to rush him. He relented, however , when he thought of how the tide might turn if he got into a tussle with Henry. The guy outweighed him by a good 75 pounds.

Instead, he sat back and waited for the signal. It didn't take long for Celia to come out onto the porch to get the mail and not long after, Willie sprung into action, sprinting across the yard and ambling up the stairs to the front door. He let himself in, gripping the pistol tighter in his hand as he found his way over to the easy chair that sat the slumbering giant.

Willie's gaze was transfixed on his face, knowing in moments it'd be a bloody mess as the life drained with it. "Fetch his keys and get his truck started, love. We're fixin' to get outta here as fast as possible. Do you want to or should I do the honors?" he asked her, holding up the gun to give her the option. Despite how innocent she was, Willie knew it was possible after everything he'd put her through that she might actually want to be the one to end his life.

Willie's palms were sweating profusely and with the food on to cook and the anticipation mounting, he swore it was 200 degrees in that damn house. It was almost over and the climax to the action couldn't come soon enough. How he longed to be in that truck heading out of Oklahoma.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

"His truck?"

It took Celia a few moments to realize what Willie meant. They were going to steal her husband's truck. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and got the keys off the hook by the door. When he held the gun out to her, she looked at it for a moment, trying to decide. She wasn't a killer...but she wasn't a ragdoll, either, and that's how she'd been treated the past few years. All of a sudden years of repressed anger and rage and sadness and pain all at once swelled up in Celia's chest and even over her love for Willie all she could feel was an intense, burning hatred for Henry. It was something she'd never felt before and quite honestly it scared her. She didn't think she was capable of this much rage and hatred.

"I uh...Wait for me," she said quietly, starting to the door. "Lemme get the truck ready first, and I'll get our bags in there. Echoes carry round these parts; we don't wanna let the neighbors know something's up until we're good'n'ready to go. There's a shotgun under the bed, too, if you wanna grab it. Y'know...just in case." Though just in case of what she didn't know.

She did as she had said, taking both of their bags out into the truck and throwing it into the bed before starting it. The engine turned over a few times and panic was beginning to seize Celia as she realized the run-down old thing might not start. It roared to life, however, and she breathed a sigh of relief before heading back into the house. Gingerly she took the pistol from Willie and had to be shown how to hold it before she could hold it steady enough to aim at her husband. Celia was sweating as much as her lover was as they stood there in front of the sleeping drunkard, waiting for her to pull the trigger.

"Henry..." she said quietly. Her voice was shaky as she nudged him with her toe. "Henry, wake up darlin'." It was like Celia didn't have control over her own body anymore; she felt like she was standing on the other side of the armchair, watching herself. She didn't know why she was trying to wake her husband up, but something inside her was telling her to just do it. Some evil, vicious creature that had uncurled itself from its slumber around her abused heart this afternoon now demanded to see Henry's face when he saw a gun pointed at it.

"Mmmm wha' th' Hell you want, woman?" Henry mumbled, shifting in his chair. "You better be wakin' me up fer food er a fuck er you're gonna be wishin' you'd burnt dinner, too."

"I just wanna see my husband, Henry. What's wrong with that?" Celia--or rather, whatever vicious demon had taken possession of Celia's innocent soul--got a savage sort of pleasure once Henry finally opened his eyes.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Celia Jean! What the fuck...who the Hell is this?" Henry started to get up, but thought better of it when Celia put the barrel of the Colt to his forehead. "Celia...what the Hell's gotten into you? What's this all about?"

"What's it about?" The battered woman was barely able to contain her derisive laughter. "I'll tell you what it's about, sugar." Her lips turned up into a cruel smile as she pulled back the hammer with an ominous click. "Dinner's ready."

There had been a loud shot like a cannon roaring in Celia's ears. She didn't remember actually pulling the trigger, nor did she remember running outside or getting in the truck. She barely remembered anything she'd said to her husband. All she remembered was that she had started the truck and went inside to rejoin Willie, and now they were bouncing along a dirt road, headlights off, chugging along with the gas pedal to the floor. She looked over at Willie from her spot in the passenger's seat.

"Willie? What...did we...?" She was numb from shock and hadn't said anything for nearly an hour, nor did she remember the last hour of driving. Last she remembered it had been sunset, and now the moon was up and the stars were beautiful. She had no mirror to see that her face and clothes were covered in blood still, and it was too dark to see the blood on her hands. Fortunately, she had still been wearing her cooking apron so her dress hadn't been completely ruined by the blood she didn't realize was there.

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

When Willie caught wind of the fact that Celia was actually going to go through with the unenviable task of pulling the trigger, he just about jumped for joy. There was something so inherently attractive about a woman taking initiative in that way. He could hardly contain himself. He nodded when she mentioned the shotgun and made his way into their bedroom. The sight of the bed made him sick; thinking about all of the times the piece of shit probably fucked Celia against her will. Thankfully, he was about to receive the ultimate form of retribution.

He snatched the shotgun from under the bed and seized some shells as well, pocketing them before carrying the gun out to the living room. Celia arrived a few moments later, a look in her eye he hadn't been accustomed to seeing. It was as if she'd just finally reached the breaking point he'd heard people talk about. She had enough and she was going to do something about it. He wanted to grab hold of her arm when she woke him. He thought it would've been much easier to just get it done while he slept, but then again, that would've been an easy way out. Seeing the bastard wake up and see the two of them standing there really made it worth it. As did the way Celia went through with the murder.

When she finally did pull the trigger, Willie smirked as he wiped some blood splatter from his forehead onto the sleeve of his shirt. Luckily, he was far enough away that he didn't get the majority of the spray. Celia, however, hadn't gotten off that easy. "Atta girl, C. That's the way to do it!" Willie exclaimed exuberantly, grabbing hold of her hand to run out of the house with her. There was no time to dwell on what they had done. They had to get the hell out of there before someone was alerted to what had gone on.

Willie hopped in to the driver's seat, stashing the shotgun being the seat before he put the piece of shit in gear and hauled off down the road, away from their old lives, with their future there right in front of them. Willie didn't say much and neither did his girl. It was as if the two were soaking in the moment. He navigated back roads without his lights on, his attention solely focused on getting them out of the area in one piece.

The ride was a bumpy one. On more than one occasion, Willie's entire ass was airborne and he had to reach over to make sure Celia didn't just up and fly out through the windshield. When she finally did break the silence, he saw her soft, familiar eyes, not the dark ones that had been present when she pulled the trigger.

"Baby, you did it. And you was great!" he said, reaching over to place his hand on his girl's thigh, his heart still beating out of his chest, the adrenaline running rampant through his veins. They'd been at it for nearly an hour and with his foot pressed on the pedal to the floor, he reasoned they were a good fifty miles from the scene of the crime.

"I say we find someplace to pull over and ditch these clothes. God love ya, you're wearin' about half of Henry's blood on your dress," he said with a laugh. That spot came in the form of a dusty dirt road that led behind a grove of trees. He wasn't sure what the true purpose of the road was for, but in that abandoned stretch of country, it would do them just fine.

Willie pulled up behind the trees and took a deep breath. He'd been driving without headlights for nearly an hour. It took him a little time for his eyes to adjust to not straining for so long. He had a dull pain in his forehead, but luckily the adrenaline was still rushing in such a way that he hardly noticed it. Once the truck was in park, Willie opened the driver's door and stepped out. He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it between two of the trees, leaving his white tanktop undershirt on, damp from sweat. He headed over to Celia's door and opened it for her, helping her out onto solid ground. That once pretty dress and apron were covered in blood and brain matter. Poor thing still looked adorable. He smiled and pressed a quik kiss to her lips.

"Now git that dress off, darling," he said with a wicked smirk. He didn't mean it in such a way, but the words came out dripping with desire and a hunger for her that surprised even him.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

"I did it...?" Celia stared first at Willie then out the windshield numbly. She'd done it. She'd killed her husband. "Henry's dead? He's gone? He can't follow me?" She was surprised to find that her voice sounded hopeful, happy even. She'd killed a man...and she was happy about it. Now that she had come out of shock she, too, felt the rush of adrenaline, the excitement of the crime and the elation and joy of freedom.

"He...he's gone!" Celia nearly shouted with laughter, relaxing against the seat and staring through the windshield out at the brilliantly starry sky. "Dear God he's gone! I'm free!" The adrenaline made her heart beat so fast her face felt hot, so she rolled down the window and stuck her head out, laughing joyfully into the wind. She didn't even hear Willie say anything about Henry's blood.

Once they were in the grove of scrub oak she jumped lightly out onto solid ground, holding Willie's hand. She felt like a girl again, and for the first time in years Celia was able to breathe easily. The heavy burden of guilt of killing a man was easily lifted off her shoulders by the elation of being out from under Henry's thumb forever. It was only now she realized that some of her warm auburn hair was matted with blood, and that spatter had gotten all over her clothes, face, and arms.

"'S there a crick er somthin' I can wash up in?" she asked, but Willie didn't seem to hear her. She was taken aback by the hunger in his voice and turned around to see him grinning wickedly as he told her to take off her dress. Already he was in his undershirt, which Celia had always found sexier, anyway. She pulled off her apron and tossed it aside and began to undo the buttons on the front of her dress, but stopped after the second.

"Git that dress off?" she repeated, sway-stepping over to him and putting an arm over his shoulder while keeping the other hand on her third button. "How 'bout a please, sugar?" She pouted coquettishly. "I mean, I'm th' one who's done all the heavy liftin', after all..." She smiled wickedly and pressed her body against his. She wasn't sure what it was about this adrenaline rush, this absolute thrill, that made her want him so badly but that glint in his eye made her body ache all over for him. "Dance with me, Willie."

 

[Crusade]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Willie found how surprised Celia was that she'd actually gone through with the killing a little peculiar, but he chalked it up to the fact that she'd never done anything like that before. It was probably like she felt like she was merely a puppet and someone from above was controlling the strings. Regardless, Henry was dead and the two of them were going to be able to go about living their lives without him being a constant burden.

Willie grinned as he watched Celia saunter over to her. In that moment, even despite all of the dried blood, she oozed sexual energy. He licked his lips as she pouted and pressed her body against his own. He again felt himself getting hard, but the mere sight wouldn't be enough this time. She was going to feel it pressed against her thigh.

"Where have my manners gone? Please git that dress off," he said, his hand moving over her own on that third button, almost willing her to continue taking it off. He let out a groan as he pressed his body more firmly against her own, his body swaying with own. There in the pitch black night, both of them with bloody remnants dotting their skin, they danced in celebration. It was the oddest, most twistedly erotic experience of Willie's life, yet he could think of no other place he'd rather be than in the middle of nowhere with Celia in his arms.

"What I said before, C...about lovin' you. You know I meant that, right?" he asked, pressing his forehead against hers as he moved his hips in time with her own, his body swaying, but at the same time sort of grinding against her, the only form of friction for him to enjoy, his cock still straining precariously inside of his trousers.

 

[Madam Mim]

RE: Young, Wild, and Free

Celia smiled when Willie remembered his manners and rewarded him. She continued to unbutton her dress until it was open down to her waist. She let her dress slip over her shoulders, down to her waist, then to the ground. She kicked the bloodied dress to the side. Her slip had survived the blood spatter and hung off her shoulders loosely. Underneath Willie could see her bra and her garter straps still kept her stockings from falling.

Celia draped her arms over Willie's shoulders and swayed with him. She grinned and pressed her body against his, feeling his arousal pressed against her. She planted soft kisses on his neck and shoulders, dancing together in the middle of nowhere under the stars. It was like a fairytale come true. A twisted, bloody fairytale. It was horrific and erotic at the same time, and Celia could never remember wanting him more.

"I know you meant it, Will," she said softly, smiling up at him. "I love you too." She stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him gently.

 

[Crusade]

Will returned Celia's kiss, his body pressing against her own. Seeing her there in just her underwear had definitely made his body tingle from the want. He could hardly believe what she did to him. In the short time the two had been seeing one another, Willie had experienced feelings he never knew existed. He wanted to show her exactly how much she wanted and as they kissed, he contemplated exactly how to do that.

Pulling back from her lips, Will leaned in and sent a trail of warm kisses down her neck. His hands moved down her back til they got to her ass, which he proceeded to get handfuls of and squeezed tightly, pressing her into his body as much as he pressed into her. "I want you so bad, C," he whispered against her as he walked her back so her back rested against the truck.

Once her body was pressed up against the truck, Willie reached down and began undoing his belt. He groaned as it loosened his trousers. His cock felt as if it had been in a vice, his erection never given the opportunity to be freed from its hold. As he prepared to pull down his pants, the flash of headlights off in the distance alarmed him. "Oh fuck," he called out, quickly bunching his pants in his hands as he hurried around the truck to the driver's side.

"C'mon baby. We gotta git outta here. Someone's comin'," he said, hopping up into the cab of the truck. He started it, thankful the thing started without a problem. He left the headlights off and waited to see what the next move would be for the truck. Would it drive by and make nothing of the truck on the side of the road or would he think they were stranded motorists in need of a lift? He hoped not the latter, but one thing was for sure, the grove wasn't as safe a respite as he anticipated.

Gripping the wheel tightly in both hands, he waited with baited breath as the car in the distance approached. The thing was hauling ass and didn't even think twice about looking in their direction. The car whirred by and Willie heaved a sigh of relief before leaning forward to let his forehead rest against the top of the steering wheel.

"I think we should take to the road again, baby. At least until we can find a motel or somethin' in the middle of nowhere. Somewhere we can lay low without worryin' about people seein' us," he said, lifting his head to look over at Celia. He pulled out onto the road, leaving their discarded clothes at the grove. Sexually frustrated and with his adrenaline still pumping, Willie drove, headlights off, pedal to the floor, driving with his pants undone and his knuckles white from grabbing hold of the steering wheel so tightly.

 

[Madam Mim]

Celia grinned as Willie's lips trailed down her neck and across her shoulder. She groaned as he squeezed her ass tightly and pressed against her. She was slick with desire as her back pressed up against the cold metal of the truck bed and as she wrapped her leg over his hip and around the small of his back to pull him even more tightly against her. She breathed in sharply as she felt his hands move down to undo his belt and his jeans.

"Mmm that's right, Sugar," Celia moaned, running her hands down his back, "fuck me hard...mmm right here." The innocent woman had never tried any sort of dirty talk until she'd met Willie. She was still new to it, but it made her feel sexy and dangerous. She supposed now she really was dangerous...

"Wait what?" Celia looked around, confused, when Willie and his hot erection had suddenly disappeared leading her cold and frustrated. She realized he was running around to the driver's side and followed, slamming the door and slouching down in the seat to avoid being seen. As the other car went by she held her breath, then let it out when the headlights passed.

"It ain't the cops baby, now c'mon." She grinned and leaned over to kiss his neck again, but was disappointed when he started driving. "Well we can't walk in covered in blood like this. Well, I can't. You ain't too bad. So uh...You wanna save it til we find a place to stop? Or..."

Without finishing her sentence, Celia slid her hand into his pants before following shortly. She kissed him through his underwear, wrapping her fingers gently around him. She groaned longingly and kissed him again, wishing he would stop and finally give her some relief. Killing Henry, running away, feeling as if they were being chased...it was all so exciting and left her aching for him. It was a strange but somehow liberating feeling, being turned on by such violence and secrecy.

 

[Crusade]

"I know it ain't the cops, baby, but I get restless knowin' we might get caught. I don't want this thing endin' before we even get it started," he said, looking over at her. It wasn't long before she had slipped his pants down just enough to expose his cock, now only covered by the thin fabric of his underwear. He felt her hand on his shaft and let out a groan, her kisses against his underwear giving him chills.

Who the hell was he kidding? He wasn't going to last. He definitely wasn't going to be able to continue driving with her tormenting teasing. He licked is lips and threw his head back, reaching one hand down to the back of her head. "Mm, C...suck my cock. Suck my cock 'til I find a good place to pull over and then I promise you baby...I'll give you the fuckin' of yer life," he said, his foot still pressing the pedal to the floor. If she really did go through with giving him head, he was going to have to take it easy on the gas. One of the potholes was liable to get his dick bitten off.

The headlights were still off and the only sign of them being on the road was the low rumble of the engine and the dirt clouds that they left behind them as they drove. Willie wasn't even sure exactly where he was going, but he was fairly certain he was driving north. The two, if given the chance, would hit the big cities Celia seemed so adamant seeing. He figured the first would be St. Louis and then perhaps Chicago before they headed east to New York and Boston. Wherever she told him to go, he would. She was his now. There was no more Henry getting in the way. He couldn't wait to start his life with the girl who just so happened to have her head in his lap.

 

[Madam Mim]

Celia pouted as Willie told her he was restless, thinking that the cops were hunting them down at this very moment. The pout turned into a grin, however, as she heard him groan and beg her to suck him off. Her fingers found the gap in his underwear and slowly her lips slid around the tip of his member before she teased him with her tongue.

"Mmm you always taste so good, sugar," she groaned, sliding her tongue from base to tip before once again sliding her cherry lips over his needy shaft. Groaning, she traced patterns with the tip of her tongue around Willie's throbbing cock as she sucked, gently at first then harder. Eventually she curled her fingers gently around his balls, massaging them slowly and pleasantly as she sucked.

Up ahead in the distance a sign came into view. It was the first sign of civilization, apart from the truck that had interrupted their celebration, and was the only visible indication that anyone was anywhere nearby. The sign wasn't very big, and the light meant to illuminate it for night travelers was growing dim, but it was just what they were looking for. The words "Motel" and "Vacancy" were visible, even for the distracted Willie. The only light on in the motel was in the office, the only car in the parking lot appeared to be he night clerk's. Celia wasn't able to see it, being more distracted even than Willie, and groaned around the thick shaft in her mouth.

 

[Crusade]

"Mm, fuck. You like that cock, baby?" he asked, grinning down at her as she spoke about his taste. It was awfully hard concentrating on the road while Celia was using that skilled mouth of hers. There was some comfort in knowing his cock would be the only one in her mouth from there on out. It used to pain him to think about that bastard Henry fucking her and making her do things for him. He didn't have to worry about that anymore, though. It was just the two of them.

Every action of Celia's tongue, lips and mouth was perfect. She knew just how to please him and he was forever indebted to her for that. His fingers tangled into her hair and he had to resist the urge of just letting his head fall back and his eyes close as she sucked him off. Up in the distance, he saw the light. It was a small, rundown motel that probably saw a handful of visitors a month out in the middle of nowhere like they were. But, it would suit them well.

"Honey, stop. We got a motel up here," he said, letting out another groan. Willie didn't want to feel her lips leave his cock, but they had finally found a proper place to get cleaned up and rest. Willie made the turn into the lot. The place was small. Probably only about fifteen rooms, all of which looked to be vacant. Putting the truck in park, Willie looked down at his girl. "You stay here since the blood on you is a little more noticeable. I'll get the room and then once I have the key, you can meet me over there. Just stay out of eyesight if you can, C."

He leaned down and gave her forehead a kiss before getting out of the truck and heading nonchalantly into the lobby area. It was a small room, sparsely decorated with a long desk that spanned half of it. Behind the counter, sitting in an oversized chair, was a man who appeared to be about sixty years old. He gave an almost fully toothless smile to Willie as he entered.

"Well, good evenin'. What can I do fer ya?" he asked, lifting his body up from the chair.

"Just need a room for the night. Maybe longer. Not sure yet," Willie told him. Willie pulled a few bills from his pocket and set them on the counter. "I'll pay up front," he said.

The man nodded approvingly and shuffled through keys that hung from nails in the wall. "Room 12. It's a few doors down from the office. Nice room."

"Yeah, thanks," Willie said, not caring for what the man had to say. He snatched the key and gave a wave with his back to the old man before making his way out to head over to the room. He glanced over at the truck and held up the key as a signal for Celia to follow him. Finally, he'd get to give his woman a proper fucking and the two could get clean together afterwards. It sounded like a perfect night.

 

[Madam Mim]

"Mmm so good," Celia groaned when asked how she liked him, though it was difficult to understand her with her mouth so full. She grinned as she sucked him off, knowing how much he enjoyed it. Heightening her pleasure was the realization that he was the only man she'd ever have again. She didn't have to cater anymore to a man she no longer loved, who didn't love her.

She groaned when Willie told her to get off of him. She didn't want to let him go, but since they had found a hotel she relented, knowing that she would get so much more of his sweet cock soon. She laughed at his understatement that the blood was "a little more noticeable" on her. Her face and arms were covered in Henry's blood and it matted parts of her hair. Groaning, she laid her head in his lap as they pulled in. When he shut off the lights, she kept her head in his lap and put her feet up on the passenger's side window, knees spread.

"Alright baby, I'll wait here," she agreed as she slid her hand from her knee down her thigh, pulling her slip with it. "Mmm but hurry back sugar babe. I can't help but touch myself...but I don't wanna cum without you." She smiled wickedly as he slid out of the car, looking almost like an entirely different person from the Celia Willie knew. She may be herself in the morning, come to her senses and realize what she'd done, maybe even cry...but now she was a foxy femme fatale seducing into her bed the man who had seduced her into this sudden life of crime.

Celia waited impatiently, touching herself gently through her panties with her slip bunched around her hips. She grinned when Willie returned and hopped out of the cab eagerly. She grabbed his hand and, giggling, skipped toward the room he led toward. Once inside she belly-flopped onto the bed and kicked her legs up behind herself a few times before rolling onto her back and looking over at her lover.

"So what's it gonna be, Will?" she asked with a grin. "You wanna fuck me while I still got my husband's blood all over? Or you wanna come clean up with me first?"