Free Shattered Puppet (Rag Doll) by Ava Catori

“I’ll give a statement,” she hated saying those words out loud, “but I won’t testify in court. I want nothing to do with that. If they demand it, I’ll refuse. It won’t help the case to have a hostile witness.”
    “You’ll give a statement?” Kendle was thrilled and relieved. It meant they had that much more in her case against her father.
    “That’s not all.” Cree dreaded saying these next words. “Kendle, I’m leaving. I’m leaving the area and I won’t be back.”
    “Wait, what?” What did she mean she was leaving? Like on vacation, was she moving? What was going on? She’d barely seen her in the last few weeks. She kept making excuses.
    “I need to go away. I need to break free from my past. I want you to promise me you won’t come looking for me.” She hated herself.
    “What? But what about me? How will I see you?” She asked, her stomach churning, not liking what she was hearing.
    “You won’t. At least not for a while. It’s for the best; I know you don’t understand it, but you have to trust me.” This was the hardest conversation she ever had to have. “So if you want my statement, we have to do it soon. Once I’m gone, I’m gone.”
    “Cree, are you in trouble? What happened? Why can’t I see you?” She was full of questions that didn’t have answers. “Please,” she sobbed, “please don’t leave me. Don’t shut me out. You’re all I have besides Graham.”
    “I need to let go. One day I’ll find you. I promise. You just need to let me go, okay? Promise me you won’t come looking for me. Promise, Kendle.” She begged her sister to understand. They both had their own selfish agendas. Kendle didn’t want to lose Cree, and Cree needed to get far away with Carter to help keep him safe. It was a no win situation.
    Kendle’s hands clenched into fists as the anguish washed through her. “Cree, no! I can’t promise that. How can you ask me to? You’re all I’ve ever worried about for years, and now you want me to turn that off?” Her voice quivered trying to choke back tears. “Please, don’t cut me out. I’m begging you.”
    Cree’s heart was breaking. She didn’t want to have to, but it was the safest thing to do. Contacts to her past, to any of them might end up hurting Carter. For now, until she knew he was safe and far away, it had to be this way. “I’m a grown woman, Kendle. I’m not a kid anymore. It’s time to let go. It will be okay. I’ll be okay.” She tried to pacify her sister. “I need to go. Tell Graham thank you for everything.”
    “Cree, no, don’t…” The phone line went dead. She’d hung up. She’d said her peace. Kendle stared at her phone. There was time. She’d go to her in person and plead her case. She couldn’t lose her sister. It would destroy her.
    When Carter showed up at the door, nobody answered. He knocked again, but still no answer. He tried calling, but she didn’t pick up. He’d wait in his car and try again. He wanted to surprise her, show up unannounced, only the surprise didn’t go as he expected. He was still alive, paid back some of his debts and only had one broken bone to show for it. He got off easy for being family. If he wasn’t, most of his bones would have been broken. Either way, the plan was to disappear together. Only now that he was here to pick her up, she was nowhere to be found. He should have snagged one of the spare keys.
    Carter went back thirty minutes later and tried again. When she opened the door, he met her with a smile. “I was worried about you. I was here earlier.”
    “So sorry, I was in the shower. I must have just missed you.” She leaned in to kiss him, looking at his new accessory, a cast. “What happened? Are you okay?” The concern spread across her face.
    Carter went in and set his crutches beside the door, hopping to the small sofa. “Broken bone, but my debts are all cleared with the family. I’ve just been told not to show my face back there for a