Forever Running

Forever Running | Chapter Six

"But when she turned her back to the lights, she saw that the night was so dark...She could not see the stars. The world felt as high as the depthless night sky and deeper than she could know. She understood, suddenly and keenly, that she was too small to run away, and she sat on the damp ground and cried."

― Shannon Hale, The Goose Girl

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I picked a seat near the back of bus. I sat on the cool seat as I looked out of the window. Even though I was almost a mile away from my house, it was like I could see it clearly. As if somehow, a bright light was shining above it. I turned away my tears stinging my eyes. The only thing I could do for my self was to tell myself I was doing the right thing. Even though I had no idea where I was going, or had enough time to process my actions, I knew I had to get away from my family. No matter how much I didn't want to.

I kept think of my entire life during the bus ride. My mom, who was probably gonna pass out to find my disappearance, my father who would no longer live positively knowing that one more of his daughters had left him, Troy, who might somehow lose another part of himself from knowing that another one of his sisters had ran away, Alania, who would turn out being even more angry and frustrated with the world at such a young age. Dana, my one and only friend, Eric, the dumbest bully who ever existed, Julie, the girl who was about suffer. I kept thinking about all the lives that I may never be part again. And maybe have changed forever.

I sat silently as the bus went through three more stops. Eventually, the bus driver stopped the bus and told me to get off. I grabbed my bag and through it over my shoulder, walking out of the bus.

I took a long look around as I got off the bus and heard it drive away behind me, leaving me alone in the dark. I felt a sudden chill. Not from the cool night breeze, or from just stepping out of a warm bus, but from what I saw. Nothing. Miles and miles of nothing. Even though it was pitch black, I knew there was nothing out there, what I saw was a deserted field. I hadn't heard a sound ever since the bus drove away. I felt a lump at the bottom of my stomach.

I was lost. I didn't know where to go. I had no where to go.

So, I did the first thing that came to mind.

I tightened my grip on my bag around my shoulders.

And I ran.

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Eventually stopped running when I ran out of breath. I doubled over and gripped my knees heaving. I didn't think I had ran so fast in my life. I turned and looked around my shoulder. Or ever ran so far, I though.

I continued walking, mind wandering as I figured out what to do. I could go to one of those community shelters, I thought. The ones where they help the homeless find homes and give them food. I could stay there for a while until I get myself on my feet.

I heard a shuffle a few feet ahead of me. I froze in place. I thought I was the only one in the deserted area. Or even in miles from where I was standing.

I heard the sound again. The same shuffling noise. I backed away slowly trying to get more distance between me and the unknown figure.

It became quiet again as I stood frozen. I hadn't heard the sound for more than thirty seconds. Maybe if I call out...

"Hello!" I yelled! "Is anybody there!" I shouted. No reply. I slowly took another step back. Before I could move back again. I felt a sharp pain on my right arm. I yelped and gripped my left arm, grimacing in pain. Before I had anymore time to think, I felt two hands grab my neck and tighten their grip. By reflex, I lifted my right, uninjured arm, and tried to pry the hands off of me as I desperately breathed for air.

The grip tightened even harder causing me to dig a deeper cut into them. My vision began to blur, and I was beginning to lose strength. I felt my knees shake and the blood rush to my face.

The unknown figure loosened its grip and let me go. I dropped to the ground, barley conscience. I felt a bright light flash to my face and noticed the person loomed down to get a better look of me.

I couldn't move my body, as it refusd to follow any of the commandments I had ordered it to do. I'm going to die. I'm going to be killed, maybe raped, chopped up into a thousand pieces and burned to get rid of any evidence of my existence.

I felt the same hands that previously attempted to strangle me, cup my cheeks and made me look at the face that they belonged to. At first I tried to move my head away, I didn't want to see my murderer. The hands kept my head put, lifting then up slightly so I could get a better look at their face.

To my surprise, it belonged to a young teenage boy.

That was the last thing I remembered before I blacked out.