Minna

Chapter 3

~ In which Patricia's good fortune runs out

Patch woke up groggily to the ticket master shaking her.

     "Good afternoon," the man said slowly as he tipped his hat and smiled pleasantly like he did before. "I'm sorry but I'll have to ask you to get of at this station."

     "W-what?" Patch muttered as she blinked to focus her eyes. She felt very tired at that one moment, and nothing would be easier then to simply fall back against the chair and into deep sleep...

     "This is your station, young lady." The ticket master explained. "All passengers on board for Los Angeles are required to exit the train at this station." Patch glanced out the window, where sure enough a sign showed the words 'Los Angeles' on the side.

     She turned back to the man. "Oh." Patch grabbed her backpack of the chair next to her, not realizing in was opened until most of the contents spilled out. Including her underwear. She blushed and hastily stuffed everything back into the bag, hoping the man standing near didn't see.

     "Now hurry up and find your parents, I wouldn't want you to get lost in the big city." The ticket master spoke with a smile as he moved out of her way.

     Patch stared at him as she walked past. Some of these people really weren't paying any attention to her. Sure they were nice, and not paying attention to her at the moment was a good thing... but they just did not get it.

     Upon exiting the train Patch stumbled and fell from the steps. Again she blinked rapidly.

     "Oh." She finally reacted after almost a minute. "Ouch." Patch dusted of her pants and got up, heading out of the station.

     The double doors slid open. The double doors slid close.

     And then Patch realized, "I don't know where I'm supposed to go." Suddenly, a wave of emotion went over her and she felt like she was falling into an endless pit. Her eyes grew wide as saucers and with both her hands on her backpack straps she clenched as tightly as she could. She opened her mouth to take deep breaths.

     "It's okay," Patch told herself, "it's okay. I'll just go sit somewhere and think about where I'd find my family." She walked over to the closest bench to the entrance of the train station and sat down with her backpack next to her. She put her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands, while in a melancholy attitude swung her legs.

     This was such a stupid idea, Patch was so stupid... It didn't even have to be put into words, just how crazy she must have been to even think about doing this! And, as much as many people think about running away, how many are stupid and cowardly enough to actually do it! That's right, not even looking for her family justifies it, Patch was a coward!

     "Argh!!!" She exclaimed at random.

     Patch leaned back against the bench as she stopped swinging her legs and sighed a deep, long sigh.

     "Huh," said a boy who had apparently been sitting on the bench next to her the whole time. A boy staring off into the sky who Patch definitely did not notice and was very surprised to see. "I'd bet that you're having a tough time." She started and sat up straight for good measure, then slumped back down against her backpack.

     "Yeah," Patch finally muttered back. "Running away is a crazy thing to do, and I'm not sure it's worth it." The boy turned to look at her with wide eyes. She couldn't help but notice that they were chocolate brown, framed by thick dark eyelashes, and showed surprise easily because of his thick, dark eyebrows. Patch hoped he knew that his messy brown bangs didn't quite hide the giant zit on his temple. Once he faced her she realized for sure that he was actually and most probably a teenager.