Love Where You Shouldn't Find It

Runaway Child

Hope and Sophie paused all movement and listened, the rain against the galvanized roof made it difficult to be sure; but the sound came again, a loud bang from the back of the home, Hope looked at Sophie. She stared a while at her, not even recognizing who she was. Hope hadn't realized that Sophie was just a reflection of herself, but it was even harder to notice who Sophie was since she hadn't seen herself in a while; but Hope knew it was her, how could she not know Sophie's voice?

For the first time in a long time Hope made a sentence "Sophie are you sure?" she croaked, it was almost inaudible, but it didn't have to be, she could hear her regardless.
Sophie looked down at the drunken man swaying his head each time he'd try to hold it up, drooling on himself; maybe he'd had a long day and didn't expect to drink that much, it wasn't like he had work in the morning so he could afford to.

"Hope, look at him, in the morning he'd barely remember his name" Sophie justified.

Hope thought on it for a while; another bang, and the roof rattled against the heavy rain, the wind blew howling at the sky, while thunder and lighter fought each other to see who'd get there first. Hope took one last breath and nodded at Sophie. She walked timidly but willingly to the door to go to the back where she sat daily. Before she fully exiting the room, groans from the plastered man piped her ear, she looked back at France, he couldn't talk but she could tell he didn't want her to go outside;

One hand on the knob, the other in a fist, she froze not knowing what to expect, thoughts of France remembering her disobedience caused her to panic, she shook out of fear when the bang happened again. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she twisted the knob, opened the door...and stepped outside.

She saw it, Hope stopped, her oversized shirt that still carried her blood stains blew roughly in the wind, she stood in awe almost shaking at the sight before her, she was stuck, he didn't know what to do. Once again looking at Sophie who wasn't in any different state. The lightning flashed and took her out her gaze.

"What are you gonna do" Sophie whispered
Hope exhaled...."I'm gonna run"

Before her was a door, she'd finally seen how it was hidden, France made it almost perfectly, it looked like the wall when closed. She didn't know if to be mad, or happy. He hid it from her for so long and she was foolish enough not to notice, the winds from the rain managed to swing it open and it kept banging as it swung close and open. She took a step and paused again. She'd been in the care of France for four years, he fed her every morning and kept her alive despite her uselessness. Was she really going to walk away? How ungrateful could she be?

"HOPE!"

France shouted at her, he was still drunk, she could see it, but she could also see the fury in his wide eyes. The situation managed to make him stand straight, but he looked like he'd pass out any second. Hope froze and trembled not knowing what to do or say

"Run Hope, run"

Sophie pleaded, but Hope's legs didn't move, she was stuck, her brain held the power to her freedom, as she faced her biggest battle...herself. The thunder boomed and the plastered man wobbled reaching out his hand telling her to come to him,

"RUN CHILD" Sophie yelled "CAN'T YOU REMEMBER"

Hope fixed her attention to her.

"The pain, the sadness, for goodness sake Hope you're wearing his old shirt since you came here, you're dressed in your agony"

Sophie wasn't wrong, the shirt she wore was withered, and lost its color, her blood stains turned brown and the loose thread tickled her skin. She turned and looked at France who didn't even know the war she had just fought.

"Thank you"

she said to him and bolted through the gateway to freedom. She could only imagine the disapproving groans he was letting out, the rain didn't let her hear his deceptive cry. She moved with pace, adrenaline and happiness being the only things carrying her; the ground was wet, and the rain fell like bullets, it was dark, and she barely saw through the thick bush that crawled on the pitch. As she ran she wondered how he moved about, there was no evidence of a vehicle, not type of street light; just a paved path that was too narrow to have any traffic.

After running for a few minutes she stopped, the rain was only getting heavier and she didn't know where she was; dirty water dripped from her hair and burned her eyes, her skin felt layered like there was oil, and her shirt ran water to her bare toes. Hope looked around in the darkness, waiting for lightning so she'd have a split second to glimpse her surroundings. The world span around her, as she realized she had no plan not sure where to go, if to continue on her path or turn and go home; and deal with her punishment, at least she'd  have a place to go.

Hope had no voisin in her story, but she needed to think, where would she even go if she ran? There was no one for her except him; everyone thought she was dead, she'd send the nation into shock, people would've shone her. All these thoughts circled her mind. Hope bowed her head, turned around, and stood with the rain, she stared at the direction she came. She simply didn't think she had a better life out of his touch.