How I ran away

How I planned

Time to bring this game to an end. This sick repulsive game. I wake up in by noon from the heat and the buzzing in my ears. I feel disgusting. Drenched in sweat. I swat a mosquito that lands on my arm and stand up. Have to get back to the road.

Getting back to the road takes longer than it usually would. That's because my muscles are stiff and sore. And my leg weighs me down. I can live with that.

I start by climbing a tree. Stepping up on a low branch and pulling myself up. it's hard with just one leg. But I'm a natural at climbing trees. The top disappears into a mob of leaves but I can tell I'll be able to scale it in under two minutes. Reminds me of that time by the park. I nearly killed myself climbing that tree. But I was seven then. The topmost branch of the tree-the thin part that can crack at any moment-still doesn't give me a sight past leaves and trees. Out to the street. A higher tree is what I need.

It takes me ten minutes to get on a tree high enough. A minute to locate the road. Two hours and a few more climbed trees until I actually get to it.

It's empty. And here without the trees shade the sun pounds down on my back. But I need to stay out here. Keep in view. Another two hours until a car passes by. It doesn't stop. A while until the next one passes. I hitch a ride in the beaten car. The women driving could be a kidnapper. Why else would she stop for a bloody girl in tatters? Unless she feels bad for me? Probably. She's going in the right direction anyway. The car smells like smoke. The lady herself has her too-blond-to-be-natural hair flying. Her eyes half shut. Thirty years old. She has problems. Not my problem.

I could kill her now. Perhaps she is here to kidnap me? I should've killed her the second she stopped. But no. I am tired of killing. Killing the innocent. The guilty. Killing anybody. And just to get a car? No. I can't do that. Death is a terrible thing. I quit this game where every corner brings death.

A few hours later the car jerks to a short stop. It's already dark outside. The last streak of purple disappearing from the sky. Painting it black.

"This is where you get off," she says. She threw open her door.

"Thanks," I say as I get out of her car. And I really mean it. If it weren't for her I would be back by the woods. There are creatures of the night back there. Creatures I never want to meet and others I don't want to get back together with again. She grunts and walks away.

I turn away from her retreating figure and locate the bus stop. She brought me a step closer to where I need to go but there is more to it. I buy a ticket with the money I find in a man's back pocket. A direct bus that will bring me there. Bring me to where it all started. To where I would end it.

The second I take my seat on the bus, I fall asleep on the bus.

I'm there when I wake up. Surprised I even fell asleep. Didn't think I would be able too with the anticipation growing in my chest.

The first sight of Pedidaville brings back memories. Memories I don't remember having.

I get off at the bus and take my first limping steps through the town. The bus ride was so long. It is five a.m. now. Still dark out.

Nobody is out on the streets at this hour. Most of the houses are big. Blossoming gardens. Five floors. Swimming pools fit for hundreds out at back. For a second I panic. How will I know which house is the one? But then I calm down. I'll know it when I see it. I am sure of that much. Like I recognized Pedidaville. Instantly.

It is a few blocks before it happens. But when it does I stop dead in my tracks. It's the house. I know it is. I am so sure. My knees are shaking. Trembling. The tall metal gate. Rose buses protruding between sticks of metal. It's deadly thorns opening to the blood red of the rose.

No. Not blood. I don't need to see anymore blood.

But where I'm headed I can expect a lot of it.

It's then that it hits me. Don't feel it until I'm falling back. Losing balance.

And my vision fades to red.

The color of blood.