Sign Me Up

We've Got A Runner

   I didn't speak at all during the meeting, keeping my attention on anything but the topics at hand. I knew what he was saying, it's the same thing the last few websites and therapists have said to me.

I know my way of coping, I go through my steps every day when I wake up. It isn't the best way maybe, but it's beginning to help me improve in my daily life. I remember when I would stay awake for days, crash for hours, and repeat the cycle all over again. I remember sitting there with Jaylen, not understanding how I could go from thinking I was captured by the enemy to not even remembering going to battle. I remember not trusting Jaylen, not even trusting the little lady down the hall who would bake me cookies and tell me stories about her lover before he went on to be a famous actor of some sort.

"Althea, would you like to tell the group what is so funny?" His deep voice broke through my day-dream, my eyes landing on his stone expression.

"I would but I don't want to." I spoke before hearing the ding of the timer of my phone, looking down to see the time for this session was over and I was finally free. "Thank you for your time and service." I spoke hurriedly before grabbing my bag and speed walking from the scene.

My eyes looked up to see Jaylen standing at the door, leaning against the brick wall on his phone. I walked up to him and grabbed his sleeve, pulling him along with me to the car. The faster I got out of here, the faster I could go back to my routine. I heard him speaking, asking a question or something before he grabbed me suddenly and spun me around. I whipped my head around, my curls flying in front of my face, before I twisted my wrist around until I was gripping his arm, my free hand gripping his neck and pushing him against the car. I could hear him gasping for breath, not fully understanding that I was hurting him until the man named Sam came running out. He pulled me off of him, somewhat keeping me pinned until I saw Jaylen's face and watched him hold his neck in surprise.

I too was surprised, looking down to my own hands before I stopped struggling against Sam, knowing that the longer I fought the less likely I was going to be able to leave.

"I am going to let you go now, okay?" I nodded solemnly, darting from his arms as fast as I could once he let me go. I left my bag on the pavement beside the car, ignoring the calls of Sam and Jaylen, ignoring the stares from the many different men and women around me until I was somehow in the park.

I stopped, out of breath, leaning against an oak tree when I heard the sound of leaves crushing and I cursed myself for not taking my bag with me. I whipped around to see a squirrel doing it's little run thing towards a tree. I looked to my left and saw the city, I looked to my right and saw the path for the park. It was only about twelve in the afternoon, so I could go on a hike before finding my way back home. I could go towards the city, get a cup of coffee or something.

I heard the sounds of rushed steps, three sets of them to be exact and I panicked. I began running to the city, bobbing and shoving past people until I stopped in at the crosswalk, taking the chance and sprinting across it. I wasn't an assassin, so I didn't really know how to hide myself into the crowd, plus with my hair it's kind of hard to do that. So I figured why not dip into an alley, I was beginning to climb the fence when I heard Jaylen call my name and I paused. I turned around to see Sam and another buff man behind Jaylen, I let him coax me from the top of the fence, keeping my back pressed against the fence until he said those words.

"You're okay."  He spoke softly, walking towards me. 

"You aren't though. I-I hurt you, how can you be this close to me right now. I laid my hands on you and here you were, running after me. You should have let me stay on base, you should have left me alone, Jay!" I speak in a whisper, my voice raising and lowering as though I was talking to myself but then talking to him. I didn't know which I was doing at the moment, I didn't know if I wanted him to actually hear what I was doing or if I wanted to just keep it all bottled up and wait until we were in a secured location, until I was in the comfort of a place I knew.  

 Sam stepped forward and I glared at him, the blonde buff guy grabbing his shoulder and I was pleased by that. He understood I didn't want to be smothered at the moment, I felt cornered and like I was going to be captured all over again.

"Let's just back up and give her some space.....what's your name?" He spoke, taking a step or two back. As he looked at me, his expression softened and his brow furrowed, awaiting my answer.

"Althea...Althea Dixon...." I paused, waiting for him to tell me his.

"Lovely name, mine is Steven Rogers.."