Gone

Chapter 1

I ran. I ran as fast as I could; far away from that man, that monster who ruined my life. The one who took everything from me and will soon take me away. My lungs were starting to burn and my feet felt like I was stepping on shards of glass. Sweat was starting to trickle down my face, burning my eyes.

He kept screaming my name with pure anger as he chased me down the dark corridor; the never-ending corridor.

He was close, closer than I think he was. His black shoes clacking on the tiled floor as he chased me down, his hands out ready to grab me and pull me to the ground. But I didn't want him to and I didn't let him. I ran even faster and harder this time and when I finally thought I lost him, I felt a hand pulling me down harshly. My head hit the cold tiles, making me dizzy from the impact.

He was angry, furious. His blue eyes filled with anger and his dark brown hair wet from his sweat. His dark purple dress shirt was unbuttoned, his chest showing a little.

"You can never run away from me, Amelia." He said, caressing my scared face.

My eyelids drooped, slowly drifting into a coma.

///

September 1st, 6:00 Am

School. One of the most vital things in life as young adults. It's not only a place to discover and learn but also a place to meet new people. Well, that is what I hoped. Being a quiet girl and having trust issues because of what had happened in the past has troubled me a lot these past few years. Growing up in a rough atmosphere with a parent who is constantly drinking his life away while his vulnerable wife is begging him to stop, wasn't exactly the perfect childhood I imagined it to be. And when it started to get too far between him and my mom, that's when I knew things needed to change. That we needed to leave. There was no point in staying in that house filled with violence and hostility, he was a lost cause. We packed our bags and moved to this town, hoping to have a new life, away from pain and away from the constant abuse we had to endure from that man we called father. We were finally here, we were. We all made it safely yesterday evening after that long car ride. Our bags filled with little to no clothes but a lot of hope in that old brown suitcases we held in our hands. We hoped to rest and restore this broken family. I hoped.
But this was just the beginning.

I was laying in bed, awake, for the last couple of hours. My sweaty body was under thick blankets and the room was pitch-black. And although it was morning, my navy blue curtains hid the outside world, showing absolutely no light. I was too anxious and fearful of the people I would meet, afraid that they might judge me of my past just like the rest of the kids at my last high school. Their judging eyes would follow me wherever I went, gossiping to their friends as they watch me walk down the hallway.

But now wasn't the time to linger on these thoughts, I had to get up and take a shower before my mom makes a fuss about it. I uncover myself and get up to go to the bathroom. I had my own personal bathroom, thank goodness. It avoids all the trouble that I have to endure while waiting for my brother, Ian, to be done with the shower. The bathroom wasn't that big. With only a toilet, a shower and a semi-spacious counter, it makes my morning a little bit easier than just to wait outside and beg my brother to leave. The only issue I had was that it had a window facing the shower where anyone could peek in and see me. Fortunately for me, we had enough money to buy another big navy blue curtain to cover it. But enough with the bathroom. I really need that hot shower.

                                          ///
I wrapped my wet naked body in a baby blue towel as I got out of the shower, the cold air making me shiver. I made my way to the semi-spacious counter where all my appliances have been placed on and grabbed my hairbrush.

Brushing my wet tangled hair, I felt my heart beating harshly against my chest as I looked into the mirror. However, that feeling of anxiety came to a halt when I heard a loud sound coming outside my room.

"Amelia!? You're going to be late for school!" My mom shouted downstairs.

"Yeah, mom! I'm getting ready!"

"Hurry! Your brother is making a fuss about it!"

"Tell him to stop acting like a baby!"

                                           ///
I always wondered why my brother had a car when all he does is dirty the seats. His blue Toyota Corolla seems clean from the outside but right when you go in, it looked like it was hit by a dumpster truck. There were food crumbs all over the floor and fast-food wrappers inside the cup holder.

"Have you ever thought of cleaning your car?"
I asked, holding my nose in a mocking way.

"You should be glad I didn't leave you on the side of the road already." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I looked at all the houses we have been passing by.

"We are here." He said, parking in front of the entrance.

"Wow! Isn't it big?" I said, pointing at the school.

"Yeah yeah, don't care. Can you get out now? I don't want to be late for work."

"Alright grumpy pants."

Before I can fully close the door, Ian has already left the premises. I was annoyed at how rude he was acting but I was too memorized about the way the school looked.

The school looked bigger and better than the last one I went to. With its bright modern colours and big windows, it really draws you in. But it wasn't the only thing that caught my eye. The football field on the far left was vast for a school football field, almost like the ones you see on tv. On the far right, there was a parking lot for the teachers and the cars looked expensive, showing how wealthy the owners are.

Nevertheless, it was still a school. Students of all kinds were piling up in front of the entrance, chatting with their friends or waiting for the others to enter. Not wanting to be left out, I made my way to the line of students and waited with the others, still looking around the place when I briefly made eye contact with a man who looked old enough to be a teacher, staring straight at me with a smirk.

What an odd man.