Escape The Past

No Lies, Just Honesty

I get on the bus that is going to take me to my future but I can't stop myself from wondering if I'm making the right decision. I've been waiting for this for so long, to escape and start over, but I didn't think it would be this frightening. I look around for somewhere to sit, and I find a seat by the window. I sit down, hiding my suitcase under the seat. I try to relax and convince myself that this is the only option I have, I couldn't stay there. But I feel like I let someone down, but I can't tell who. I glance down at the ticket I just bought, it will take me somewhere he won't find me. It's a long journey I have been preparing myself for my whole life, at least that's how it feels like. I lean back in my seat and look out the window. It's raining, the sun set a few hours ago. I see a woman in her late 30s with two small children by her side. She's pretty but she looks exhausted, probably from taking care of her children and even though I can see some wrinkles starting to form on her face, you can see her beautiful features shine through. The woman tries to hurry her children up, that unlike everyone else, are enjoying the rain. They jump around and play in the puddles like it's the most amusing thing they've ever seen. I smile. Children are so unbothered, they enjoy every moment of their lives until they grow up. They don't have to worry about anything because that is their parents' responsibility. It's quite interesting how as a child, you want to grow up and become an adult so that you can start to live your life the way you want. But as soon as you grow up and are on your own, you look back on those years you wanted to skip as a child and miss them. I start to think about my own childhood, we lived in a middle-class neighborhood where I met most of my current friends. Friends that have been there for me when I had to escape it all once in a while, they were always supporting me. But this time I really have to go, I can't be living like this anymore, because I won't live long. The bus starts to move, slowly at first and then faster after a while. I open one of the two books I brought with me and start to read it, the journey will be long and killing some time might be a good idea.

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I'm woken up by the driver, telling me through the speaker that I've reached my destination. I grab my bag and my suitcase as I get off the bus. It was a long ride and I just want to find somewhere to sleep tonight. I sit down on a bench and start to search for nearest motel. When I left the house in a hurry I didn't even think where I was going. I saw that there was a bus going that was leaving soon and decided to go with it. I find a motel a few miles away and I decide to give it a shot. I don't really have any other options than sleeping on the street. I have to hitchhike since I'm on a budget and can't afford spending money on a cab. I take my suitcase and walk to the side of the road, where I stop and start waving with my thumb to the passing cars. It's early in the morning, the sun is out and I can hear the birds chirping somewhere near. It takes a while but eventually a driver stops to pick me up, which I'm grateful for. You hear all these horrible stories about picking up hitchhikers and to be honest, I would probably not stop and pick one up myself.

'Where are you going?' a man in his early 30s asks.

'To Holds Motel' I smile and try to look as nice and polite as possible.

'Put your stuff in the trunk and hop in' I feel a relief and do as the man says. A few minutes

later and we're on our way. I glance at him from the corner of my eye, he looks nice and trustworthy. I relax as I see the motel's sign and he parks the car in front of it. I get out of the car and take my luggage out.

'Thank you for the ride' I smile and wave.

'No problem, take care of yourself' he smiles back as he says the last part and waves. A

moment later he's gone and I start walking up to the reception. I walk in and the first thing I see is a small desk and a woman behind it. She looks up from the screen in front of her as I enter the room.