Lacuna

Chapter 1

I wince in pain, as Evan strikes me with his fist on my cheek, my body plummeting to the ground. His eyes stare back at mine, in which resembled a wolf, a maroon colour, his arms ready to swing again. Using my hands I cover my helpless face, my legs tucked together as I'm hunched in the corner.

"I'm not done yet!" My foster dad screams, speeding toward me. Using my left leg I attempt to kick him, but my short leg misses, and he grasps onto it tightly, pulling me up by the foot and dropping me carelessly onto the wooden floor. My voice aches from the loud sorrows which emit from my throat, my weeping eyes drip tears down my face. I scramble to my feet, striving to flee out of this hell house.

"Get back here you bitch!" The piercing sound of his screams hurts my ears, but I try to focus on getting away.

"Leave me alone! Please!" I beg of him, but before I grab the doorknob he latches onto my long layered hair, snapping my head back to him. The bat which rested on his side table is moved into his hands, in which he swings at me, pelting my arms swiftly.

He grabs my neck, pulling me with aggression, and I clasp his hands, holding on for my life whilst my tears grow.

I shout at the top of my lungs, bursting through the door, my wrist separating from his grip.

My aching legs sprint down the ripped and yellow stain covered stairs, and I grab my backpack containing nothing more than a phone and a half-empty bottle of water.

Stepping outside, the wind sends a shiver down my spine, and the cold rain pours down my neck, southing my already forming bruise.

I step in a puddle, splashing water up to my waist and by now I am running away from all I have, but for me, that is what most of my life consists of.

One foot in front of the other, my backpack swinging in my arms, I run not knowing where I'm going or how far, I just run in the night and by now I don't know if the wetness on my face is tears, rain, or a mix of both. I run so fast my legs start to ache, and my vision becomes blurry, my eyes moving rapidly.

My eyes dart behind me, I don't notice anyone and I continue forward, estimating the time due to my lack of energy to check my phone. I can feel my arms becoming loose and my legs weakening. I stare off into the distance, my head slowly tilting, as my vision becomes blurry, and I crash into someone, my body plummeting to the ground.

"Oh I'm so sorry are you okay?" A young man's voice can be heard beside me and I look up and reply "I'm fine thanks." I hesitate wondering if I should just run or if that would cause suspicion. I stand up and get a closer look. Before my mother died, she always said the first thing that she noticed about a person is their eyes, and I did the same examining his beautiful light brown coloured ones.

My eyes then glare towards the skytrain center standing tall directly beside him, beeps can be heard from nearby, of people tapping their compass cards. I'm cut off by the sight of Evan, and I then quickly stumble my words and say: "Can I have money for the skytrain please?"

"Yes of course, I'm heading there too actually." The gentleman replies kindly. My eyes drift back into his but I quickly get myself together and rush to the skytrain seeing Evan making his way up the alley. "Woah you're in a rush, um how many zones?" The Brown eyed man asks.

"Uhhh' I stumble, not even knowing what he means. "two?" I guess, as I see only three on the machine available. After he inserts the coins, a ticket pops out of the bottom and I grab it and follow him to the stairs, looking back noticing Evan running faster and faster as I move away.

We scan our tickets then go up a flight of stairs, I hear the skytrain come and I can see the doors open so we rush and catch it by the second, leaving Evan outside of the station looking up at me through the window. Raindrops fall from the glass, some slowly seeping in through a small hole from the bottom of the train door. At this point my heart beat is louder than the skytrain itself, and I take a seat next to the window and stare out at it, resting my head against the cold, now translucent glass.