Short stories

The Runner

By: Lillian Maure

I am running away again. I guess I’m really good at that. I Audrey Drew, an expert at running. Jayden and Mazee just seem to have it in for me. I don’t know what I ever did to them, but it must have been pretty bad because right now, I’m plucking little spitballs out of my dark brown hair, off my clothes, and my fair skin. This has been happening for the past month. Their words, like spit-balls, stick to me until I remove them. However, words are spitballs with instant drying glue, after there there, it’s almost impossible to get rid of them.

    I just finished cleaning myself of the little bits of paper as I left the bathroom. Sadly, Jayden and Mazee, and their followers were waiting for me. Thank goodness the principal walked by, and they couldn’t catch me. I quickly scuttled off to my third period class as silently as a mouse. I had gym. You don’t think it’s that bad? Let me rephrase that. I have to go slave away for the devil! I quickly changed, and ran to the gym. By the time I got there I was both exhausted and late! Because the class had already started, M. Stinson made me run 10 laps around the gym after class. Which of course means I was late for my science test with Mrs. Jochelle . She was much more forgiving, and told me to take my time.

    I was sitting on the bleachers, I snuggled up in the top corner of the bleachers that look out on the football field, where the football players, and cheerleaders were practicing for the game tonight. But I wasn’t paying attention, I was reading my favorite book; The Scarlet Stocking. All of a sudden I feel a tap on my shoulder. But before I could look up, my book was ripped out of my hands and my body wanted to run. But Jayden pinned my back against the bleachers with such brute force that I couldn’t help but yelp. A searing pain started up in my back, and I had splinters in my legs from when he pushed me. His gaze looked bloodthirsty, and Mazee was right behind him.

    “Get ready Mazee, this is going to be fun.” Jayden stated with a sour chuckle at the end. Mazee took out the video camera the cheerleaders usually use to record their cheers,  my problem was that the camera is programed to live feed straight to the school’s website! Jayden slowly took out a paintball gun from one of his friends while holding me down with a foot on my upper stomach. Even if he let me go, I don’t think I could move because of the pain coursing through my body.

    “All ready!” Mazee exclaimed with a little too much enthusiasm as she steps away to get a better shot of the soon to be humiliating moment for me. But I was frozen, unable to move or think,  a deer in headlights, I wanted to fight, but I wanted to run. Mere seconds later shots were fired, but there was no paint. Instead, they were firing thin membranes filled with sour milk, soya powder, and ground nuts. It was overwhelming. I'm deathly allergic to all three elements, and the reaction would start soon. I could feel my throat closing on me. At this point, my lungs were screaming for air.

Jayden removed his foot, but I would have a bruise there for at least a week. In my last act of desperation, I reached for my epipen in my purse, but it was to far. At that moment, one of the kids I have physical education with came rushing up to the scene, pushed jayden and Mazee away. Realizing what was happening, she found my epipen, and called an ambulance. My last thought before passing out, was ' Wow, I'd love to stand up to them like she just did'. Then I blacked out.

I opened my eyes way too fast as the bright light hit my eyes in a blinding manner.

"She's up!" I hear a voice exclaim. Then I see the face of the girl who stood up to Jadyn and Mazee. She reached towards me and hugged me.

"Oh my god I thought, I thought I got to you to late! I thought you were going to die! Of course I knew you wouldn’t but. I'm just happy you're alive!" She rambled while using very large arm gestures.

I tried to speak," What. Your. Name?" I asked with a very hoarse tone. I didn't actually think it was me.

" Oh! How silly of me! My name is Sophia! Sophia Cabriel! What's your name?" She asks enthusiastically.

"Audrey Drew." I told her, regaining my voice.

Suddenly her phone goes off. She looks at it then frowns. " Hey, um, I have to go." Sophia slowly implied walking towards the door. Suddenly she turns. " Wait! I forgot to tell you! You can leave after the doctor comes in, and you have new medication to ' delay the effect of the reaction.'" She stated while impersonating the doctor who clearly already told her what was happening. She then ran back to me hugged me, and left.

I had to stay home for three days but today I'm at school again. Just like before, I'm sitting in the corner of the bleachers with a different book. Yet again, Jayden and Mazee with their followers, walked up to me. However, I looked up before they could get to me. I screamed, " Sophia help!" She quickly ran to help me. However, I flead. I ran, just like before. The instinct of flight was stronger than the instinct to fight. I am Audrey Drew, an expert runner.

 Yes, I wrote this story. Hope you liked it!