Scanned

1. Outside

My eyes opened. I looked at my watch. 4:33 am. My back and neck ached from the tree I was forced to sleep into to stay uncovered. Even my friends turned against me. The government threatened any one who knew me to give up my location or they would have the death penalty. They started calling me, asking where I was. So I knew something was up. Even my family tried to give me up. So now, I'm off the grid. Some think I've died, some think I'm still running, some don't even care.

I hopped down from the tall tree. I grabbed a piece of the stale bread from my backpack. I only went to the village to steal bread. It was too risky other wise. Sometimes, they would throw out a loaf or two. I would take one, an leave the other for my furry friends. I hadn't any human friends left, all of them turned on me. So I developed a close relationship with wild animals. I had no heart to hunt them, so I just had bread.

I looked around in the distance. I was in a tide pool of trees. They swaddled around me and somehow kept me warm on this cold winter morning. I kept a journal, so if I never was uncovered and someone found it, they could maybe share it with the world. I would be long gone by then, because I won't lose my journal for a long time. it's got all the secrets Ive kept for my whole 23 years of life.

I grabbed my sleeping bag, and small pillow and shoved them in my bag. I stepped one foot after the other. "I hear steps in the rustling leaves! Over there!" I heard a voice yell. I gasped and grasped my shirt. I climbed up the tree. I disappeared into the green leaves. I wasn't seen.I didn't breathe. I didn't move. It seemed the loudest thing was my heart beating faster and louder each second. "We'll look at that, she ain't here. Good job, Phil. Do it again and you'll get cut from the team." "She isn't here. " "Maybe she ran that way" "Let's go!" "Hurry up! Stop wasting our time." voices conversed back and forth. Arguing. But, all of them were wrong. I was here the whole time. I poked my head out of the leaves. "They're gone, good." I whispered to my self. When you've got no companion, you have to have someone to talk to.

I spent practically my whole day finding a new place to hide. Trees, Trees, more Trees. I don't think there is a better place. only because there is so many, I could get away quickly. It was now 6:45pm. I couldn't light a fire no matter how cold I was. It would give me away immediately. The wind howled in my ears. My worries seemed to fade away. Just for tonight. I picked up my dead phone. It had been dead for over 10 years. Yeah, I've been running since I was 13. That's when the numbers used to be required to get them. Now, when your an infant, you get a number. As simple as that. I grabbed my journal and began to write.

Dear Journal
Today wasn't any different from yesterday. They thought they heard me, they couldn't find me, argued for a bit then left. It was just another day on the run. It's now 7:10 pm, and I've got to get up at 3:00am. Goodnight, Journal.
Love, Tracy Rain.

After I wrote in my journal, I took my bag and threw it into a tree. I climbed up silently and tied my waist to the tree so I wouldn't fall while I was sleeping. I was high in the leaves. I was smothered in them, and I was invisible. I grabbed my sleeping bag and pillow , positioned myself, and went to sleep. I have a long day planned ahead of me.