Run (A Shawn Mendes Fan-fic)

Chapter One: The Chase

Dear Diary,

As I sit in this taxi, I've realized something... my family is messed up. In what universe is it okay to basically sell your own daughter to a man as if they aren't a complete human? It's not okay, illegal in the U.S., and thinking about this has just left me fed up and angry! Why would my mother think women aren't completely whole and need the guidance of a man when she is a female herself?! I must be going now, the taxi driver is trying to catch my attention.

Love,

the girl with no love for her mother,

Skylar

"Mam, we've been driving for hours. I respect your family name and all but you're pretty young, should you even be alone and this far away from home?"

"You don't have to worry about me, sir. Out of curiosity, where exactly are we?"

"We are in Clear Water, Florida, Mam."
(Dear readers, I know that's like a 17 hour drive and no taxi driver would ever drive that long but this is where I want her to be so just pretend it was shorter.)

I can't help but drop my jaw, Florida? I haven't even noticed how long I've been in this car I was so lost in thought.

"I'm so sorry!" I gush, "I didn't even realize you've been driving all this time! Please, you can let me out right away."

"There is no problem at all, I realized you were troubled and drove straight to the place that might calm your worries. There's an adorable town and a beautiful beach just a step away, use it to your advantage," he smiled. I examined his features, wondering how he's not at all tired and aggravated with me.

"How are you so calm about this?" I wonder out loud.

"Mam, I know a damsel in distress when I see one, I have four daughters."

I smile, "Well, when you finally get back to your daughters, no thanks to me, tell them to go buy a nice outfit."

With that, I write up an enormous cheque and hand it to him.

"If your family is happy and loving, I can only hope that your light keeps shining until the very end," I blink back stray tears and hop out of the taxi, "Thank you for the ride, sir. Once again, I'm so sorry that it was this lengthy."

I shut the car door and slip into the dark night. I can distantly hear the sound of waves crashing against each other and the calming sound seems to drag my numb legs towards the salty ocean. I roam the empty streets, examining the dark shop windows and quietly listening for the waves. The air is hot but the ocean breeze seems to cool me down more and more as I get closer. Finally, I see a sandy path leading to dark blue waves.

I slip my shoes off and let the grains of sand squeeze between my toes as I walk towards the water. The taxi driver was right, it is peaceful. The waves are so soothing that I feel as if I could drift away with them, maybe I could sink to the bottom and let my worries separate and float to the top like oil in water.

I walk to the waters edge and let the cold waves splash against my feet, why do I have to have such a troubling life? I mean, I would never wish this on someone else instead of me, but if so many people have relatively nice lives, why couldn't I have a nice one?

It seems that everything that ever happens to me is always ruined. One of my sisters is dead, and the other one is dead to me. My grandfather is dead, the only one that ever cared about me, my father is useless and probably doesn't even know that Cassandra was murdered since he's always gone, cheating on my mother on some tropical island, and for my mother, well, she's a lot of things, none being good.

"Heyyyy," someone slurs behind me, "What a preeeettyyyyy gal like youuu doing out heeere at this houuur?"

I snap my head around, twisting my body to face the voice in the same process.

"P-please, I'm n-not looking for any t-trouble," I stutter, unable to deliver a simple sentence, as my throat dries up and I start to panic.

"Darlinnn, I wooon't hurt ya, I promiiiisss," he giggles. Suddenly, I see a flash of silver in his inside coat pocket and my breath disappears. I can't breathe, this is where I'm going to die.

I don't even think, I just take off. I quickly zig-zag around him and continue to sprint towards the exit. I make it in good time but I can still hear his heavy footsteps and breathing as I turn corner after corner. I see a nice hotel with lights shining and everything in the distance and use my last bit of energy to propel myself forward until I'm at the door of the hotel. I grasp on to the door handle and push myself through the doorway. I collapse on the ground in a sweaty, panting mess.

"Mam! Are you okay?!"

I pick my head up and try to make out the figure in front of me through my blurring vision but it's getting harder and harder to as black dots start to form and my head continues to spin.

"T-there's a man," I gasp, "He's c-chasing me," but I don't have time to warn them that he has a weapon because the world turns black before another word can escape my mouth.