ℂ𝕠𝕓𝕒𝕝𝕥 & ℂ𝕣𝕚𝕞𝕤𝕠𝕟 ❪✘❫ 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝐶𝑂𝑀𝑃𝐿𝐸𝑇𝐸𝐷

01 || 𝐑𝐔𝐍

The night is still young, maturing into a humid and dark evening in the city of Dallas, Texas. Above the heads and homes of many, the harsh and aggressive downpour is threatening to stir into more trouble. Thunder drummed, sending vibrations through the sky with dozens of flickering bolts of lightning streaking the clouds.

Coming from a local household, glass shattered and large blows are applied to one's jawline and temple. As she runs throughout her home, she is scrambling to her feet while approaching her trashed bedroom. Just before her boyfriend caught up with her, Afina snatched the brown leather wallet from the dresser and shoves it into her coat pocket.

"Come here, bitch!" He roared, stomping throughout the halls and rooms, attempting to grab his girlfriend by the hair or her clothing. He is craving to have her in his grasp, and he is not one to give up so easily. "Afina!"

Afina Baird is her name. She huffed and puffed, groaning and grunting with each maneuver she made. Whatever she could get her hands on, she used lamps, glass cups, flower vases, and shoes to chuck at her abuser. Of course, it didn't phase him at all... Her forehead burned-- throbbed actually from the new blows she had recieved prior to this conflict. With each lucky step she made, she is getting closer to the front door, her escape path, her freedom that she longed for. 365 days was too long, but tonight, Afina will hopefully find her safe haven.

For a fact, she knows if she stays much longer in this house, then her narcissistic boyfriend will get a hold of her and possibly put her lights out.

Baird makes a dashing escape for the door, twisting the door knob and darting outside, jumping off of the three cement stairs to tumble on the concrete pathway of the house. The second she entered the outside, Afina was drenched in less than seven seconds, her shoulder length dirty blonde hair sticking to her cheeks and neck.

Her adrenaline allowed her to launch her body over the chain linked fence that bordered the house from the street. Soon, she made it to the main road of the block and felt her feet striking the puddles with every stride she took. Coming from behind her, Afina could hear her boyfriend calling her name from the top his lungs. "Afina!" His voice bellowed down the street, echoing over the rain that flooded the Suburban area.

Afina's breathing labored and she could feel her lungs screaming for air, begging for her to slow down and catch her breath. If she stopped at this very moment, that monster of a man will have her intertwined in his fingers.

She felt like she was running a 5k run and to her, it made her believe like she wasn't getting anywhere. This terrible and brutal nightmare she is trapped in taught her many lessons; number one: leave your abuser.

And number two; do whatever it takes to stay away.

Number three; well, she isn't so sure.

Afina ran through the streets, passing multiple cars and risking her life by making her presence known to a highly busy street full of unresolved traffic. Keep running and do not stop until you're safe. She thought.

When she felt that it was safe enough, Afina slowed to a walk and brought her hoodie's hood over her head. She reached into her front pocket and revealed what she had taken from her boyfriend earlier-his wallet.

She opened it slowly and then saw that her now ex boyfriend's debit and credit cards are inside with a decent amount of pocket change. Now that she has his accounts in her possession, she took a quick glance around her surroundings and found a store that could help her out with draining his accounts. Afina knows for a fact that she will be in trouble for this, but she has been suffering for too long.

Luckily, a store called 'United' is in sight with an ATM machine next to the main doors. The grocery store in her Hometown lit up the way to victory. Outside of the pickup center, there was a small spot where an ATM machine sat near the front door's. Sighing in relief, Afina jogged up to it and inserted the card into the slot for their machine to read.

Afina and her boyfriend's weren't always this erratic... there were some fun times and the unforgettable moments. She knew his information by heart.

Enter pin: ****

As soon as the screen showed his numbers inside the account, she was amazed that he had this much money. If she can get away with this, she could be set for at least a few months until she had her own job. That is if he doesn't catch her.

Amount: $8,700

Withdraw? Deposit?

"Oh..." She says, gulping heavily. Afina presses the 'withdraw' option to suck out the amount of money from her Ex's account.

After selecting the option, the device beeps before Afina was sent into her cloudy thoughts, in a rush to get out of town. Soon, the rough textured paper bills were spilling out into the holding space of the ATM, piling as a thick wad of cash.

Once the bills were ready to be taken from the ATM, Afina shoved the wad into her Ex's wallet and walks away with his money. His money.

Afina breathed out as she walks away from the ATM, hoping she didn't draw any suspicion. With the hood over her head, she already looked like she could be potential trouble.

Next, the teenager strolled into the store, made her way to the deli, and grabs a to-go precut sandwich in a plastic carrier. She purchases it and walks near the entrance of the store. There is a greeter, and he waves at her, acknowledging her presence. She walks up to him and asks, "Where's the nearest bus stop?" He thinks for a slight moment before answering and explains the direction to go from United's parking lot. "Thanks a lot. Have a good day."

Leaving the young man from the grocery store, Afina follows his directions and treks over to the other side of the street and deviates around the corner near the next business. A tiny little shelter covers a bench and she enters to have a look at the bus schedule.

"Next bus is at 11 pm..." She says to herself, looking over her shoulder every so often. Afina kept praying that her ex-boyfriend, Damien wouldn't find her. "Gotta wait a few hours... Hope I don't catch a cold." She placed her hands into her hoodie pocket and watched as the rain continued to pour over the city of Dallas, rumbling the sky while she shivered in the 40 degree weather.

Goosebumps are poking her skin and it wasn't just from the cold-- it was her fear as well.