𝚁𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢'𝚜 | 𝚂𝚘𝚕𝚋𝚢

| 𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙾𝚗𝚎 - 𝙴𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐 |

As his legs burned with exhaustion, the wind relentlessly whipped against his face as he raced through the dense forest. The trees towered over him menacingly, casting an ominous shadow that seemed to threaten his very existence. The sound of his heavy footsteps echoed through the woods, the leaves crunching beneath his feet with each stride he took. With a fierce determination, he pushed forward, desperate to break free from the endless cycle of torment he endured at home. His flashlight illuminated only a small portion of the path ahead, leaving him surrounded by darkness. The moon shone down on him with a gentle glow, guiding him towards his ultimate destination. He followed the moon's luminescence with unwavering faith, trusting that it would lead him to safety.

His luscious and smooth brunette locks were concealed under the dark fabric of his hoodie, providing him with a sense of security and shelter from prying eyes. The sound of commotions and alarms echoed in the background, causing Colby's breath to hitch with fear that he might have been detected. With trepidation, Colby's eyes scanned his surroundings, noticing the presence of other flashlights in the vicinity. His heart pounding with anxiety, Colby tried to make a break for it, aiming for a nearby station. The guards' loud and raucous howls filled the air, commanding him to stop in his tracks. But Colby paid no heed, his sole focus being to escape from that bleak and ominous place by any means necessary.

Rushing toward the station, he heard the sound of brakes erupt from beneath him. Colby smiled gratefully to himself, sliding down the railings in a hurry as his eyes came across a small train. Colby's feet burned, pain shooting through his ankles as his legs moved rapidly, trying to catch up. A small metal pole made its way into Colby's eyesight, a smirk appearing on his face as he sprinted faster, panting heavily. Colby's bruised and bloody hand reached forward, trying to grasp it. Almost giving up, he succeeded, clutching the pole with all he had as he leaped forward, hanging onto it with his life.

Frustrated shouts and bloody screams from his parents soon started to fade as the train picked up its pace, a speedy rhythm being found in its squeaky wheels. Sighing in relief, Colby's rapid panting slowly disappeared into a regular rhythm once again. Wincing, Colby sat down in the small box-looking room, dark wood walls surrounding him. There were small boxes full of corn, seeming to deliver it to a different area. Colby's teeth clenched as he felt the agonizing burn in his hand start to increase, giving him a hard time to not cry out in pain. Colby's head leaned against the wall, his blue eyes looking at the ceiling numbingly as he felt nothing but hatred for his foster parents.

Why were they like that? It's not like Colby had ever tried to despise them without a reason. It's their fault, their fault for making Colby like this. He was hurt, a broken feeling in his heart ever since his real parents left him to decay alone in this harsh world.

Closing his eyes with a sigh, Colby brought his knees to his chest, resting his head there in fatigue. His hands sent shots of pain through his veins, alerting him of his wounds. The scratches and scars on his back rubbed against his black shirt, which was covered by his black hoodie. The pain didn't affect him anymore, and he got used to the feeling after years of denying it. The train rocked slowly, bumping against the tracks from time to time which jolted Colby's body, him not caring one bit.

His body shuddered against the cold air, his teeth chattering the slightest. He felt a dark liquid drip down from his matted hair, feeling pain shoot throughout his skull. His eyes felt droopy, fluttering open in attempts to stay awake but not working as he felt himself lose consciousness. His head rested against his knees, but his body fell over onto the cold ground of the room as he huddled up.

He didn't exactly have a plan, Katrina, his friend, scolded him about it even though she helped him. Katrina knew about everything, wanting to help her friend the best she could as she had a full heart. Her life wasn't bad, just average. She only had a few friends, not minding it as they were all loyal. When Colby told her about running away, her heart shattered a little, not wanting to lose another close friend. But of course, her sad smile reassured him, nodding as approvement.

Once they finished the first part of the plan, Colby was ready to leave, fed up with all the hatred in that household. So, he left early, leaving his friends behind hesitantly. 

Now, he's here, lying on the cold hard ground as his mind shut off while he slept agonizingly. 

Colby wished to find his future soon, knowing that his past wouldn't matter. It was a new start for him, and he was grateful to escape the horrid house. Kansas wasn't bad, but he didn't want to be caught and taken again.

He didn't know where he was headed, jumping on the first train he saw as he was being chased by police. 

Snoring, Colby's body shook gently against the cold air, the feeling of something breaking in his chest slowly was extreme, even though he was asleep. 

All he could do was hope he'd be free.