A Runaway Girl Named Penny

Chapter 4. A Runaway Girl Named Penny

I had walked about 5 miles away by now. I entered into a city. Its easy to blend in when everyone around you is to busy to care what your doing. Plus if cops ask you where your mom is, you could say your shopping with friends and they’re in a store. That way he doesn’t ask to talk to her about leaving kids outside while they go shopping.  There’s also millions of girls in cities, so they don’t bother tracking down your friends. I walked on. The city was a bit bigger then I had first thought. Night fell as I looked franticly for a place to stay. Rule #1 of city life, never ever stay in the middle of a street at night. There’s always some gang fight to worry about or again, werdos. I was stuck in a city at night before once. I didn’t bother stopping. I was so stupid back then. As I walked, I came across two people fighting. They were arguing, when one guy pulled out a gun. They didn’t notice me. I hid behind some trash cans. I watched the gruesome scene. People came behind the guy with the gun. They knocked him out with one punch. They didn’t stop there though. They then preceded to knock the daylights out of him. He started bleeding all over the ground. I tried to close my eyes, but it was like a horror film. You just had to see what happened next.

It ended with the other guy grabbing the gun and shooting the already beat up dude. It was the first time I had ever seen someone die with my own eyes. I was to much of a coward to help him. What could I have done to help him? Nothing. There was no helping him. If I would have tried to stop it, they would have killed me too. I wasn’t going to leave myself in the open again. I was going to hide myself where I wouldn‘t see anything. I saw a dark ally that seemed dark and empty. Bingo! I looked around to make sure I wasn’t getting followed. I didn’t see anybody. Hurry up and hide, I told myself. As I entered the dark ally something pushed me back. Emerging from the shadows was a muscular man and two of his buddies. “Oh look! We got ourselves a party girl.” They laughed at me. “Isn’t it past your bed time?”,  one of them said. I backed up. I looked around for somewhere to run. As I turned around to run, I bumped straight into another person. He smelled like gallons of beer. He threw up. I was barely able to dodge it.

The beefy man behind me grabbed my arm, twisted me around, and stuffed a beer in my hand. “Join the party, party girl!” I looked at the filthy bottle of beer that was shoved in my hand. I knew enough from my Uncle to stay far away from people who drank to much. “Drink up!” he lifted my hand up. I pulled away from him. “Drink!” Now his voice seemed more like a command. He pulled out a gun and aimed for my head. My stomach felt queasy. Without thinking I splashed the beer in his face and ran for it. He roared with outrage. His two buddies where soon after me. I ran until my voice became raw. I slipped on something and tumbled to the ground. As I looked up, I saw them smiling over me. 

They helped me to my feet and so sweetly escorted me back to their friend. I fought my hardest, but their grip didn’t budge. They held my arms behind my back just like the other gang did before they shot the beat-up man. The muscular man faced me and smirked. “Thought you could run from me?” He slapped me. He came right down to my face, so close our noses could have touched and whispered, “I don’t think so, party girl.”. I struggled to get free. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. “Let her go boys.” They dropped me so that I fell on my knees. I looked up and started getting to my feet when he slapped me again. I sunk to my knees again and touched the place where he had hit. It stung as I pressed my finger delicately over it. “Did I hurt you?”, he mocked me. I started shaking as he pulled me to my feet. “Don’t worry party girl. I’ll give you a second chance.” He again handed me the beer. I looked at it, then up at him. Why did it matter if I drank it or not?

I took it in my hands and tilted back my head. I didn’t have to drink the whole thing, just a little bit. I tried to take my time, but finally I had used up their patience. “It’s time we show Ms. Party girl how to party.” He picked me up and slung me over he’s shoulder. I kicked and screamed. It only made them laugh harder. “Put me down!” I was surprised nobody from the near apartments didn’t come to my aid. He dropped me harshly on the concrete. “Lesson one, party girl.” Some guys behind him came forward with two packs of beer. “Always enjoy your drink.” He grabbed a beer and opened it. “I’m guessing this is your first time.” I looked up, my eyes pleading for him to stop. “Open wide!” When I didn’t do as he said, he wrenched open my mouth. Before I could close it, he dumped the beer in. The taste was sour and bitter. I coughed and spit most of it out. “Now now party girl, that wasn’t soo bad.” I picked myself up and tried to step away, but as I looked around I saw they had formed a circle. “Drink more.” He offered me another can as he chugged down his own. I took it and gave it to another guy. “Isn’t she sweet, sharing the goodness of beer!” They howled with laughter. He pulled me down again and forced  another beer down my throat. The second time wasn’t so bad, but I still spit it out. I wasn’t going to let these strangers keep shoving beers in me. 

Still, his massive muscles kept me in place. He continued to try and make me drink. “Stop!”, I screamed. I tore from his grip only to be pushed back down from some guy in the circle. “And where are you going, party girl?” I looked around. He just wouldn’t let me go. “I’ve got to get home.” I tried to sound calm, almost cool. “Oh, in that case.” He raised his eyebrows. “Have at least one more drink.” He extended his own beer towards me. “No thank you, I’ve got to get home sober.” I turned to leave. He swung me around and tilted his beer down. at my throat. “Drink.”, he insisted. “No.” I would not drink another one of those foul drinks. I battled him as he tried to push it closer to my mouth and I tried pushing it away. “I think she doesn’t want to drink anymore.” The voice made the circle go silent.