The Drifter

Chapter 15: The Drifter

Upon my arrival in the town, I was immediately faced with a problem. By the time I had arrived it was midday, and the day after I had left Boone and the farm. I was on the way to get something to eat when I spotted a police officer strutting down the sidewalk. He looked at me, and I tried to ignore him, hoping he wouldn't recognize me. I turned direction and slowly began to walk in the opposite direction. Looking back now, it probably looked really suspicious.

So naturally, the cop began to follow me, and then I sped up, and then he sped up. "Hey, kid!" I could hear him shout behind me as I charged down the sidewalk in an effort to escape. I turned the corner of a building and came up to a fence, and I quickly reached up and struggled to pull myself over it. The bag on my back slowed me down significantly, but I wasn't willing to let it go just yet.

Eventually I made it down the other side of the fence, but the hole in my bag had snagged the top of the fence and would not budge. I noticed the cop turn into the alleyway and I tried everything I could. I tried reaching into my bag and pulling out my knife, but I couldn't find it fast enough. I paused, then slid my arms out of the straps and took off. I hated leaving my bag behind, and I had hoped I could lure the police officer away from it and grab it later, but it was no use. Pretty soon I disappeared around the back of the motel, then I remembered the ladder Crystal had shown me. I quickly located it and clambered to the top, hoping the cop wouldn't find me.

I sat up there for about an hour as an estimate before I decided the coast was clear. I peeked over the edge of the building and couldn't spot the cop anywhere, so I made my way down the ladder and quietly made my way to the fence my bag had gotten stuck on. I looked everywhere, but it was gone, and I realized that the police officer must had taken it as evidence or something.

I dropped to the ground depressed and wondered what I would do now. I really wanted to just turn myself in, because I knew I couldn't survive long without literally all my things. The only things I had now were the clothes on my back and the pistol by my side. Then I realized that now the law enforcement knew where I was. If they didn't already recognize me, it wouldn't be long before they did. I knew I needed to get out of there, and fast.

But I still had no bag, and without it I was doomed. I had no idea what to do. I had to leave, but at the same time I couldn't. I had figured the jig was up, and it was turn myself in or die. Still, I wasn't that desperate yet. I had one last idea. I didn't want to drag Crystal and Carol or Mia and Bob into this, so I had to try and play smart. First, I had to get out of town.

Then, I had to get somewhere else I already knew could protect me, and it had to be close by. I had DJ's number, and if he was still on the street, I could call him. I kept DJ's number for emergencies in the side of my boot. I also remembered a post office at the edge of town had a payphone. But... I needed a few quarters. I searched the ground everywhere but with all the snow it was no use.

As I was thinking on where to go, I realized just how lucky I was to avoid law enforcement so far. I decided that now one had actually spotted me, more cops would be on the lookout. Finally, I had one last idea. Not a good one, but an idea. Just run. Wing it and run. Disappear into the woods and just run until I find something. I survived in the woods before. Even if I had my supplies then and not now.

As I thought about it more and more, I slowly concluded that none of my plans would work. And it wasn't before long that my spirit broke, and I was ready to give up. I eventually spotted the police station and gave it one last thought. I didn't second guess myself, and I knew my journey was at its end. So, the next day I walked up to the door and looked at the lady at the front desk. The lady didn't take long before she realized what was up, and I didn't resist as she took me to a waiting room as they called my uncle. This was it. This is what all this had come to. Busted at last...