Finding Jennifer Parks

Chapter 3: Heading Out

I pull Ava towards me and I wrap my arms around her tightly. She begins to cry,

"I'm sorry Madison, I just can't." I let her go and say,

"I know, I just wanted someone that I love to be there with me."

"And I would go with you but my parents are going out of town and I have to watch my baby brother and-"

"No, I get it, your family comes first." I'm beginning to get frustrated because its true family does come first and I thought I was family to her?!

"Please Maddie, don't get mad."

I shake my head, "No I'm not mad, it's just-" I hesitate. It's just what exactly. Why am I taking this so hardly?

"It's just what Madison" Ava doesn't sound too happy.

"I think you should leave." I look at the pillow laying on my lap.

"I think so too." Ava removes herself from the surface of my bed and walks out of my bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

When the tears begin to fall, I am furious. I quickly wipe then away and begin to plan my adventure.

*

After weeks of planning I decide that this is going to be the night I leave. With my bag on my shoulder, filled with clothes and stollen food from the cupboards, I open my window.

I throw out some tied bedding and I begin to slide down the house wall. My feet hit the ground and I adjust my items and I run.

One leg in front of the other, after maybe 30 minutes I begin to huff and puff. I decide to take a short break, I sit on a close by rock. I open up my backpack and retrieve an apple.

As I munch on it, I hear a noise in the trees beside me. The breaking of a stick and the crunching of the leaves make me drop my apple. I am getting scared, I wish I was at home in my bed under warm blankets, but I must persevere.

In the corner of my eye I see a dark shadow. It startles me when I see a large dog exit the woods. His big yellow eyes stare at me as he begins to approach me. I stay completely still, I know that if I run it will chase after me but if I stay he will still catch me.

Step after step, stride after stride, the coyote gets closer and closer. When he is right at my legs, I stop breathing. I close my eyes and wait for the claws, the teeth, the tearing. But I get nothing. Instead I feel a wet nose on my hand and a moist tongue on my finger tips.

I open my eyes and see the coyote sitting at my knees, staring at me. With his big eyes, he looked like he was begging. Taking a risk I stick my fist out, as his nose rubs against knuckles.

I stretch out my fingers and place my hand on his head. He tilts his head and rests his paw on my thigh. Continuing to pet him, I slowly open my bag and grab the left over hamburger we had Sunday night.

I lay my right hand flat and place the meat in front of his nose. He sniffs it for a few seconds and then quickly gobbles it up. Now that I know we are friends, I rise from my seat and take a few steps. The coyote walks with me.

I keep walking and continuously glance back to see if he is still following me. We travel for an hour when I am too tired to continue. I find a patch of grass and slide off my bag. Using it as a pillow, I lay down on the cold, dark ground.

"Here boy" I call. He just glares at me, I signal him over by patting the grass. He slowly rests down a foot from my side, and he keeps a look out.

The cold wind blows at my back, my coats aren't thick enough and I begin to shiver. I cuddle up into a ball and try to think of warm things. 'Hot chocolate, blankets, fire...' I think. It doesn;t help, I'm still freezing and my teeth are chattering. I breath warm air into my hands and rub my arms with my palms.

I lay there shivering when I hear movement from over head. I glance over at the coyote, but all I see is darkness. I hear footsteps coming toward me, I rest motionless when I feel something against my back, something warm and furry. The coyote.

The heat radiating off of him comforts me and his presence makes me feel safe. With him by my side, I fall asleep and let darkness take over my vision.