The Longest Escape ((on hold))

Run For Your Life - Cooper's Perspective

Flashback approximately 8 years before the Zone Trial

"...I hope you know that, Cooper." I blink my eyes a few times, bringing myself back to reality. I look up to see my 7th grade teacher looking down at me expectantly. I didn't even know she was talking to me. I blink a few more times before I just give her a small, weak smile and head nod. She narrows her eyes for a moment but she seems to accept my response because she just gives me a small smile before turning away.

I sigh and push my way through the crowd until I come up next to the long, black casket. I can feel my eyes beginning to water, tears threatening to flood down my cheeks as I watch my mother's still, dead body. "I don't know what to do Mom. What am I supposed to do on my own? Where am I supposed to go? Why aren't you still here with me Mom?" I whisper to my mother's cold corpse.

"Be strong, Cooper. Never... never give up. If anyone tries to hurt to you or comes after you, t-take whatever you can... and run. R-run and never look back. Take money from your father's old dresser and run. Run for your life, my son. I... I love you..." my mother's final words to me flash across my mind.

"I won't let you down, Mom. I will survive. For you." I whisper. I plant a small kiss on her cold, pale cheek before I turn away and I never look back.

Once I make it back to my house, I immediately go to the small closet beneath our stairs where we keep all of our luggage, duffel bags, and travel backpacks. I quickly grab one of the blue and gray backpacks resting on the top and slam the door shut. I run up the stairs and cross the small open play room to the doorway of my Mom's room where I stop. I stare into her room and my vision becomes blurry.

"No. I will not cry." I scold myself and blink away the forming tears. Stepping into the room, I go straight to the tall, light brown, wooden dresser my father used almost five years ago before he left my mother and I. For some reason, my mother just wouldn't go through it, let alone get rid of the stupid thing. The only thing I know it as is an aching reminder that he left and is never coming back.

Shaking away the memories and thoughts, I open the top drawer and start shoving socks and underwear out of the way in search of the money my dad supposedly left behind. Only then does the thought occur to me: Why did he leave money behind? Why have I never thought of that before? Again, I blink away any thoughts that cloud my mind and continue my search.

I groan in frustration when I don't find anything. Slamming the drawer shut, I open the one below it. This one is filled with shirts and pajama pants. Throwing the items over my shoulder, I don't care about the mess I'm making: no one is ever going to see it. I throw nearly every piece of clothing onto the floor when something catches my eye.

A black leather wallet rests on top of a pair of blue and black plaid pajama pants. I quickly grab it and take a few steps back to sit on the bed. Opening the wallet I slowly look through its contents.

There are a few expired gift cards and old receipts in the front. Opening the money pocket, my eyes widen. I pull out all of the cash and throw the wallet on the bed. Fanning out all of the dollar bills in my hands, I almost drop it all. Five one hundred dollar bills, sevens 20 dollar bills, two 10's, four 5's, and twenty ones.

$1,690.

Why in the world did he leave all this money? If he was leaving us for good, why would he leave an old wallet here, with us, that contains nearly $2,000?

I don't question anything anymore. I quickly shove the cash back into the wallet and run out of the room. Opening the backpack I had grabbed earlier, I reach my room and begin grabbing the necessities. Shirts, shorts, socks, underwear, deodorant, phone, my pocket knife that my grandfather gave to me for my 10th birthday, the wallet, and my phone's charging cable.

I then go downstairs to the kitchen to grab three water bottles, unrefrigerated snacks, and a second pocket knife that my mom kept in one of the kitchen drawers for safe keeping, just in case.

As I zip up the backpack pockets, three loud knocks sound at the front door. My heart skips a beat as I hurriedly throw the pack over my shoulders and run for the back door. I don't care if it's one of my friends from school or just some random person who goes around house to house selling things. I am doing what my mom told me to do; I'm running for my life. And I'm never looking back.

6 years later

Shifting slightly, I look around the dumpster I'm leaning up against to see down the darkened alleyway. The busy street sounds echo slightly down the narrow lane between the two buildings.

I see nothing so I let out a soft sigh of relief. "Looks like I've lost 'em." I say to myself. Resting my head up against the cold metal of the side of the dumpster, I close my eyes.

"Hey! Hey you! Stop right there!" A sudden male voice echoes over the street noises. My heart skips a beat as my eyes snap open. I get ready to bolt, figuring I'd been caught somehow, but then I hear something else.

"We don't want to hurt you, Brianna!"

"Alright, first off, it's Bri. And second, I don't believe a word you say!" A girl's voice yells. I look around the dumpster again to see a girl, maybe a year or two younger than me, running from three men, all dressed the same; All dressed like the men who chase after me.

I quickly move back when the girl bolts past me. A few seconds later, the three men do the same. Waiting a few moments to make sure no one else was coming, I can only think, I need to help her. I take a deep breath and quickly rise to my feet.

"Hey you!" I whip around to see two men standing side by side about twenty feet away. Crap! I stood up too soon...

Without further hesitation, I sprint out onto the sidewalk. I turn to the left, the opposite way the girl went. Looking over my shoulder, I can see the girl turn and head out onto the street. She's heading for the park! Spotting a gap in the traffic, I take the opportunity and dash across the street.

Keeping the girl in my sights, I head straight for her. It looks like she had fallen, but she's getting up now. She starts running parallel to me, and she doesn't seem to see me. She looks over her shoulder and I hold out my arms as I come up to her. I push the girl over, as gently as possible at this speed, and I try to keep my balance, but her foot knocks mine and I trip, landing face first into the grass. I groan as I hear her mumble to herself. Pushing myself up, I shake my head before turning to look over at her and our eyes meet.

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Author's Note

~<~>~

Hey guys!  So this here was Chapter 12, I know, it is quite short, but I really hope you guys liked it! 

Questions! 

1) What do you think about Cooper's background now that you have a little more insight on it and what happened?

2) What are your thoughts about Cooper's perspective on how him and Bri met?

3) Are you guys excited for the next chapter?? Please give me your feedback!!! I really want it...

Oh, and just between you and me, for any of you guys out there who actually read these notes, the next chapter gets pretty intense... it'll be thrilling! You won't want to miss it! 

Please remember to comment, or message me, your thoughts, I really want to know what you guys think.

Love all of you!,

~Amber~