Escape(Harry Styles)

Chapter 23: Risky Chance

~Harry's POV~

I took a risky chance.

That's the fact of the matter, because I had always been told not to hitchhike, it was just dumb luck that they safely let me off in the outskirts of the town. It was late at night and I wasnt sure of the time but I walked around in hopes of finding somewhere to stay until morning. I just walked and walked until I found a small park and I curled up under a tree and slept the rest of the night.

I was startled awake by a soccer ball hitting my side, the kids apologized and quickly ran to the other side of the park. It was still early morning and it looked quiet peaceful, no smog or traffic or tall buildings, in fact the tallest building was their only church, all of the houses were very tiny, even the library was significantly small {I pretty much grew up here and trust me its a ghost town}. I walked about a block before I spotted a gas station and went in to ask about the rail roads. They weren't far at all, and I got there in about a quick ten minuet walk.  The sun was still rising and it was to my right, so that meant that way was East and I would have to hop a train heading that way. Although I had to wait by the tracks for something to actually arrive.

I waited around the junction for about two more hours before a train came by in the direction I needed it to be. The train was either being loaded or unloaded, I dont know, but I couldnt get on just yet. There were workers around that would see me, so obviously, I would have to catch it just as it left while it was still fairly slow. I waited about another hour until it was getting ready to go and I was standing a good hundred yards away from where it was, then the train started coming. I have never hopped a train and suddenly, I grew nervous, unsure of how to go about it. I wasnt even thinking straight about this, I'm an idiot. Still, this was the best thing I had going, I had to grow some balls and do it. So here comes the train, fairly steady and coming right at me as Im standing not a foot away from the tracks. I look at the trail of box cars behind it, trying to look for one that might be open so that I could jump into, but as I was searching, I realized this isn't a Hollywood movie and none of them are opened. The head of the train passed me with a whining blow of the whistle and I needed to hurry up in my decision. The cars were passing me and it wasnt all that fast but it still made me nervous. Each one of them were closed, but, I saw no locks and figured I could open them if I had the chance. There was a footing rail at the bottom of each and a hand rail in the front of them, I could hop onto there and slide open the side if I really wanted to, I didnt want to but I had to. 

So, in a sudden burst of courage I jumped on quickly and reached for the bar while settling my wobbly legs on the rail running along the whole bottom of it made for your feet. It may have just been me, but the train felt like it was going a lot faster than it looked. I took my cap into my hands, afraid that it would blow away in the wind. Steadily, I hooked one of my arms around the rail all the way up to my elbow and carefully started opening the sliding metal grate that was there. It took a shove of my foot to open it wide enough, but I got it opened. I stood clinging to the bar, feeling the train start to speed up quickly. I tossed my cap in then, just as quickly as I had hopped on, I flung my body through, afraid I'd fall off somehow. I hit the bottom of the box car with a thud and my head against a hard box. Groaning, I got up and closed the opening, leaving just a crack so that I had light. It was about one in the after noon now, I wasnt sure. I felt around and there were large cardboard boxes all around, I didnt bother looking around I just curled up near the sliver of light, got out my water bottle to drink, and tried to forget the pain I felt in both my head and my eye.

Nightfall came and the train was still going, so I figured I'd sleep and if we stopped in the middle of the night, they would just kick me off and it wouldnt be a big deal. When I woke up, the train was still moving and I was getting really hungry, plus my water bottle was about half way gone, I hoped the train would stop soon. The hours lagged on and the train was still going. I was growing antsy and tired of lying on the hard uncomfortable ground, plus I had to pee. The hours went by and it was after noon again, meaning i had been traveling for exactly a day and hadnt eaten anything in about two days, even though I had my water, I was still weak. Nightfall was dawning again so I, awkwardly and uncomfortably, relieved myself through the crack of the car while the train was still moving just before falling asleep, despite my stomach pains.