Runaway

Chapter Two

Standing just outside was Atticus, my best friend. Quickly I pulled him in and we moved to the back of the garage where he was less likely to be seen.

"Atticus! What are you doing here? You're past curfew, you'll get in trouble!" I said, scolding him.

"I should ask you the same question, but I have a feeling I already know," he answered. "What's in those bags, Jess?"

"Food," I told him.

"Why are you taking food and luggage to your car? You must be going somewhere," He asked.

"I am, and it's out of this dump." I answered proudly.

"That's crazy talk!" He said, raising his voice.

"Hush up!" I whispered. "People are going to hear!"

"You can't possibly make it out of the Preservation Chamber!" He whispered with fear in his voice. "Even if you did, do you know how much trouble you would be in? You'd be put in jail for life, or even killed, and that's if you even make it back! You can't go out there, Jessica!"

"Oh I'm going," I told him. "I'm going and I'm never coming back. You should come with me."

"Are you out of your mind!?" He said in a loud whisper. "There is no way you're going, and there especially is no way in hell you're going to convince me to come with you!"

"I had a feeling you'd say that, and why do you even care? You said it yourself, 'oh it'd be nice to see what's out there beyond what we can see from the domes,'" I said to him, matter-of-factly.

"Preservation Chamber," he corrected me. "Yeah, I said it, but it was an idle idea! Like something you say to fantasize! Not a serious idea! You're insane!"

"Then why hang out with me? Or try and stop me if I'm clearly out of my mind?" I ask sarcastically.

"Because, Jessica. I, I, It's hard to explain!" He said, tripping over his words.

"Fine then, if you don't have a good reason for me to stay, then I'm out!" I told him, picking up my bags and putting them in the trunk. As he watches, I saw him eye my green bag in the trunk and he snatched it before I could block him.

"Hey! Give that back!" I demanded. He ran to the opposite corner of the garage and opened the bag.

"A laser rifle!? Jessica, this is insane! How the hell did you get one of these!?" He asked, shocked by his discovery.

"From the same place I get all my stuff, I made a few calls," I answered, snatching the bag from him. "Why do you even care? Clearly I'm a nut,"

"Okay," He apologized, "I'm sorry I called you insane. But do you even know what you're doing? You're throwing your life away, and who even gave you that rifle?"

"Stop interrogating me!" I said, scolding him. "I have one, and that's that. You always do this whenever I do anything risky!"

Atticus gave me a shy look as I packed the last of my stuff into my car and shut it. As I walked over to the door I saw him look as though he was about to say something through the mirror. I turned around and leaned back on the open door.

"Well? What is it? Spit it out! Stop looking at me like that, I know you've got something to say!" I joked. He started rubbing his wrists, something he always does when he's nervous.

"Don't go," he started quietly. "I, I, I really like you, Jessica!" I tried to step back a bit in shock, but the door caught me and I bounced towards him. I could feel my eyes starting to water and I tried to blink the tears away.

"And you tell me this now? What, cause it'll make me stay? That's so typical of you, Atticus. You always have the worst thing to say at the worst time, you need to get real." I said, wiping my eyes.

"I'll be here if you change your mind," he told me.

"Of course you will," I said back. "You're dependable like that. Goodbye, Atticus."

I crawled into my car, and turned on the engine. I set the "MAGNET" setting to "OFF", and the wheels flipped from being on their sides to straight and on the ground. Then I got out and started to push.

Here we go, I thought to myself. It was time for me to leave and never come back.