The Runaways

Chapter 1

June

I looked down at the list in my hands. I was sitting at my kitchen table. Everything I would need to survive out in the woods indefinitely was on that list. The items were spread out around me. Water purification tablets. Sleeping bags that would keep us warm the coldest of nights. Several canteens for water. First aid supplies. A compass. We were ready for anything Mother Nature could throw at us.

My best friend Cory came and sat in the seat across from mine. We exchanged half-smiles, trying to lighten the mood. As if it could be lightened in a situation like this.

“Everything’s ready,” I informed him. “Is the letter finished?”

Cory nodded, then handed me a piece of paper. It was our goodbye letter. It was the last thing we would say to our parents, unless we were caught.

Dear parents,

We honestly didn’t want to, but we felt like we had no other choice. You may have already figured out that we ran away, and that we are together. We will be fine, do not fret. Not that you seemed too concerned with us any other time.

Ally is leaving because of her step-father, Stephen. She cannot seem to bear watching her mother get beat, fearing when the next time will come for her. She has decided to leave since no amount of reasoning will make you leave him, Barbara.

Cory is leaving because of his mother's and father's drinking problem. He no longer wants to smell the stench of vodka from down the hall, no longer wants to fear the day when you will be evicted from his home because the bills are not getting paid.

Remember, we both love our family; we just no longer wanted to live in fear that something will happen to ourselves or the family as a whole.

Love,

Cory

I let the contents of the letter sink in. It would serve its purpose, I was sure, but would they get the message?

“I think it’s missing something,” I told Cory.

“Your signature?” he asked a bit jokingly, but still down.

“No, something in substance. It needs something more,” I told him.

“I don’t know. But if we want to get out of her before Stephen and Barb get home, we better hurry,” he pointed out.

“We better get this stuff packed up then,” I said.

We got our bags, large hiker backpacks, equipped with a sleeping bag and water bottle holder. Cory was carrying the cooking and first aid items; I was carrying all the rest, like extra clothes and blankets, tarps, etc. Cory also had a bow and sheath of arrows, which he would not let leave his side. I also had the warm coats, as winter would be here before we knew it. We wore jeans despite the warm weather, and boots that would protect our feet and keep them dry.

I signed the note and left it on the table. Cory hadn’t bothered leaving one for his parents; they wouldn’t even likely notice he was gone.

“Are you ready?” Cory asked with a great big sigh. Both Cory and I had reservations about running away, but as Cory had reminded me everyday that we had planned this escape, we had to run away, we had to get away from the mess that we called our home life. And besides that, we wanted to live in nature, hunt, and fish, do things the old way. We couldn’t do that if we were cowering in the corner because we didn’t want to get in the way of violence or a drunken parent.