My Will To Live

CHAPTER 7- Escape Plan

"What?!" The word escapes from my mouth in a soft whisper.

I swear, I must be hallucinating.

"Hey, um, I just want to make sure you're okay, I mean, I found you in the street and you sorta collapsed on me, so I took you here." She says, a little awkwardly.

"Stay safe!" She calls before she leaves the room.

Okay, what just happened?

Did my idol just talk to me for I don't know, maybe a minute or two? And I didn't say anything back? What?! What is going on?

Process this mind, process it. Frankly speaking, talking to well, only my idol was truly the least of my worries right now. My top priority was where I was going after I got discharged from the hospital.

Where could I go? I could choose to go home, even though that'd be torture. The plus side was that I would have a roof over my head, and food, if I behaved in the way my parents liked it.

But if I didn't, well, that was another question. I knew I had a small stash of money in a wallet I kept under my mattress, which basically consisted of my weekly allowance, not very much to begin with. I could try and work odd jobs, but I don't have any job experience to speak of.

However... What if I were to steal food from home?

How am I supposed to go through with this, though? I mean, the hospital would expect my parents to visit soon. Could I maybe lie that they were overseas, and would come to pick me up shortly after? Abused kids did it in the books all the time. I guess I could do it too.

What about the discharge papers? Who would sign them? I was pretty sure I couldn't possibly sign them. Then there was also the problem of what caused the accident and why. I definitely didn't want social services getting on my case. Neither did I want my parents getting on my case. I shuddered at the thought of what they would do.

I groaned in frustration and shoved my head under the pillow. I know many say that hospital beds aren't comfortable, but if you lived my life, it would seem like you were sleeping on a nice, fluffy cloud.(don't you dare tell me that clouds are just condensation, they still look nice to sleep on, okay?)

That was it then. I'd wait until they took these stupid tubes out of my arms, and then I'd make a break for it.

Yeah right. Maybe in some fictional world that would work.

Would it?

Who am I kidding? It won't. I'm only 13, and barely capable of surviving alone. I only have thirty dollars with me, tops, and no food. But at least I have something that's way more important.

I have my iPod. And all of Taylor's songs. I know she has a new album out. But it's really hard to get it when you have so little money and parents who will, 113%, not buy it for you.

Oh my god, did I really think I could survive with thirty dollars and an iPod? I must be crazy. All the poisonous gas must have finally gotten to me.

Well... My other option is to just leave this hospital when my parents come, then possibly be abused as an unpaid slave for the rest of my life...

That's it. I'm getting out of here, if it's the last thing I do. I'll wait until the nurses take these silly tubes out of my arms, then I'd change and leave. The closest city to here is Nashville. I know because my family and I live on the outskirts of Nashville.

I'm going to run away. I'm going to leave with just thirty dollars and an iPod full of Taylor Swift music. It sounds stupid. And ridiculous. Like I should wait just a little longer, but I can't anymore. I've never actually been in Nashville. But according to news articles, it's quite safe and quite friendly.

Besides, I'll be in Taylor Swift's hometown. That's probably the closest I'm ever gonna come to meeting her, and since now I'm running away and don't ever have to face my parents anymore, it's worth a shot.

The next problem is food. As I don't exactly want to break into my thirty dollars straight after I run away, I'm going to need somewhere else to get food. Judging by the amount of days I'll be here, I should be able to stash some of the hospital food away. And before I leave for good, maybe go down to that cafeteria or super market and steal some bottles of mineral water.

It's a bit pathetic, really. Even abused, I'd never dreamed I would one day wind up homeless. But now I will be homeless. And now, I'll be free. I will finally, finally, be free! I'll never be abused or be treated as an unpaid slave again.

I'll also need a backpack to put all the food and water I'm stashing. I wonder where I can steal one? Or maybe I could sneak into my house, grab my back pack and run. And maybe even grab some extra food.

It's a risky plan. It'll have to do.

I'm going to be free.

I'm running away.

It sounds so scary, but what choice do I have?