Run Away (An Academy Ghost Bird Fan-Fiction)

Chapter Five

Sang

Two nights earlier

I'm so tired.
How did my plan for a single night out of my parents' house end up like this? It feels like I've been running for hours. I feel a pain my side from exertion. The pain in my ankle is starting to become too much. I must have hit it too hard when I jumped from that window. They taught us how to fall correctly in gym class when I was in elementary school. I tucked in and rolled like they taught us, but I must have hit the ground hard before rolling.
I slow down and spot a barn in a clearing nearby. I'm worried that they'll find me again. I can still feel the man's hand clinched tightly around my upper arm, trying to hold me down while his friend tore through my backpack. When I struggled, he slapped me across the face, splitting my lip. Both men were between me and the door so I could only think of one option, luckily I had opened the window a crack earlier so I could smell the rain while I was writing in my journal. But I couldn't smell the rain anymore, just the grease and menthol of these two men. I braced myself, taking one deep, foul smelling breath in and spit a combination of saliva and blood in my captor's face. He shouted a curse and released my arm to try and wipe it from his eyes. I shoved him back into his friend as hard as I could and ran for the window, pushing it open as far and as quick as I could and climbed out. I felt a whisper of fingers grabbing for my shirt just before I jumped.
     I get closer to the barn and listen for any movement, nothing so far but I'm not letting my guard down again. Near the barn sits a giant pile of dirt sitting almost two stories tall. Kids back in Illinois used to try and climb and slide down big piles like that. I always thought it looked like an accident waiting to happen. I avoid the pile and continue to the large mouth of the barn. It appears to be empty, so I step in silently and walk slowly toward the back. I find an empty stall near the back where I spot another door to the outside. I curl up on the ground with my back to the wall, pushing my mud caked toes into the dirt floor. From here I can still see the front of the barn but I can stay hidden and escape out the back door if I need to.
     I can't sleep so I decide so stay up and keep watch. If those men find me here and I'm asleep, who knows what will happen. I'll sleep during the day, that's the safest option.

     I allow myself to fall asleep after the sun was up for a while and I felt safe that they weren't still looking for me. When I wake up, it appears to be getting late in the afternoon. I press lightly on my ankle, it's still sore but not too bad. I stretch out my legs and allow the pins and needles to subside before I try standing. I ease quietly to the mouth of the barn and peer out. I notice that pile I thought was a dirt mound the night before is actually made from saw dust. Looking past the dust pile, I look to the trees and search for movement. I listen and hear nothing for awhile, but then suddenly I hear the faint sound of leaves rustling. I pause and pull myself back into the shadows of the barn. I still don't see them, but now I can hear footsteps over leaves just beyond the tree line. And then I hear them.
     "Do you see anything?"
     "No. I have seen any tracks since the house."
     "Do you think she'd come out this far?"
     "I don't know, but we can't rule anything out."
     "Oy! Is this...? oh, no. It's nothing. Fucking shit, how do you guys find anything in all this mess?"
     By the voices, I count three males. Younger, maybe teenagers. By their conversation I'd guess they were looking for a lost dog. I'd read about people using animal tracks to find lost pets, or hunters use them to find deer or avoid bears. I don't think there are any bears here, I hope not at least.
     They continue looking out in the woods for their dog. I don't move from my spot, but I keep listening and watching. The sun keeps getting lower on the horizon. Surely my parents have noticed I'm not home by now. My mother will think I've really run away. I can't imagine what my punishment will be if I come home now. Dirty, no shoes, backpack gone. I bet she'd finally win the fight about homeschooling and I'd never see the light of day again. I'd never get to walk the woods again, she'd never let me out of her sight.
     My mind wanders with all the punishments my mother might inflict on me when I hear the boys again.
     "Isn't that old barn out this way?" I freeze, please don't let them come this way.
     "Yeah, but we're losing the light. We need to head back so we don't get lost ourselves."
     "Let's come back later and look."
     "Agreed. Let's head back and check in"