Love, Give Me Wings

Chapter 2

(This is not goodbye.)

   I look so much like my father, it sickens me. I know that when I look at myself I will think of that monster. I have his brown eyes, his tan skin, his huge smile that he doesn't use anymore. Here lately, neither have I. My dark brown, curly hair blew in the wind that stabs my skin. I shiver and zip up my jacket.

  There is only a few places I can go at this point. I'm going to have to run or hide on my way there... Once my parents find out I'm missing they will go searching the highway towards town. They don't know what I'm capable of.

   I grab a set of clothes I've hidden outside. I have managed to hide a Batman t-shirt, black joggers, a few pairs of socks, and some old worn out Vans in the old shed.

   No one ever goes in there besides me when I get thrown out. I've made myself a little room out there. Every time I know things are going south, I grab something I need.

   I grab my backpack and shove the clothes in there. I put my flashlight, lighter, blanket, water bottle, wallet, and the food in it as well. I left a note for my mom in the shed, she helped me keep it a secret all this time. Now is the time to begin my journey.

   I quickly jog down the hill to the highway. I began walking to save my energy level for the harder times. There luckily isn't much traffic because of how late it is, but I have less time till morning.

  The amount of driving time till town is around 30 minutes. If I want to make it there by walking it will take more than a couple hours. It sun comes up in about 7 hours, but I have till around noon. I will intermediately run, but I have a limited supply of water. I need to be careful not to get dehydrated.

   Now... Where should I go? I could go to my friends house, but they will suspect that. She does have a storm shelter, but that will be the first place they would look... I will not go to the orphanage, I can take care of myself. I could call my long distance friend to pick me up, she has offered before... They are a nice family, and they live an hour and a half away. My family would never think of that.

   I'm halfway to town when I made my decision. Even though it's late, I call her. I'm still crying, I don't know if it's because the headache, my anger, or the fact I am scared out of my mind. After the fourth ring she answers.

   "Hello?" He said in a groggy voice.

   I broke down, "Oh my god! Sammy!"

   "Catherine, what's going on!?" The yells sounding more awake.

   "Please, I need you to come get me." I said crying into the phone.

   "What? What happened? Where are you?!" She said yelling at me

   "I'm, um, walking along the highway. My dad threw me out. I'm running away. I need you to help me. Please Sammy. I need you as soon as possible." I rambled.

   I heard far voices from the phone.

   "Mom, wake up. I need you to drive. Catherine is in trouble. She needs help." I heard as a whisper. Now talking to me she said, "Where do you want us to pick you up?"

   "Um, pick me up at Sabrina's house." I said quickly, "I have to tell her goodbye."

   "Okay. We will be there as fast as we can." She said.

   "Thank you so much. I love you." I said.

   "I love you too. Stay safe please. We are coming." Said Sammy in a calming voice.

   "I will... Goodbye." With that last word she hung up.

   I am now twenty minutes away from town so I decided to start running. I used to play basketball and soccer, but not so much anymore. I still have some power left in me from all my constant struggles, but I need to take short brakes. It's still faster than walking.

~ • ~

  I finally made it to Sabrina's house. All the lights were off in the trailer and the house. It is really late, so I don't blame them.

   I open the door to the trailer and head towards her room, to my surprise she is sitting straight up and looking at the door.

   I must have scared her because once she saw it was me she hunched back down, but gave me a confused look. She has every right to be confused. It's late and I live miles away, yet I'm standing here in her trailer.

   As I walked up the stairs to her room I started tearing up. When I sat down on her bed and looked in her shinning blue eyes, the tears began to fall. I looked down not wanting her to see me cry. She put my face in her hands and moved it to look at her. She wiped away a tear that was slowly rolling down my cheek.

  She pulled me into a hug and I didn't want her to let me go. I began to sob as she held me, I could hear her heart. The slow beating was calming me down as she slowly rocked back and forth.

  "Now that you're calmed down, would you mind telling me what you're doing at my house at 4 o'clock and how you got here?" She joked.

   I wiped my eyes and shook my head as I giggled at her comment.

   "I ran away, Sammy is picking me up here soon. I wanted to say goodbye, but now that I'm here I don't want to." I confessed trying not to tear up again.

   "Why don't you just stay here then?" She asked.

   "I can't, my parents would know this is the first place I would go." I stated.

   She nodded in agreement as she wrapped her arms around my waist again to pull me into a hug.

   "I don't want to leave you behind again Sabrina. At this point it doesn't seem like I have an option anymore." I said.

   "You aren't leaving me behind. This isn't the last time I will see you. You know it just as much as I do. Plus, you promised." She said her eyes now getting teary knowing that it will be a long time before we see each other again.

   My phone buzzed. Sammy had made it here quicker than I thought, she is waiting outside.

   "They are here. May I have that charger I told you to keep ahold of for me?" I asked trying not to think about it.

   She reached over to her table and handed it to me. I turned around and headed out of the door.

   Just before I did I stopped and looked at my best friend one last time, "Goodbye."

   She jumped up and grabbed me, turning me towards her.

   "Don't you ever say that word!" She said now sobbing, "This is not goodbye!"

   She was slightly taller and stronger than me. I was trying not to cry as well, I weakly smiled at her and got on my tiptoes to kiss her on the cheek.

   As I wrapped her in a hug I said, "It's okay."

   She let go of me and I took one step out of her trailer. I stopped and looked at her one more time before continuing to walk out.

   "I love you." I said as I was walking. I told her because I knew she was behind me. I couldn't look her in the face, this hurt me just as much as it hurt her.

   "I love you too." She said as I got in Sammy's car.