The Run Away Girl

The Stay

They were gone. Rose turned and walked slowly to her room.

She grabbed her school bag, all her money, some clothes and a few other necessities for life on the run.

That's what was ahead of her of course. A life on the run. There was no other choice with her family gone.

As she packed, she thought about where she could go. She had a few friends that lived within walking distance, but would they really accept her in the middle of the night covered in blood?

No she decided. She'd check in to the hotel down the road and wait until morning.

She grabbed a hoodie to cover up the blood and left her home, possibly for the last time.

It was late, so thankfully there was no one around to question why she was out at night covered in blood.

She walked briskly down the street to the end of the road and took a right, going in the opposite direction of the cars so that if anyone followed her, they would have to be on foot.

She quickly reached the hotel and headed directly for the bathroom. She looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the girl that stared back.

Her hair was a tangled mess and copper stains marked her face. Heavy bags lay under her eyes, which were red rimmed from exhaustion. She was in worse shape than she thought.

She bent over the sink and washed her face, watching curiously as the water swirld red down the drain. She then tied her hair back under her hood, deciding to fix it later. There was nothing she could do about the eyes except get a room and sleep.

She walked out of the bathroom and in to the main foyer of the hotel. Although she lived down the road, she'd never actually been there before. It wasn't a fancy expensive hotel, and just as well, as she had a feeling she needed to save her money.

The walls were a beige colour, with red-brown doors on each wall. One led to the bathroom she'd just come from, one went outside, judging by the people coming and going, one was the restaurant her friends had warned her against (the food is gross), and one led to a hallway.

She walked up to the counter and waited for the receptionist to notice her.

"Ahem" she coughed, when the receptionist still didn't notice her.

The receptionist, Mary her name tag said, spun around in shock.

She was a young woman, only a few years older than Rose herself, with dirty blond hair and gray eyes. She was short and had pointed features that reminded Rose of a bird.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see you there" she said in a friendly tone, "How can I help you?"

"I'd like a room for the night please"

"Sure, just for you?"

"Yep."

"Alright, we've got room 17 available for you"

"Thanks, how much is it?"

"Tonights special, a room and a meal for $140"

Rose rummaged about in her bag and found her purse. She pulled out a fistfull of $20 notes and looked at Mary apologetically.

"Sorry, these are the biggest notes I've got on me at the moment" She explained as she counted out seven notes.

"That's perfectly alright"

Mary took the money and handed Rose a key. She pointed at the door behind her.

"Through that door there, down the corridor, take a left and it's the third room on the right"

"Thanks" Rose smiled and left for her long overdue shower.

~·'°*°'·~

I promised you a longer chapter, so here it is. Sorry there isn't that Mich content, but don't worry, something HUGE happens next chapter.

See you later fellow readers