[WARNING: this chapter contains drugs and violence]
Harpers POV
Simply put, being high feels great. I can't explain the sensation but when I'm on drugs, all my problems go away and are replaced by this euphoric feeling I cannot describe. My life is full of problems that make me the way I am, I get angry at the smallest things, find myself retaliating badly to situations that simply shouldn't have to deal with people like me and almost all day every day, I have no desire to talk to people, not even my own family. This is the reason why I'm where I'm at today, 5,300 miles away from home and I haven't told a single soul. Life on the run is good, it's a new way of escaping the many problems that I try my best to hide from on a daily basis. For as long as it works for me, I'm going to carry on walking and I don't plan on stopping.
I'm currently in Los Angeles and I have to admit I've wanted to visit this place since I was a child, I'm now 17 years old and I have decided this is the perfect time to come by. That being said, I don't plan on staying for long. I have to keep a low profile wherever I go because if the wrong person recognises me, I'm done for. I've been in Santa Monica for two days now, in a further seven days I should have reached Nevada so I'm going to try and make the most of what little time I have in my favourite city. As of now, I'm going to get some food because I'm hungry and I feel like I could pass out, I've never been to In-N-Out burger before so I've decided I'm going to give it a try, who knows maybe it'll be good.
I walk up to the front desk and order a cheeseburger and fries, it's simple but it's tasty. I ask for it to take out because I can't stay out in public for too long so as soon as I get my change, I take my food and go. I'll definitely be going back there. It's as I'm walking back to my car that I notice him, I don't take the chance of looking back to see if he noticed me too, instead I run and run until I think I'm in the clear. Slowing down, I turn the corner to some random alleyway and stand there trying to regain my breath. That's when it hits me, I'm lost. I've never been to Los Angeles up until now and I know for certain that right now, wherever I am, I'm not somewhere I want to be. "No escaping now princess." I feel him grab me. Shit. "I wondered when you'd show your pretty little face again... miss me?" I try my hardest to free myself from his grip but he's just too strong, "leave me alone!" I snap. I need to get away. Fast. That's when he pulls out the gun, now I know it's over. I have no chance of breaking free so I try to prepare myself for what's to come. "Don't ever speak to me like that!" He shouts pointing the gun to my left temple, "You don't scare me anymore Brooklyn, I'm not afraid." I say blankly, knowing there's nothing I can do. He smiles before saying, "As you wish." I squeeze my eyes shut waiting for the end. A gunshot fires but it's not me that's been shot, slowly I open my eyes to see him lying there on the floor completely lifeless. What just happened? I look up to see a dark haired boy who looks to be a similar age to me, holding a gun pointed straight towards Brooklyn. "Who are you?" I question nervously. The boy doesn't at all seem to be phased about what he's just done, he's mysterious and I find myself wanting to know more. "I'd rather not say," he replies simply before adding, "and you?" I stand up straight and move my hand from over my face, "I'd rather not say." He nods his head slowly, giving me the impression it's time to leave. Who knows what he might do, after all I did just witness him kill a man. But he saved me. I shake the thought out of my head telling myself I need to stay out of more trouble as I turn around and begin to walk away as though nothing has happened. "Wait," I hear him speak, his voice deep and husky. I turn my head back towards him, "tell me you aren't seriously walking away right now?" I squint my eyes in confusion, "why not?" I ask unsure as to what his answer could possibly be. He walks towards me, "you think I'm just going to let you go after what you've just seen, not to mention you know what I look like and could easily go and tell someone?" I suppose I see his point but it's not like I could tell anyone even if I wanted to, I don't want to, but I'm on the run anyway so it's the last thing I would do. "You really don't have to worry about me, I'm not going to say anything to anyone." He just huffs and stares at me flatly before saying, "I don't even know you, why should I believe what you say?" At this point I don't know what to say because he's right, he doesn't know me and I don't know him. "Look, I'm not exactly trying to be noticed at the moment, so going and telling the police what's just happened isn't really ideal for me is it?" I watch as he raises his eyebrows, intrigued about something I'm unaware of, "Who the hell are you?" He questions again with the tone of voice as though he's trying to figure me out. I look over my shoulder and grit my teeth, "I already told you, I'd rather not say." He smirks and stares deeply into my eyes, "do I scare you?" He asks randomly. I really need to get out of here before someone sees me and I'm struggling to work out why he doesn't feel the same, after all we are stood next to a dead body. "No." I reply, the tone of my voice flat. "Come with me." He asks although it sounds like more of an order. Quickly, I turn my head around to face him, "what?" I question confused, what's his deal? He takes a step back, "from what it sounds like you're in some sort of shit and you're trying to run away, am I right?" I don't know who he thinks he is but I'm obviously not going to spill out all of my problems to someone I don't know. I decide not to answer his question. "I'll take that as a yes then," he speaks up, "well I am too, I'm not telling you what kind of shit I'm in but it's pretty bad and I can't stay here for long, I don't trust you enough so if you're telling the truth come with me." I look at him taken aback by what he just said, he told me that he's done something pretty bad and that he wants me to come on the run with him when he doesn't even know who I am or what I've done. I'm about to say no but then something changes and I realise that we don't really seem that different, we're both just people who have done some stuff that we want to get away from and will go to extreme measures to get there. "Okay fine," I say calmly, "I'll go with you."
*************************************************
Hey guy, so I'm writing a new story, please comment what you think and I'll be uploading new chapters regularly. See ya,
-Lori
