Never Again.

Chapter Three

I just finished eating all the food I could, but not too much, knowing it takes more energy to walk after eating too much, so I ate what I could and brought my plate to the counter.

"Can I help you with that?"

"I just finished up, thank you."

"I'm Kat-"

"Oh there you are, I thought you had left already." Said the lady from earlier.

"I'm sorry, I was just on my way out. I didn't mean to be a problem. I'll go, but thanks f-" she cut me off laughing.

"No, no, no, you don't have to leave, I was just worried because it's supposed to get cold tonight, and wanted to tell you we have a spare bed if you wanted to crash for the night." She said it like a question but it didn't sound like I had much choice.

"It's okay, really. I don't want to be an issue, I already owe you so much. I want to get as far as possible before dawn."

"Where are you headed?" Kat asked. I had forgotten she was even there, and when I looked at her I realized she was probably about twenty, and could've been related to the lady. They had the same face but different hair.

"Up the road, going to keep moving." Having no idea where I was, or where I was headed, I just wanted to walk until I saw a police station, or anything that looked familiar that I could find my way home. Although, my family may have moved, it has been five years already. Not that I felt five years older.

"How about you spend the night first, you can sleep right upstairs. Its supposed to be hailing tonight. A hail storm is blowing across, it's also supposed to drop to negative twelve tonight!"

It sounded like a good idea, but I really didn't want to bother these people anymore. Or sleep in a different strangers' home. They had already done so much for me. And I needed to get away before he came looking for me. But before I could shake my head, the lady was pulling me to the back of the store, telling Kat to close up the store early.

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"You can sleep in here, it isn't used anymore. Kat is right across the hall, and I'm down the hall, just passed the washroom. If you need anything, just ask. Its still early, so if you want to watch TV go right ahead. I'm going to go help Kat downstairs," and she rushed down the stairs that led to the little diner below. The house was actually quite nice, although it isn't hard to be better than my last residence. Just short of a shack, would beat that place.

I sat to watch TV and didn't realize I had dozed off on the couch, until I woke up with someone shaking my shoulders. I jerked back, gasping, trying to get away.

"It's okay! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to harm you! Are you okay?" Two women stood over me with faces full of concern as I struggled to remember where I was. My shoulder was in pain from the movement but I didn't show it. As I had taught myself to do a long time ago. My pain was his joy.

"Are you okay?" The questions just kept coming until I tried assuring them I was fine. That's when I remembered where I was. 'I escaped, I'm not with him anymore... it's going to be okay now' I thought. It was surreal to wake up with freedom.

"Yeah, just spooked, sorry." I mumbled.

"No. I shouldn't have touched you, I'm sorry. It won't happen again. Do you want to go to bed now?"

"Please. Thank you." I started following the two girls as my body finally started relaxing.

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I woke up with a start. It was still black in the room, not unusual, he doesn't like me knowing what time it is. He says it makes me sad, but really it makes me angry. My eyes fly open and I remember I'm not there anymore. 'I escaped' I thought. 'Now I need to distance myself. Get as far away as possible.'

I was getting up to leave when there is a knock at my door, and some muffled words I can't understand.

"Are you alright in there, I heard you screaming and kicking. Can I come in?"

I only heard part of it and decided to just agree, "Sure."

Then Kat walked in. "I'm sorry if I woke you, it won't happen again, you can go back to sleep. I'll stay awake now anyways, so I won't bother you again." I told her, feeling guilty for waking her up, all because I had a nightmare. I never sleep long anyways, so it's not unusual, but I knew once I was awake I wouldn't go back to sleep.

"It's fine, I have to get up anyways, the diner opens soon. I told Aunt Lily I would open today."

"She's your Aunt?"

"Yeah, I've lived with her for quite a while. Ever since I was seven."

"How old are you now?" I blurted out.

"Nineteen, just had my birthday a month ago."

"What month is it?" I tried to figure out my age, now knowing we were close in age.

"November. For a while now."

"Sorry, I... ummm... lost track of time." looking away I felt bad for questioning her.

"No it's fine. I thought Aunt Lily was kidding when she said you didn't know the date."

"Yeah, so it's November... 2016 then?" I still couldn't believe it had been just under five and a half years. That bastard had really stole my life. At least, my whole teenage life. 'I was free now' I reminded myself.

"Yup! So how old are you?" She asked.

"Well I guess that makes me...  yeah I'm twenty-one then."

"You don't know how old you are?"

"Like I said, I sort of ummm... lost track of time."

She nodded before changing the topic. "Want to come downstairs with me, I like to let Aunt Lily sleep in on her mornings off. I'll get you some breakfast."

I followed her downstairs, still debating whether I felt twenty-one or not. Finally, I decided that I felt much, much older than that.