Mitchell Freeman: Unlikely Hero

Chapter 8 - On The Run

     Gill had given me a new crystal to hang around my neck, but I knew the damage had already been done. Traxxus was coming for us.

     Getting away from Glenville was the first priority. We knew that Traxxus would destroy anything and anyone to get to us, and a small town full of innocent people would be no exception. I did not want the deaths of every person in my hometown on my conscience. I especially wanted to protect my adoptive parents, Steve and Connie Freeman.

     When Gill explained what was happening, Connie burst into tears and hugged me. This was their worst fear come true, and I knew it was my fault. Gill told them that he was taking me, and that they needed to disappear for a while.

     At first Steve was numb with shock. His eyes were wide, and his mouth opened and closed soundlessly. When Steve got over his initial shock, he went into the garage and came back with a brown, leather briefcase. Inside the briefcase were new ID's for all four of us. There were also passports in case we needed to leave the United States. There was also a map that Gill hastily stuffed in his pocket before I could get a good look at it.

     There was no time for long goodbyes. Connie was still sobbing, and Steve's eyes were rather moist as well. I didn't know what to say to them. After twelve years we had just started to iron out our relationship with each other. I managed to ruined everything. All I could mutter was an embarrassed apology as I hugged my surrogate parents. I couldn't even look them in the eyes because tears were starting to spill from mine. I turned to leave with my head hung low.

     "Mitch," Steve called.

     I looked back from the doorway of what had been the only home I had ever known, at the only father I had ever known. The smile curling Steve's lips could not mask the pain in his tear filled eyes. There were so many things he wanted to say to Me, but he didn't know where to begin. He also didn't have the time.

     "Be careful, son," was all he could get out in a choked voice. He would never know how much the word 'son' had meant to me.

     Fifteen minutes later, Gill's Honda Civic was barreling westward on I-88 with four passengers. After leaving the Freemans, we had picked up Dr. Geller and Emmy. The trunk held four hastily packed bags, a cooler stocked with water bottles and sandwiches (all of which I devoured when Gill stopped to gas up the Civic at an oasis), and the leather briefcase. None of us spoke as we drove farther and farther west.

     I was thankful for my iPod. It gave me a ready excuse not to talk to my fellow travelers. With the earbuds jammed into my ears, and Peter Gabriel's 'Plays Live' cranked up, I was screaming unapproachable. It was almost as if I wore a sign that read, "Don't Even Try!" If they had something to say to me, I didn't want to hear it.

     Gill was still hacked off at me for exposing us, and Emmy wanted me to forgive her for chewing him out. Gill blamed me for this mess, but I blamed Emmy. I was still stinging from the tongue-lashing she had given me in the tree house. The word 'coward' had cut me deeply.

     For some reason a few verses from the Bible started going through my head. Being the voracious reader that I was, I read the Bible cover to cover. Like many of the books I had read, I could quote any part of it. This had been a detriment at seven years old when I was in Sunday school. The teacher had thrown me out several times for shouting out the Bible verses before she could read them to the class.

     I hadn't come to any conclusions about religion. I thought much of the Bible made a lot of sense. The concept of Creation was far more rational to believe than the universe coming together randomly. The book of Proverbs really did contain an abundance of wise teachings, as did Psalms. I also found the New Testament teachings about Jesus fascinating, although, written off by most 'high thinking' people, I thought the Bible had a lot of things right. More often than not, I would remember verses that related to whatever situation I was in.