Run

Chapter one

It was the first time that Rowan had truly been alone, she had finally moved out of her parents' home and headed to LA. Her mother had been less than happy to see her only child leave the nest, her mother Janet had become overbearing and controlling. Now twenty-one she wanted to see the world, she lived in a small town in Nevada, where everyone knew everyone's business. Rowan had never had many friends in her hometown, she thought herself an outcast and a bit of a nerd.

She was not like the popular girls in class, she did not like going to parties; getting drunk or high. Boys never really took an interest in her because she was quiet and shy, she never knew what to say to them. Worried that she would make an ass out of herself and be bullied throughout the remainder of high school.

College was never on the cards for Rowan, she hated high school even though she graduated with honours. It was not that her mother did not encourage her because she did, she did everything to give her daughter everything that she needed. Sometimes it was a struggle for her mother, they never had much money but Rowan never complained. She was proud of where she came from, her mother had raised all alone and without her father's help.

The last Rowan heard of her father was that he was in jail after another DUI, her father Anthony was an alcoholic and had never been around throughout her childhood. Rowan often wondered what attracted her mother to her father and how they even managed to conceive a child. Her mother had hated her father, Anthony had abandoned her mother when she needed him the most. After breaking the news of her pregnancy, he freaked out and left. Her mother was left to go through the pregnancy alone, her mother had no one. Rowan's grandparents were long gone and her uncle lived on the other side of the country and couldn't do anything to help. Her uncle worked in a garage somewhere in Florida, he did not earn a lot of money and had never set eyes on Rowan on person.

Rowan's mother worked in Walmart as a cashier, the money wasn't much but it was enough to keep a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. Rowan had even taken a job there after high school it had taken three years to save enough money to leave for LA. Her poor mother was heartbroken that she was to be left alone, but what she worried about the most was her daughter's safety. Worried that during the purge that she would no longer be able to keep her daughter safe, Rowan tried to reassure her that she would be fine and that she could protect herself. It had taken several months to convince her mother that it was a good idea, she was adult now and that she could make her own decisions.

After many discussions with her mother Rowan packed as much as she could carry and jumped onto a bus heading to LA. Saying goodbye to her mom was harder than she could imagine; she hugged Rowan so tightly that she could barely breathe. During that moment she insisted that her daughter call her as soon as she stepped off the bus, at least to know that she was okay. Janet had heard how dangerous LA could be even when it was not purge night, she had slipped a small Smith and Weston in Rowan's bag. Rowan had never liked guns and hated the idea of having it on her person, but decided to accept the gift as her mom would not have taken no as an answer.

Before leaving her hometown behind Rowan had found a small studio apartment in downtown LA, it wasn't the best place in town but the rent was cheap and she could survive for a while on her savings whilst she found a job to pay the bills. It had taken some weeks before she finally found somewhere, she had found a waitressing job at a diner not far from the apartment, she had been told of the job by her new neighbours. Their names where Zoe and Eva, Eva's father also lived with them too but Rowan never saw him much. Eva had informed her he wasn't in the best of health and she was worried that she could no longer afford to pay for his medication. Rowan and Eva had been a great comfort to one another. Before Rowan knew it time had flown and the dreaded night of the purge had grown closer, the one night that she hated and caused her great worry.