Out of Spite

Chapter 3

after walking for all that time, my feet seriously ached. I needed to lay down and rest. I found a neighborhood and it looked inviting. I went ahead and walked towards it think g there had to be a place to rest for awhile in there. I saw the perfect spot. A little ways in there was what looked like an abandoned house. It wasn't like in the scary movies where it was all dusty and scary looking. It was nice like a family had lived there but moved away recently. I knew it was abandoned though because the grass was up to a ways past my ankle.

I decided to stop and see if I could get in anyway. I checked all the windows first, thinking nobody would just leavedoors unlocked. When none of the windows were unlocked I decided it couldn't Hirt anything and tried the front door. To my luck it was unlocked. I opened the door slowly and it creaked. Noe I was a little freaked out.

I walked in and raped the walls for a light switch. When I finally foun one and flicked it on, I noticed that the living room was beautiful. It still had all furniture in it but you could tell nothin had been touched for quite some time. I roamed the house, admiring it beauty, then I found a bedroom. It too had all the furniture in it. Everything was neat and tidy, almost as if they left it like this just in case someone did stop by.

I put my bag down and ran my hand along the comforter on the bed as I walked to the other side. I laid down onto of the nicely made bed, half worried I was going to mess it up. I looked up at the ceiling and started to get lonely. I started thinking about how I don't know anyone, and how I don't even know where I'm going. I then realized I had know idea where I was. "I guess I'll worry about everything in the morning. I need to get some sleep" I told myself and instantly fell asleep.

I slept lo ger than I intended to. When woke up the sun was beating down on me from the window across the room. I opened my eyes in a daze not remembering where I was. I looked around and noticed that my bag was not in the bedroom. I didn't remember if I had gotten up in the middle of the night and moved it or not. I got out of bed and searched all around the room. On the floor near the bed, in the closet, under the bed. Nothing. "what did I do with it?" I said aloud.

"are you looking for this?"

I screamed.

"Oh shit. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." "who are you and what are you doing here?" "I should be asking you the same question. I mean, this is my house and all." "oh my gosh. I'm

So sorry. I didn't, I mean I thought" I said trying to apologize. "it's ok. I noticed you sleeping here last night and I figured since you were brave enough to just come in some random house you probably needed the rest." he said reassuringly. "well thank you." I answered as I started to fix the bed. "are you leaving?" his questioned shocked me. "umm yeah. I don't want to be a burden I was just making a pit stop anyways." I said as I reached for my bag. "you aren't getting this back until you sit down and eat some breakfast first. You hear?"

"that's very kind of you but I really have to be going." "where are you going?" I was taken aback. How could I answer that? I don't know where I'm going. Should I just make something up? "To Paradise." I said jokingly. "California?" wait that's a real place I thought. "that's the one." I said. "that's a long ways from here don't you think?" he seemed worried. "where..Where is here actually?" I just had to find out how far I've gone. "you don't know?" he sounded like I truly cared and I was kin of worried. "no." I answered anyways. "You're in Longmont, Colorado. How did you get here? Where did you come from?" too many questions. I didn't feel like telling him that I ran away because I saw my dad and his friends raping an innocent girl then got the shit beat out of me. "it's not important" I answered matter-of-factly.

"how are you planning on getting to Paradise?" "I walk." "Since you're walking, it will take you even longer than I expected. Why don't you sit down and eat, it's not going to hurt anything will it?" he had a point and plus I wouldn't mind getting to spend a little time with a man who doesn't beat me. "I guess it won't. Sure why not." he gave me the biggest smile I've seen and handed me by bag. "I'll cook something up and you can go clean yourself up" I didn't realize I must have smelled awful after not taking a shower since the day I left and that was in the mornin before school. "great. Where's the bathroom?" he pointed across the living room. "thanks" I said walking towards it.

I got in the bathroom and closed the door. "this place is really pretty" I said at a slight whisper. I looked around and couldn't find any shampoo or body wash. "guess it won't her to just rinse off and be in the warm water" I then opened my bag and saw where the man put all o my shower necessities in it. "man, this guy must have thought I reaked" I thought. I got everything out and turned the water on. As I waited for it to warm up I looked in the mirror. "holy shit I look like I just came back from a seven month hike in the woods and then got trampled by a stampede of elephants!" I told myself.

After my shower I put some clean clothes on and threw the dirty ones in the garbage. I was not gonna take those with me, they are horrid. I put my hair into a high pony tail and was gonna let it air dry. I could smell that he had made eggs and bacon. "my favorite" I thought as a smile appeared on my face. I opened the door and he was at the table eating already.

"come. Come sit down and eat." he said as he got up to pull my seat out. "thanks" I said as I took my seat. "this smells delightful" I took a bite and savored the taste. "I love eggs and bacon, it's my favorite." I told him as I took another bite. "thanks. Mine too." he replied sounding amused. "my name is Carter by the way." he held out a hand. "Megan." I just nodded at him. He put his hand back down. "how long are you going to be staying in Paradise?" "huh?" I answered then I remembered. "oh, right California. Um, forever I guess." "are you going to tell me where you're from yet?" "I'm from Fort Morgan." "you've been walking for quite some time then haven't you?" "yeah. I guess I have." I started to trail off into some thoughts.

"can I ask why you're going to Paradise for?" "I have a friend I'm going to stay with for awhile." "do you want a ride?" he caught me off guard. "I don't want to be a hassle. I can continue to walk. You already let me sleep here, use your shower and eat your food." "no hassle. Really. I love traveling. I'm hardly ever home. As you can tell I need to mow the lawn and dust a bit in here" he let out a chuckle. "I won't take no for answer so when you're ready, we will hop in the car and head to Paradise." "thanks Carter. This really helps." "no problem" he said with a smile.