Wolfdale

TWO

Remember that all the beautiful tattoos are masterpieces by Viktoria Grigoryeva. Instagram: vika_kiwitattoo 

"No please, don't stop, not here, not now... where ever this is..." the engine of my car makes a muffled sound that scares the hell out of me but keeps going on. I sigh relieved, I'm aware that this old car is a wreck at death's door but it's all that I have and if it leaves me here... I wouldn't know what to do. I don't even know where I am. Somewhere along the highway I took a wrong turn but, since I was driving aimlessly, I didn't care. I decided to follow this road because it was wide and well-maintained and it surely ended in a city or a village. But there's nothing like that around here, only miles of tall trees that form an endless forest. The lonely road winds between the trees and nobody has passed me, no car has overtaken me and I haven't seen oncoming vehicles. There's no one I can ask where I am.

This trip was supposed to be the beginning of my new life, I've been waiting for this moment for years: graduating from high school and running away from my stepfather's house, away from its oppressive environment and abuse. Not physical abuse of course, since beating a girl is improper of a pastor, but psychological abuse... sometimes words can hurt as much as blows, the yelling, the ongoing recriminations, the anxiety skyrocketing after each fight till you feel you could die suffocated because you can't breathe... and my mother just looking at us, accepting the situation convinced that it's all your fault because her irreproachable husband can do no wrong. And then the straw that broke the camel's back... I can't stand remembering it. I've never been a brilliant student, just average, but I'd never put so much effort in my classes like this past year so I could finish as soon as possible and here I am, living on my own at age 19. Sebastian swore that this would be a new adventure... but I'm not sure I see the humour.

Sebastian... I wonder what's doing right now my only friend. Yesterday my phone's battery went dead and I couldn't charge it given that I slept in my car last night... not for the first time. I haven't eaten since this morning either but I'm used to it, my stepfather used to punish me with no dinner. When I managed to sneak out of the house I shared Sebastian's dinner in his studio. I wasn't good at Science in high school but I was an extraordinarily gifted drawer, I have a great artistic sensibility according to my friend. We met by chance in a coffee shop, he passed by with his latte in his hand and was wildly ecstatic when he saw my drawings. He asked me if I'd mind selling one of my designs to him so he could go to the studio and transform it into a tattoo. I answered that I'd give it as a present if I could go with him: I'd never been in a tattoo studio before, I was only 16 years old back then. Sebastian didn't care about my age, he was attracted by my artistic soul and feel in love platonically with it. I learnt how to do tattoos long before I had the legal age to get one on my skin. He also gave me photography lessons and brought me my first camera, the only thing of value that I possess...

Slipping away to Sebastian's studio kept me sane for the last three years and, when things went really bad, he was the one who helped me to escape giving me his old car. The one I'm driving right now while I pray that it doesn't stops in the middle of nowhere... wait... what's that? All of a sudden, a clearing in the woods appears in front of me and I can see a little city in the middle of a valley.

"Great Iselen," I whisper smiling. "You did it, at least you won't die alone and eaten by the forest vermin."

I have no idea of where I'm going so I drive using the tall buildings of the centre as a guide. Some people stares at me shocked but I understand them, my car makes a hell of a noise and looks odd with all the repainting... I'd stare at it with horror too. This place is beautiful with lots of trees, clean and wide streets, new buildings everywhere... residential areas are filled with kids and young people and the centre of the city seems packed with adults getting into their cars. Of course, it's rush hour: they're getting off work and they'll be having dinner with their families soon.