The deeply stained night covered the vision of the moon. The wind shrilled and whistled against my window, begging for entrance. My hands gripped the seal of the window and lifted it, sending the wind throughout my once still room, causing papers to wander amuck through their surroundings. Griping my bag out of exasperation and pure fear, I push myself through my now opened window and into the cold, vast night. My mind racing with fear of being caught by him and what he'd do to me if he really did manage to acquire me. I rushed to my longboard jumping on it quickly yet quietly, proceeding down my street with no attention drawn towards myself. The night enclosed me in its dark castings, for I was shrouded in black clothing from head to toe. My heart pounded within me as I trudged myself along the smooth asphalt, fighting against the dominating force of the wind. My surroundings were silent aside from the few crickets chirping in nearby grasses; the silence was assuring and calming to me.
I made my way to a field where I would often spend the majority of my days with either just myself or my friend, ty. I lift my board from the sidewalk and start to slowly jog my way to a patch of forest with a small clearing within it. I push my way through the tall grasses and swaying branches, straight into the clearing. The place wasn't fancy, after all it was a forest. A while ago me and ty had somewhat decorated it, we had put stools and an old rug in it. This one place was somewhere no one would look to find me, this place was my home away from home. I could think straight here, I didn't have to stress over the pressures of life. I didn't have to concern over when the next beating I'd receive from my step father would come. I could breath. I droop myself down onto the vividly colored rug, spooning with my book bag. I close my eyes, I'm so exhausted, my body aches from him, my brain is emotionally strained. I needed a break, and I feel like I could just lay here for an eternity. I could just escape my life, start new; I knew this would never happen though, not for someone as unfortunate as I. I lay here in this spot for hours, thinking of what I should do with myself, looking at the different outcomes for future routs in my life. I could go back, and deal with him for four more years. Deal with abuse day in and day out. Or I could run, run away from it all, escape everything that is me. Change myself, change my state, my mind. My only tie to this damned place, my only guilt for leaving leads all back to ty. She's my best friend, my only friend. I don't want to leave her by herself but I'm only left with so many options to get away from him permanently. I make up my mind as I drift slowly off into a deep sleep. As I wake, groggy as ever, the morning sky shined brightly through the gaps in the overhanging trees and vines. I rustle through my bag, looking for pen and paper. I write, "ty, I can't stand this place. I can't stand the abuse I get every day. I'm sorry that I have to leave you but I don't want to end up in foster care, I have no other family to take me in. All I have is you and I'm just so damn sorry that I'm leaving. I hope you'll understand". I place the paper neatly between some branches, somewhere obvious. I gather my stuff together, then I stretch out my crammed body. I start walking away from my sanctuary, probably never to see it again, or at least I hoped I wouldn't.
I walk to the furthest bus stop from my house, taking back roads to make sure I wouldn't be spotted. I scrounge up a few dollars from the front pocket of my bag and wait patiently for my ticket to freedom to come to me. Minuets pass by, second after second after second. 5, 10, 20, 30 minutes. I start to get slightly hysterical, inside of my head I'm a nervous wreck. As cars pass by I dread seeing that silver bullet pull by me. I see the bus, my beating heart calms, I can once more breath steadily. I pull my hood up, stepping onto the bus with the small crowd of people that surrounded me. I pay my bus fair then make my way to the back of the bus, taking a window seat. As I peer out of the bus, my heart stops. I can't move, I'm frozen. My eyes are stuck on that car, his car, stopped at a light beside me. Why can't I move? I just want to duck down. I don't want him to see me. I feel what's left of my life falling apart as I'm stuck in a dead stare. The bus doors closes, and slowly pulls off from the side of the road and passes him. I swear I almost had a stroke, all I could feel in that moment was pure dread. Fear. I still feel weak. My head can't help but follow him, the vision of his car dwindling. As he is now completely out of sight, I relax down against the shiny plastic seats, my smooth breaths hitting the window next to me. The regret hits me instantly as I see the sign that bids me goodbye from my city. I could always just go back...but why. I have to ask myself why I would ever want to go back to that horrible, disgusting man. I think of my education, I'm only a high school freshman. I could never get a job at this point, my "friends" were one of my convinces but the thought of them didn't influence me much to return. School, if I want to do anything with my life I'd need to go back to school. But how. How, in my situation am I supposed do that?? I'm so lost in my own thoughts. I didn't think this through, I didn't think anything through except for just leaving. I feel warm tears start to roll down my cheeks, I feel so alone. I never even told ty about what happened after I left the doors of our school. The bus hit its final stop, the driver relayed that I'd have to get off here. I gathered my things slowly, then sauntered from my seat and out of the bus.
Stepping onto the the concrete of the sidewalk, the glaring sun shot into my eyes causing me to squint at the bright sight. I start towards a nearby gas station, but before I reach my destination I'm stopped by a tight grip on my shoulder. I don't want to turn around to see who it is, tears start to puddle in their ducts. I turn slowly, it's a tall man in uniform. A police officer. My mind has shut down, I feel defeated. It's not even been a day since I've left and I've already been found. He tells me to follow him, and that he doesn't want to use force against me. I comply knowing that I'm helpless at this point. He opens the door to the back of his squad car, it's wretched smell seeping out and into the open air. He apologizes for the stench but tells me I must sit in the back. I get in as he closes the door behind me. I don't want this life for me but I don't want anyone to know. The drive lasted hours, stopping at different stations for blankets or food for me. I got the questions I expected, why'd I run away, where did I stay the night I left, etc. I didn't answer him. I stayed silent as I watched the wires above me race in the air. The sights of the never ending tree line calmed me as much as I could be calmed in this situation. Nature always pleased me so greatly, the smells, the fresh air, the different plants and animals, I could feel so relaxed in its presence.
He got to my city, he passed my school, he rode on my street. He stopped at my house. He got out of his car, coming around to the back to retrieve me from my frightened position. I reluctantly leave the back seat with him. I try walking as slow as I can to that front door but he nudged me along. He, like before, grips my shoulder making sure I stay in my place. Tears start unwillingly dripping from my eyes as he brings his other hand to knock against the cold white wood. I hear walking, I hear the creaking of the knob turning, I see his face. He puts on an act for the officer, the pitiful father that missed his little girl, the kind that would never lay a hand on another person. He plays innocent so smoothly, I hate how everyone believes his act. The officer hands me over to him after their conversation is finished. The one person that's supposed to keep you out of danger just threw me into an active volcano. As I stand in terror, I watched him get into his car and pull out of the driveway, disappearing down the street. He grabs me by my neck and shoves me into the house, causing me to fall to my knees with a grunt. I'm back where I first started. I'm back here again, I'm going to live my life in this hell. Life brought me right back to him like a boomerang.
