Everyday Life

Out of Reach

Malissa walked around the town she was in. She couldn't remember the name. She was so tired and hungry. She had ran out of money a few days ago. What did she expect? She only had a certain amount of money from the job she used to have. She needed to go somewhere. She knew where she wanted to go. Where she needed to go. Home.

She stood at a bus stop and waited for the bus to pull up. Once it arrived she got on. She reached in her pocket but she didn't have any change. No change! I at least thought I had some spare change.

She smiled at the bus driver as she tried to find some money. Anything. The man just shook his head and said, "If you don't have any money, then you can't ride."

She sighed and did as she was told. Now what was she going to do? She had no way of getting home. She had no car. No money. She had no money to call anyone. She didn't want to beg for money. So she just decided to walk.

She began to walk down the street. The street seemed to drag on and on. She finally seen a sign that said she had made it to the next town. She smiled. One town closer.

She continued to walk for hours—or what felt like hours—until she couldn't walk no more. Her legs gave out and she collapsed on the ground. She lay there for a moment until she finally got her strength back. She then continued to her trek through the town.

She had to stop. She had to rest. She had been walking for hours now. She looked around the store while she was there. Trying to find something that might help her. Hopefully a map. Finally she gave up. She was tired. Tired of the look the store clerk was giving her. Tired of being hurt. Tired of everything.

She was falling apart. Inside and out. She had no idea how she was going to make it home.

...

Johnny was anxiously waiting for his sisters return. He knew she would be back. She said she would. But with each day that past, the more hope he lost. He couldn't even go to school. They had been on fall break when she left. And what a great fall break it had been. First a beating and then his sister left. He thought things between them were getting better, but he couldn't have been more wrong.

Johnny spent his days beside the phone, hoping for her to call. She had called once. It was the first day she left. She broke down and so did Johnny. They told each other that they loved each other. That she was okay. That's all she could do. Johnny tried to keep her on the line but she hung up. Leaving him more sad then ever.

Ponyboy tried to help him take his mind off things but nothing seemed to help him. He even broke down crying while watching his favorite movie. No one could stand seeing him like that. All they wanted was for him to be happy. But they knew that only his sister would ever make him whole again.

Johnny's parents seemed to not care at all. One day when he went home they asked about her. When he told him they just laughed and said that that was a good thing. That she was unwanted. Then, for the second time, Johnny yelled at his parents. He yelled things he never imagined he would ever say. He couldn't help it. Everything he was feeling just spewed out of him.

Johnny ran out of the house that day. He hated himself. Hated himself for running off his sister. He ran to the lot and grabbed out his switch blade. Tears streamed down his face as he flipped open the blade and held it against his skin. He wanted to do it. He wanted to so bad. But he knew deep down he couldn't. He threw the switch down and it stabbed in the ground. He screamed. He cried. But nothing seemed to help him. Only one thing will and that thing is too out of reach.