Run

Running

Run. Run. That's all I need to do. Run. I had no idea how much running would be involved. I just have to run. Since I saw the "man" I knew I had to run.

Let me take a break and fill you in.

My name is Ashley Adams. I am 14 years old, I am an only daughter, I have two brothers, one 17 year old older brother named James and one 5 year old younger brother named Charles, my father died when I was 7 and my mother remarried. My mother is still married to the asshole, no thanks to me. What makes him an asshole you might ask? Well let's start with the fact he's a drunk who thinks he's "all that and a bag of chips" and that it's all right to scream at us for no reason. He's already screamed everyone into obedience except me, but he still screams at us all. No reason whatsoever. No reason. I refuse to bow submit to any egotistical asshole who verbally abuse four innocent people. Well...my mother and brothers are innocent but I however have yelled back...I have done every single day of annoying rebellion in hopes to scare him away...all in vain though...but we didn't do anything to him in the first place! But like I said I wouldn't bow down to anyone like him but especially since he hurts my family. I will have my revenge. He can't get away with it. No one, I repeat, NO ONE hurts my family. Now before you think I'm mad at my dad, let me stop you there. I'm not mad or bitter about it. I'm not even mad at the drunk driver. I went to my father's funeral, which most of the town came to because he was a very sociable, kind, caring, and sympathetic man. Everyone loved and missed him. Every single person there cried. Except me. I was too busy taking care of newborn Charles while James took care of mom. Not too mention all the dead people milling around. Okay, I just realized I haven't explained everything yet...

"Daddy turn the radio up!" The very excited 9 year old me said.
"No can do sweetie. It's already making my eardrums bleed!" He joked. " Oh, daddy, don't exaggerate and be over dramatic! It's not that loud! " I exclaimed. He raised his eyebrows and said, " 'exaggerate' and 'overdramatic' are big words sweetheart. Where did you learn them? " he asked. "Oh I heard them in the school play from Valentine's day-" "They didn't do too good a job in that one did they? No, I wasn't a fan." He interupted. "Daddy it's rude to interrupt." I scolded. " Sorry sweetie. " "It's okay. Anyway I heard them and got curious, so I looked them up and found out what they meant." I explained . "Oh. That was very smart sweetie. Good job." " thank you. I-aaahhh! " I was cut off by the car coming from our left and hitting my father head on. I screamed and screamed until I passed out. I woke up a few hours later and I was alone.

Or so I thought.

Ever since they put me on th schizophrenia pills I had to take since before I could remember I haven't seen them. After the crash the doctors said that with the injuries I had sustained they said it would be best to keep me off any medicines for a while. They intended to put me back on them but they forgot. Now your probably wondering who "they" are and how the "doctor" "forgot" to give me more medicine. Well that's the thing. I don't really know who or what "they" are. I just assumed they were ghosts. I don't think it was a real doctor and that he didn't forget. I think it was on purpose so I could see them.

Why?

I don't know. But I do know that I can see them. And other things as well. Shadow things. Monster things. Demon things.

And I know I don't like them. That's why I ran. And ran. And ran.

I get home and run up to James' room because I knew both he and Charles would be there. And I was right.There they were, the two most important people in my life, just playing video games. While Charles doesn't even notice, I probably just gave James a heart attack. He jerks up, eyes wide and terrified, and I giggle at his expression. Then I remember why I ran up here so fast. I jog over to the window and look outside to see that I wasn't followed. Good. I heave a sigh and plop down on one of the two beanbags, and am flooded with relief that James and Charles are okay. James looks up sympathetically and asks, "see one again?" I simply nod. I told James about them about two days after I first saw them when I came to. He said that I rambled on about ghosts and monsters when I was little. They all thought it was average little kid stuff but when I would start screaming and panicking more than other kids they got worried. When I started shrieking and screaming bloody murder randomly and was able to describe certain ways they were killed and random ways to be killed they took me to a specialist,and he prescribed some pills for me to take because he believes it was schizophrenia. They helped apparently. He's been very helpful the last five years. Helped with nightmares and emergency exit plans to help make me feel safe. He always seemed to know when I saw them. Charles was a little young to understand all of it but was old enough to understand something was wrong. James and Charles were cuddled up on one bean bag. James tapped Charles' shoulder and whispered some thing in his ear. Then Charles jumped up and ran over to me and gave me a bone crushing hug. He may be small but man was he strong! He tried to pull away but I just start tickling him til his face was red from laughing. Then I got an idea. I whisper my plan to Charles who nods and laughs. James looks like he's about to ask what we're planning but Charles and I lunge at him in perfect sync, start tickling him and start laughing out heads off. He tickles us both back. We're all happy and having fun. That is until we heard...