The Girl Who Ran

August

August 1 Sixty-fifth day gone

Dear Diary,

I made it to Kansas today. The family left me at a bus station. I have seen posters of me. Some say rewards for me, and some say to keep going. I am sitting waiting for a bus to pick me up. I usually sit at the back behind someone who will cover me and I sit by no one if I can. Once I met a man who gave me bread and cheese. It was still warm too. I loved the food so much. The bus has come I will write on it too.

I am on the bus now. A woman is sitting by me. She said that she is meeting her son at Pullman, Washington. She supports me in my travels. She told me about where her son lives with his dad. He lives on a farm with many horses. I thought it sounded interesting. Maybe that is where I will go.

Aleena

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What Aleena did not know is the danger that waited. Her bus took a stop at a station in Kansas City. The woman left for a new bus and Aleena stayed on the bus. A man she almost recognized came on. He had a sweatshirt over his head. Aleena looked at the window. The man sat by her. “Hello?”

“Hi,” said the man in a whisper. Aleena almost did not hear him.

“What is your name?”

“Are you the Girl Who Ran? I do support her.”

“Yes I am. It is great to know I can trust you.” The man reached for his hood and flipped it over. Aleena saw the familiar face she called Dad.

“It is great to know you can’t tell a lie from the truth. Aleena you are in trouble. I am taking you home.” A shocked look crossed Aleena’s face. She reached for the handle to stop the bus. Her dad grabbed her hand and squeezed. Immediately her hand went numb. She knew this as a way of punishment. No tears formed because of the many times this has happened. Aleena pulled on her hand. Her dad grabbed her face and looked her straight in the eye. “What do you think you are doing? You will respect me now. You have caused too much trouble.” A hand went across Aleena’s face. She scrunched in a ball holding her wounded cheek. Her dad grabbed her by her hair and made her look at him. “You think that hurt?” A tear ran down Aleena’s face. She knew what would happen if she cried. Her dad punched her in the eye. Aleena never talked about her abuse. She would never say anything and most of the time her father’s hits never left a mark. She felt her swollen eye.

“You made me leave,” she slowly whispered.

“Shut up Aleena. Do you want to know what happened to Caleb after he helped you? He is having a worse time. Soon you will have your full punishment and I will not let you even go out of the house.” Aleena shook with fear. Her parents have hurt her, her little brother, and her sister. Sadly, her sister had passed away from a head injury when she was a baby. Aleena was the only one who knew the truth. She felt weak. For a second Aleena thought, she was doomed to this life, but a thought went in her head. She remembered what the woman told her. Warmth filled her body bringing strength.

“You are not the boss of me.”

“What did you just say?”

“I said you are not the boss of me!” A hand went across her face. “I will tell.” Her dad grabbed the handle and the bus jolted to a stop. Aleena’s dad grabbed her arm and dragged her from the bus. He dragged her down the street to a black car. She was pushed inside. Her mother looked at her from the front seat. Aleena glared at her parents. Caleb was asleep at in his car seat. Aleena sat beside him. She put her arm on his. Her father sat at the driver’s seat. He started to drive. Aleena looked out the window. What was going to happen now? Her father had taken her diary so she could not write. Her eye hurt, her face hurt, everything hurt. She wished she could be on the farm with a nice family. Aleena was very talented. She could draw, write, and she was very smart. Aleena could figure out math problems in a half a minute. She could figure out a long division problem without a calculator in a minute. She could draw something and it looked as if it would jump off the page. Her writing could make people feel sad, happy, angry, or any other feeling. Aleena was always nice even if the kids hated her. Aleena sighed silently. If only she could fight back. The car kept going. At a place in Illinois, the car slowed to a stop. Aleena was done. She opened her car door and before her parents caught her, she ran from the car. Aleena had nothing. She had lost all her stuff in the car. She walked to a hotel. It was night. The hotel supported her and let her stay free.