Whitestripe

Escape

I threw my backpack and sleeping bag out of the window into the bush below and proceeded to climb out. I moved my leg onto the top ledge of the window on the first floor and gingerly shuffled across until I could jump and land on flat ground. I fell and grazed my knees, the legs of my jeans getting stained green, but I was fine. I looked back through the first floor window and didn't see any movement so I grabbed my bags and ran down the street until I turned the corner. My pace slowed to a giddy walk as I wondered the dirty streets of my home town. I looked up to the sky, which was crimson with a a striking, yet dying bead or orange on its way out, forever dipping beneath the dark horizon all but to be replaced by a healthy new golden eye in the morning.

A new beginning? I asked myself. No. This is stupid. This is probably the stupidest thing I'll ever do...

But that's okay. At least I'm doing it.

The voice vanished from my head and I looked up at the streetlights which were beginning to turn on. Down the road there was some people. They seemed a little rowdy so I turned down another road and found a quieter street. As I ventured alone, slowly down the monotonous sidewalk I noted the cold buildings. Most unnamed. A little pub was on the corner and some old rock music was playing softly.

Something moved in the shadows. I froze, my hand moving towards my pocket, for... something. I had nothing. Stupid boy, you should have your knife on you. It was in my backpack. I squinted into the darkness and moved a step closer to find a pair of small green eyes hiss a little and scamper off. It was only a stray cat. The alley it had ran down looked fairly clean and I had no idea where else to go so I decided to choose it as my sleeping place tonight. After all, a man who is planless has to deal with what he's given.

I walked down, out of the street light and into the darkness. I didn't turn on my phone for light, there was no need to waste battery. Instead I just followed the wall of the building till I decided to settle, unwrapped my sleeping bag and tried to get some shut eye. It was certainly cold, and it was certainly hard but I was tired. Within five minutes I was already uncomfortable on the rough ground, but I didn't dare moan once for there were hundreds of thousands who had it worse than me. I chose this.

~~~