Embrace the light

Oh my god... Oh my god... Oh my god...

I'm freaking doing this, god damn... this will be so much easier in the daytime...

My backpack was holding down my pace, I was getting tired. The air was cold, it was eerily silent.

I was not supposed to be out at night, but it was the only time that they would let their guard down. They thought that I would be too scared, to get away from them at night.

Shit! But I am scared... Okay...you got this Flo... Inhale...exhale...

Then I heard it... a slight rustle of a tree branch, then a gust of wind blowing my long hair to the front of my face. I was about six blocks away from home, one more block to the intercity bus stop.

I decided to went straight to the bigger bus stop to avoid my parents, I didn't want to be seen just sitting around waiting for the bus.

I paced myself faster, but they were draining my strength. I could feel them lurking at me from the shadows, the goosebumps were long gone. I was feeling the coldness that was engulfing my surroundings. Their smell came next, the smell of carcasses, their dead bodies were making sounds on the damp pavement, some were coming from the woods just meters away from me.

I could see the neon signs, and dimmed lights of the twenty-four-hour small convenience store and dinner already. I made myself run to it, my breathing was heavy, sweats trickled down my forehead. It was a cold and windy night, but I was sweating running away from them.

You can do this Flo!

Just meters away now... Keep running...

I finally sighed and rested my hands on my knees, as I kneel in front of the small store. I looked at my watch, one more hour until the next bus arrived. I had already checked the bus schedule. I went to the counter, and buy myself a one-way ticket for the next bus. I didn't even check the destination. I didn't care where I was going, I just need to get out of town.

The sketchy old man was looking at me, he probably met several runaways in his time selling bus tickets. He didn't ask me any questions, he just handed me the ticket and told me to wait.

My breathing was slowing down. I couldn't smell or hear them any longer. I finally slumped to the empty chair after buying a can of soda, I need my sugar. I felt so tired, they almost got me.

Only one other person was waiting for the bus. He was wearing his hoodie and pulling it down like he was trying to sleep while waiting for the bus. I decided to sit, two seats down from him just to be safe.

He sensed my presence as he looks at me, then stared at me for a couple of seconds. It was a weird feeling like was studying me. I quickly looked away and open my can of soda, and start drinking it.

Then I heard it...the screeching tires of their car.

Oh Shit! God damn it!

I didn't know why, but I quickly scoot myself next to the stranger, hoping my parents decided that I was not there, seeing that I was not alone. I hope they saw us, as two strangers waiting for the bus.

But I was not ready when my hand touched his unintentionally. The sadness was overwhelming, he looked at me instantly like he knew that I could feel him. His eyes look deeply at me.