The Runaway

On the Run

I don't know if what I'm doing is the best idea. Honestly, it might even be the outright worst idea I could've acted upon, But I'm already hours away and while I doubt the soundness of my "plan" I'm not thinking of turning back. My name's Claire and I'm a 16 year old runaway currently taking a train into downtown Salt Lake. I've got $4500 dollars in my bank account to spend on whatever I need. I have enough food and water for a week. I don't have a specific location in mind. The music currently blasting in my ear from my soon to be destroyed phone is Bullet With Butterfly Wings. I left home because I'm mildly unstable and I felt like my home was more like a cage. My family isn't abusive per se but they are unbearable some days. Maybe that's just me being an irritable bitch some days, but they're pretty annoying most of the time. The train's actually a pretty cozy place, I like it in here. Maybe under different circumstances I'd actually be having a good time.
The girl next to me is pretty. What time is it? 1o:34 pm. I look pretty sus but the meth head asking people for money is catching more eyes than the teenage girl with a large backpack on. Nice. He's coming up to me but the train is stopping and as it slows to its eventual stop he falls over and I hastily exit out of the door. The cold air hits my face as I step into the night. It's quite nice out, the moon is visible through the clouds but I can't see stars because of all the lights around me. Oh god I'm going to have to sleep in this. None of the places I see look good. I see a bench unoccupied so I decide to lie there.
It's hard to sleep with the wind on your face and the cold penetrating every inch of your body.
The cold morning air is suddenly abundantly clear to me. I'm shivering. I wearily lift my head off my bag and look to the sky. The sun is just barely beginning to rise. I see people driving to their locations. Homes, workplaces, family members' homes. It would be fairly easy to go back home. I wonder if they found my note saying I ran away and didn't get kidnapped or killed. What if I get kidnapped or killed while I'm out here? I sit up, then stand up, and leave Liberty Park. I think I'm going to head back to the train station. I don't think I'm going to be able to stay outside forever. I need to get a destination in mind. I abruptly turn around and head towards the pond at the corner of the park. Passing the many paths and playgrounds, heading past the recreational places I used to go to with my family. There's a homeless man sleeping on a different bench. I wonder what drove him to end up here. He doesn't look methed up so I'm going to rule out drugs. It's not my business to care, I guess.
I finally reach the lake and pull my phone out of my pocket. The music is paused on & by Tally Hall. I toss the phone. I just threw away at least $1000 dollars and I feel regret for the first time since I took public transportation to Salt Lake. I think I'm gonna take the train to Provo. The cops are probably looking for me. I wonder how my siblings feel about my sudden disappearance into the night. I'll bet that Danny is worried, I'm fairly sure Eli is already rooting around my room for shit to steal, and it's almost guaranteed that Skyler is going to be looking for me. Maybe she'll even find me. Maybe I'll cry, maybe I'll run further, maybe I'll just go back home. I don't know why I'm sweating every possibility now rather than when I was packing my bag. I guess that's the nature of split-second decisions, do first and ask questions later.
I walk past the sights I saw on the way to the pond and I look back to the homeless guy. He's awake and gives me a look of confusion. Understandable considering I'm a teenage girl wandering around Liberty Park with enough supplies to feed a small army. The sun is much higher in the sky than earlier. Oh glorious sun, bringing warmth and light to this wretched earth.
I finally make it to the train stop and wait. When it finally arrives I walk on and sit down. I'm fairly certain I should reach Provo in a while. I wish I had a sketchbook or a normal book to read. Anything is more entertaining than staring out the window, paranoia gnawing at your mind. On the bright side, I get to watch the sun rise.

                                       I might just end up alright.