Vanilla+brown sugar (Hyunlix)

Run

I was sitting on my bed, I hadn't left my room all morning. I was afraid of running into my aunt. I know she leaves the house at 10 am to head to her bakery. However, that's all I know. I felt so nervous. What if she already knows about my plan?, and if she does, I already know what that would lead to. She would take me by the arm, roughly dragging me into the 'punishment room' until I'm weak and reduced to a bawling mess. From all the screaming and crying I would be doing. The last time I had been to the punishment room was a few months ago. These days I was trying my best not to end up there. Being as obedient as I can. Which was hard when all I wanted to do was rebel. The first time I had been to the punishment room I was only 13. My aunt had caught me starting her jeep in the driveway and assumed I was trying to leave her. It was just pure curiosity really, but It was the first time I had seen her so angry. She was screaming and almost crying, saying I wanted to leave her, just like my mom had. After her meltdown, she locked me in the Punishment room for 9 hours that day. After four hours, I was tired of banging on the door and calling her name. It was so suffocating and cramped in there, with just enough space for me to kneel. I couldn't stand up. The space was pitch black with no light being able to come through from the outside. I eventually passed out because of the fear and heat. I had no idea how I survived that day. But it did leave me with trauma and extreme fear of the dark (Nyctophobia). I had packed a small carry-on last night. The most important things were my journal, a hoodie, and my aunt's credit card. The credit card was something I added at midnight, while my aunt was asleep. She always leaves her purse hanging on the coat rack near the door. It was my first time stealing something. To be honest I couldn't sleep after that. My heart kept beating fast and my mind kept telling me that any minute now she would appear and drag me to the punishment room.

9:57 am. I could hear footsteps in the hallway outside my room and then a light knocking on my door. It was my aunt."Felix sweetheart, I know you're mad, but I'm only doing this to protect you....just like how I protected you from your mom when she tried to drown you." I could tell that she was lying. Just by the sound of her voice. She sounded sweet, not like herself. I wouldn't fall for it. "One day you'll realize that I'm doing this all out of love" she finished. It had been years but I could never fully believe her story about my mom trying to drown me. There was something she wasn't telling me, I just couldn't trust her. I stayed silent. I could hear her footsteps again while she made her way to the front door, slamming it on her way out. Oh no, she's mad. When she returns and sees me again I know what she's going to do. I shuddered at the thought, but not today, she was not going to get that satisfaction of returning home and seeing me in my room. Good, she's gone. Also good she didn't notice her missing credit card. I sank to the floor feeling my legs go weak for a moment.

11:59 am. The analog clock on my wall struck twelve. I was aware that I had been pacing around my room for a while. Hoping my aunt was at her bakery now or at least close. It was time, I quickly pulled the carry-on bag from under my bed and slung it to the right side of my shoulder. Making my way down the familiar hall that I would no longer see anymore. I reached the front door, grabbing the first thing I saw to my right on the entry table, an umbrella, and a coin purse which had nothing but a couple of pennies in it. I stood there taking in a deep breath. I slowly opened the door, both afraid and excited about what I would see when I'm finally outside. I guess my expectations were too high, but of course, there was nothing around me but trees and bushes. The same as always, why was I magically expecting it to be something else, just because I was finally outside?. The smell of wet tree trunks immediately hit my nose. It wasn't raining heavily but it was enough to make the trees around me have that wet tree smell. Without bothering to lock the door, I began running on the long concrete path that led to the roadside. It was longer than I thought. I was beginning to feel scared but I clenched the umbrella and kept running. There was nothing but a bus stop in sight. What now?. I guess I will wait until a bus arrives. Running in the rain was not a good idea, I felt cold. Although I had the umbrella tightly held in my hand, I just couldn't think about opening it, when all I wanted to do at the moment was escape. The anxious feeling I felt before now, was washed away by something gleeful and fresh. A fresh new feeling I've never experienced before, freedom. I didn't know what time it was now but before I knew it there was a bus stopping directly in front of the bus stop. I quickly stood up, upon entering the bus I gave the bus driver all the pennies the coin purse had to offer. He nodded and I made my way to the back of the bus, placing the heavy carry-on on the seat next to me. I didn't realize it when I entered, but the bus was empty, leaving only me and the driver. I have no idea where this bus will take me, but I wasn't scared, in fact, I felt relieved like I could finally breathe.