Runaway

Chapter Two: The Bitter Cold

The wanderer must brave his journeys alone, for that is his destiny. It must be his fortitude alone that gets him through the night.

It was damn chilly out. What could I have expected right before March? In like a lion, out like a lamb, right? I had only been walking for an hour and a half, but my ears were already burning from early frostbite. My boots were caked in snow and looked like they were frozen, but they were actually quite warm on the inside. They would stay that way untill they got soaked through from the snow, then I would have a problem.

I was heading towards the small town that the boarding school was close to. It was called Ravenbrook. A tiny speck of a town, sneeze and you'd miss it. I knew it had a bus depot so I figured I would by a ticket and head somewhere. It didn't really matter where I was going, I just had to go, find somewhere new.

The snow was crisp under my feet as I trudged along the side of the road.  I liked the crunch beneath my boots after each footfall. I guess it made walking a little bit more entertaining. I needed it, for it was going to be a long walk.

The road ahead was bland and empty. On both sides stood tall conifer trees, with snow filled branches. A crow sat atop one, calling out. Nothing answered. It was a little disheartening. And so I walked on, my feet leaving tracks in the unploughed street. 

What was I doing? How could I believe I could get somewhere? I took a quick glance backwards. The dark road was uninviting. No going back, I told myself. I made this choice and I'm seeing it through. I'll find somewhere perfect, somewhere I can have a fresh start and just finally enjoy life. 

I shook my head, trying to tear myself from my thoughts. I couldn't afford to doubt myself. That could get dangerous. It would be a downward spiral, ultimately ending in my defeat. That could mean death, out here in the cold or just a horrible future as a high school drop out.

I cleared my mind and took a deep, icy breath. I exhaled slowly, the air turning white from the heat. I swung my bag off my shoulder and grabbed my iPod. I had to make the battery last so I promised myself I would only use it for an hour. If I only played music then it should survive at least a week if I ration my time.

The earbuds felt freezing cold in my ears but they were quickly warmed by my body heat. I selected shuffle and let the music pull me from reality.

An hour later I flicked the music off. I really didn't want to, it had been so comforting to have the sound blaring in my ears. I had to go back to the dead silence of the road if I were to enjoy the luxury again. The sun was slowly going down, creating an orange fire behind the dark clouds that loomed overhead.

WIth the sky getting darker my mind was filled with a very important concern. Where the hell was I going to sleep tonight? So many things I hadn't thought of. Why was I so impulsive? I looked around. Nothing but trees and road. There was nothing good here, I would freeze. I hoped for a bus shelter or some kind of building.

I looked to the sky. I figured I had at least a half hour before the sun was gone. I had to pick up the pace or risk getting stuck here in the dark. I picked up my feet faster, leaving messy tracks in my wake. 

The cold air stung my lungs as my breathing got heavier. I was nearly in a jog. I was determined to find some kind of shelter even if I had to walk in the dark for a while. Fear began to grip my heart as I hurried on, not seeing anything suitable. I couldn't despair, not now.

I jogged on as the sun slipped down behind the tips of the trees. The orange glow was still in the sky, slowly being replaced by blue and pink. The sun's rays stabbed at my eyes from between the tree branches, causing me to squint. 

I didn't see it but I certainly felt it as my feet pressed down on concrete. My head snapped down, seeing a perfectly ploughed road. Finally, I had reached Ravenbrook! Relief flooded my soul as my pace slowed. My breath was heavy from jogging in the cold and it took a little while for it to return to normal.

There was no longer the crunch of crisp snow beneath my feet but I did not miss it. It meant the transition from being lost to having hope. I followed the concrete road, accepting its promise of salvation. I still had to get into town and find shelter. If I could just find an alley between shops or something. Somewhere shielded from the wind was all I needed.

The sun was long gone from this half of the world, now waking people up for their morning somewhere else. It was replaced by the soft orange glow of street lamps standing high above me. I checked my watch, It was well past ten. Whoa, where did the time go? How long had I been walking down the road for? I guess the hope of finding the town had driven me on.

The road ended and I turned the corner, choosing to go left. The only other option was right and it didn't look as if it lead into town.

I followed the sweet light of the lamps into the tiny excuse for a town. I passed the general store and the tiny coffee shop, searching for an alley to slide into. The neon sign reading COFFEE in big red letters flickered and sparked a little bit. I shook my head, that sign needed to be replaced. It could definitely start a fire.

As I walked by the coffee shop I felt a gush of warm air. I peered into the alleyway that it had emerged from. An external heater was fixed to the outside of the brown bricked building, pipes branching out. Warm steam puffed from it every minute or so. I ventured into the alley, leaving the warm glow of the lights and delving into the dark shadows. 

I found a spot near the heater, not directly in the blasts of warmth but near enough that it was comfortable. I sat down, my back against the wall and placed my pack in my lap. I unzipped the bag slowly, for the zipper was cold and slightly frozen. When I got it open I dove my hand in, reaching for the picture of my parents. As I felt the smooth gloss of the photo I found the edges and peeled it from the back of my pack. 

I held the photo before me, in the dim light emanating from the street. I slid my fingers down the figures of my parents. 

"Where am I going?" I asked them. 

"Yeah, I don't know either," I answered myself, a slight sigh following.

Suddenly a puff from the heater whooshed past me, causing the photo to flutter a bit. As it twitched between my fingers I noticed something scrawled on the back of the picture. I quickly flipped it, examining the writing.

It was a postal code, H7N 8R3. Well, I guess I had received an answer. That code had to be important for it to be scribbled on the photo of my parents. I would look up that address the next morning. Maybe there was an internet cafe here or it was possible that the coffee shop had wi-fi. At least I had somewhere to head now.

With a new found purpose I said goodnight to my parents and tucked them back into my bag, sticking them against the back of the bag. I zipped it shut and curled up by the wall, holding my arms tight to my chest, attempting to hold in as much heat as possible. Sleep took me quickly, one benefit of exhaustion.