The Way Out

Chapter 9

I wake up with my boxers clinging to me. Fuck I'm drenched in sweat again. My hair is wet, my sheets are soaked and it looks as though I had been dunked in a lake and put to bed. I wish theses damn nightmares would go away. The medication that the nurse at the clinic prescribed me doesn't work anymore. She strongly suggested that I go to a counsellor or just find someone to talk to but I don't believe that I can bring myself to do so. I peel off my bedsheets along with the damn boxers sticking to my skin. I'll have to stop by the laundromat on my way to do the paper work for my job at the library. I turn the shower as cold as it can go. I step in and I can feel the muscles in my neck star to become loose. I walk out of the bathroom to find the novel that I was reading the night prior on the floor in front of me. My thoughts are jumbled and I am in aware as to why I had chosen that particular novel. I guess it doesn't really matter anyway does it?

Walking up the stairs with my gym bag in hand as well as my keys, I make sure to be as quiet as possible. In attempt to avoid any "Misunderstandings" of course he's still Passed our in the couch. It's not like he would be awake at this time anyways. Especially with the amount he's been drinking lately. Though I do wonder if he has a job anymore. Walking out of the stench I call home, it is nice to feel the crisp clean air. It is not saturated with hate and the smell of cigarettes. My car starts as smooth as it possibly can these days.

I'm glad that the library is some ways across town. The further away from the house the batter. I walk in and I am greeted by Hannah as usual. She sees me to her fathers office and ties to leave without saying a word.

Mr. Smith is already in his office when I walk in. He has some papers in front of him and seems to be quite focused. "Noah, how have you been?" He asks, happy to see me it seems. "Why I've been quite well, Mr. Smith, thank you for asking. And yourself?" "I am good."

After I have signed a bunch of paperwork and he had shown me where I would be working, he went back to his office. I started with the stack of books on from of me. Checking for damage that was not already there and re activating them for the alarm system. The job was not bad at all but I could to help but feel a pair of eyes starring holes into me. Eyes that belonged to Hannah. Ever now and again I would turn to face her only to see her look away.

It was not long before the day was over and I felt as though I had made quite the progress. I walked out the door to my car and wondered if I should go home or not. It was quite early in the evening and it was very nice out. I had remembered that I brought my gym bag with me, so I decided to find somewhere to change and go for a run. I parked my car in a nearby gas station parking lot and went in to change. I bought some trail mix that I had found on one of the many packed shelves and headed back to my car.

I parked at one of the places that I used to go running at. I started my run a a slow pace taking in the scenery. I had not realized until this moment how sore I really was from my encounter with Kevin last night. My run turned into a walk instead because of how sore I was. When I got back to my car I decided to drive straight home because I knew that if I did not that I would park somewhere and fall asleep like I had a couple nights prior.