Chapter One
I stepped out into the living room, creeping along silently. I had had enough. I was out of there. I passed the hallway to the back door, heading for the front one. It didn't squeak so much. My backpack was tossed over my shoulder, hanging open. I had a few changes of clothes and some food. Also my switchblade, just in case I ended up in a sticky situation.
I opened the door. It squeaked a tiny bit, and I glanced back over my shoulder before squeezing out the door and taking off silently down the dark street. Every once in a while, I would come to a street light, which was lighting my way, but most of them flickered off and on at night, and no one bothered to try to change them. So I ended up sort of stumbling down the street. After a few blocks, my pack began to get heavy. I switched it to the other shoulder. I stopped at the bus stop on the other side of town and slept on the cold hard bench until the first bus came at 6:30 the next morning.
I woke up to the sound of squeaking jake brakes. The bus was here. I got up and rubbed my eyes, stretching my arms over my head before I pulled out a quarter and hopped on the bus. I rode it until it stopped at the edge of the city.
"All stops here. Everybody must get off unless you're riding back to the first stop." The bus driver instructed. I stood up slowly. Guess this is as far as I go in this department of transportation. I thought, climbing down the steps to the asphalt below. I stood as the bus departed, leaving behind a cloud of grey smoke. I coughed, waving it away with my hand. I looked both ways down the street. Both looked equally….risky. I decided to head straight into the sun, which was in front of me.
After walking for about three hours, I saw a bike in a parking lot. The building looked run down, and there was no one around. Maybe someone just abandoned it, I thought, trying to make myself feel better about stealing it. I walked over cautiously, almost waiting for someone to jump out and say "Aha!". No one did as I approached the bike. It was tomato red, with a little bell on the handle bars. That will have to go. I thought, hopping on. I quickly gained speed, looking back over my shoulder. No one was following me, and I slowly relaxed. Everything's gonna be OK, I thought.
After about another three hours, I figured I was far enough away for one day. I crashed at the side of the road under the neon lights of a sign that read "The Dingo".