It was dark, and the only light came from the full moon, making everything a silver shade, I glanced down at my shadow while I ran. With the moon behind me my shadow and we ran as fast as we could and it was while we ran that I came across a realization. I was scared.
Unfornuate, I always have been, but I never thought that things would go to this extreme. I never thoguht that my life would be in this much danger. I never thought I'd be this scared. I never thought that I'd die.
I didnt kill him, I could swear on every bible in the world that I didnt. But I was still being chased by everyone that knew about the whole incident; And they just thought that I did it because they found one of my hairs on his right shoulder. I didnt even know the boy, all I knew is that he attended my school, that was it. So why was I running through a snow covered field, in the moon light, wearing a long sleeved shirt, jeans, sneakers and my backpack full of things I thought necessary.
No one would testify for me if I went to court, I was a freak. I didnt believe in what others believed, I mumbled strange words under my breath that they didnt understand. I knew more about the world and how it acted than most people and I lived in a foster home. I was a freak. With a city that had a dead boy, his parents some of the best laywers around, and I was the freakiest there, I was going down. So to prevent that, I ran. I didnt necessarily know where I was going, all I knew is that I had to get away. Simple.
So as I ran in the field I glimpsed back down at my shadow, and like an insane child I said to myself. "My only companion." And I continued to run.
That was about a week ago, a week ago on the first of December I ran away and now it was December eighth. And it was still snowing, and like the idiot I was I didnt pack myself a jacket to keep me warm, I was surprised I was still alive actually, I had thought I would've died of something ridiciolous by now like a wild wolf or something, but no I didn't. I was still alive and cold, so like a fool I walked down the streets, looking for a thrift shop to buy a cheap, but warm jacket; when I heard my name.
"Jasmein Ventora. Age sixteen, ran away when she was identified as a prime suspect in the muder of Jordan Spokes. This led investigators to believe that she knew or did more that led on. It was later discovered, that an unbeknownst teenage cult had actually commited the murder. Now investigators are just trying to find little Jasmein and bring her home. Her name being cleared in time is truely a Christmas Miracle, but shes still family however is shocked about this whole ordeal especially since it began during the holidays. Lets see what they have to say."
The camera switched and it showed my foster home. My Foster Dad, Mom, and three siblings. I grimaced.
"We just want our little girl back home," my foster mom said dabbing the corner of her eyes. "I miss her so much and I just want our family back together." She said as my foster dad wrapped his arm around her.
Yeah right, we were a family when I was seven. But when the family grew from three to six, things changed. No longer did my foster dad seem to mind drinking in public, and my foster mom seemed to happily ignore practically everything I did and listen to others blame me for what I didnt. The other foster kids for siblings on the other hand, well, one was older than me and felt it necessary to rub in my face consistantly as was her solemn right apparentally, and the other was younger than me by a year, and the youngest clung to mom's side like a hip attachment. Like the needed me.
I rolled my eyes and started walking when I ran into someone face first and fell to the ground.
"Sorry." I grunted, rubbing my face and getting up.
"No, my apologies." said the voice. I looked up to see a boy, roughly a year or two older than me with ink black hair, pale skin, though temporarily flushed by the cold weather, and bright emerald green eyes standing there. Shit I thought, he probably saw the news cast.
"It was nothing... Well I gotta go." I said sliding around him and into the thrift shop next door to the building that held the TV in the window.
Once inside I went to the back of the store, the very, very back and waited for five or so minutes with nothing but adrenaline going through me. Then, slowly I started creeping back to the front where all the winter jackets were on display cheap. I was suprised I hadnt gotten pneumonia yet or frostbite, or even hypothermia, I had been spending the last month in fields, staring at the stars and thinking over my situation. Crazy as it may seem, it was odly peaceful. But tempatures seem to drop more drastically after the new year, and despite how much I didnt want to, I went to town and decided to buy something that would keep me warm. Becasue though I packed the majority of my bag with non perishable foods that didnt taste like armpits and my savings, I wasnt smart enough to grab a jacket. When its snowing; Because Im that smart.
So as I was flipping through jackets I found one particularily decent. It was purple, it was a bit big on me by maybe a size or two, and it was warm. Reaching into my backpocket I went to fish out my wallet when my eyes widened with shock. It must be outside... From when I fell! Shit! This was bad, if anyone read the school ID in the front pouch they'd see it was Jasmein Ventora's wallet, the missing kid. Dropping the jacket I spun around and began to move forward when I fell back again, this time stumbling into a clothes rack and nearly knocking it over until a strong hand caught my forearm. "Careful," The voice said, I looked up inbetween my bangs I saw the same pale skinned boy from earlier outside only his face a bit more flushed from the warm temperature compared to outside. "Hey." I said, barely a whisper, he leaned over around me, his chest brushing my shoulder and picked up the jacket I had dropped. "You wanted to buy this, right?" he said, looking at me. I nodded mechanically. "Yeah, but I..." "Dont have my wallet because I ran into someone and it fell out of my backpocket." He finished holding up my little black wallet. "...You know." I said under my breath, he promptly ignored what I said and half dragged half walked me to the front desk, not giving my wallet back he nodded at the clerk and held out the jacket. The jacket quickly scanned and the clerk said. "Christmas Special, Five dollars." But instead of pulling the money out of my wallet, the boy grabbed a five out of his pocket and threw it on the counter, the clerk nodded. "Happy Holidays." "Happy Holidays." The boy responded once more half dragging half walking me out the door.
"Gimme my wallet." I said shrugging my new jacket on and reaching for my wallet, which he allowed me to take. After I got my hands on it, I began to walk away and, go figure. He followed me. "What do you want?" I asked irritably looking over my shoulder, he raised his eyebrows at me. I had a right to be mad, in my mind I had alread figured out there was a high chance that I was going to have to start running away again, I had bet that he had already called someone saying that he had sighted me. "A hug." He responded after a few minutes while I had been thinking, quickly I spun around and hugged him tightly, my right ear, and part of my nose warming for a second, then I pulled away and started walking again hoping he'd leave me be now. He stood there a minute then spoke. "I was being sarcastic." He said taking a few strides and being right at my heels again. I looked behind my shoulder speaking. "Well, either way. I gave you what you wanted, now go away!" I hissed through my clenched teeth, while taking longer, quicker steps forward which he easily matched. "Look what do you waahh-" I said but was cut off when he pushed me into a side alley. God Damn It. I thought, then as if my concious were playing with me I realized that I probably cursed too much. "What the heh-" I stopped again when his hands hit the wall on either side of my head. Hard. I was staring at my feet, but slowly I raised my eyes to his, then back down, and when I was at his waist again I realized that I was looking this guy up! My eyes, however didnt stop until they reached his again which were just as piercing emerald could ever be. "Jasmein." He said under his breath, I swallowed what was in my mouth. "Your a small girl, with a clear name. Why aren't you heading back home?" "Maybe I was, you just had to stop me." I said staring into his eyes with my own silver ones. "I doubt that, according to the TV your home is east, not west." He replied. Caught. I thought. "I have to get my stuff first." I said, now avoiding his eyes. "Dont you want to go home?" He asked as I was saying first, completely ignoring what I had said. "No… why would I want to go back there?" I whispered, voice cracking on there. "They're not my family, they're a drunk, a couple of brats, and a mom that doesnt even care." I could already hear the tears in my voice as I stared straight ahead. "Why do you want to know." I asked, raising my eyes to his again. "Because, Im too soft hearted for my own good." He said thinking a bit, and then I crumpled.
I spilled it, I told my story. I told a complete stranger how I felt on ever aspect of my life, about how I hated always being framed and punished, and how I never got caught when I wanted to. I told him about how I felt I was singled out in that town and couldn't wait to leave; I told him about how I had been accused for nothing, and that the hairs probably got there when someone shoved me in the halls and got caught on the Velcro of his jacket. And slowly I slid down the wall of the building I was pinned to while I spilled my guts; with him dropping to the ground at an even pace as me. I cried, my nose got snotty, and I kept blabbing on. Because I'm that cool.