Run Away With Me…

By whiteRose

…1…

It's been a long day for Helga Pataki; she just left her house to visit the library to read the new poetry books. She plans to write more poetry for several contests she found online, even though she made some money off from her poetry, she felt like she needed inspiration for new poems. Looking through her backpack she found that she is missing something and she needed to go back home. Not that her dad would care that she would be staying at her friend Phoebe's house for the weekend, but she had to get home. Walking through her front door she sees her dad on the ground beaten up with two well-dressed guys hovering over him. They looked at the 15year old who was frozen at the front door, shocked at the sight her dad said "HELGA RUN!" she bolted. One of the few times he actually got her name right but the one thought ran through her mind was 'Good thing I'm the champ of cross-country track team' while hearing the other footsteps fade to just her running.

Helga zigzagged through the streets and alleyways of her favorite places. She did rest only once just to hear the men pursuing talk for a bit. She now knows that staying in her hometown is dangerous, and her previous engagements halted, the only thing she needed was a safe place to clear her mind and figure some things out. Helga was rushing to get out of the alleyway only to run into none other than her childhood crush Arnold.

"Hey, watch where you- Arnold?"

"Helga we really need to stop bumping into each other like this."

"It's not like I planned it or anything." She said while getting up.

"What brings you out-" "Shhhh."

Helga looked around and saw headlights down the street and she ran back to hide behind the dumpster. Unnoticed, Gerald walked over to Helga.

"What are you doing, Pataki?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Are you in danger?" Arnold asked.

"I think so, I don't know. One minute I see Bob on the floor with two guys over him and next I'm running for my life. I don't know what's going on, but I need a safe place to catch my breath."

"My house is nearby, you might be safe there."

"No offense Arnoldo, but I really don't want to be seen by anyone at the moment."

"Then we can take the fire escape to the roof. What do you say?" he reaches for her hand.

"Fine then, Football Head."

All three of them walked in the dark of the alleys to find the fire escape that lead to the roof of the boarding house. She placed her bag on the floor and she slumped down near the skylight of Arnold's room, oh boy was she exhausted. Arnold went inside his room to grab whatever refreshments he has. He went back to the roof with several snacks and Yahoo Soda. Helga grabbed one of soda and chugged it down.

"What were you doing outside at this time of night?"

She shrugged "Library, bag of stuff to go to Phoebe's house, went home to get something important, and then I ran for my life. Ya satisfied?"

"More or less; tell us what happened."

Reluctantly she told the boys of what happened to the best of her knowledge. More questions than answers, what were those men, why did they beat up Mr. Pataki, and why did they chase after Helga?

"Is there any place where you can stay?"

"No. Miriam is in rehab, I called the ambulance for Bob and to my knowledge he might be safe there, and Olga is in Paris. He might have to stay there for a few weeks for the doctors to check on his heart. Bob suffered an attack last week, after what happened I wouldn't be surprised that they kept him there."

"What I don't get is why didn't you call the cops?"

"I heard them that they needed to find me and they could use any means to get me, even bribing the cops. Whoever they are, they seem to be powerful."

She slumped into her knees, both Gerald and Arnold were surprised to see Helga defeated. As their childhood bully, they would never have thought of seeing her in any danger except that Big Patty incident. They heard a car door slam at the front of the house. All three crept to the ledge to see what was going on. Helga recognized them as the guys that beat up her dad. What were they doing at the boarding house?

She whispers "it's them."

Arnold grabs her shoulder and drags her to his room and placed her on the couch.

"Lay down, you need to hide behind the couch. They will never find you there if you're quiet."

She did was she was told and voom she was inside the wall, she got off the couch and it went back. Hearing footsteps throughout the house, she heard Arnold telling Gerald to play video games. Helga waited until these mysterious men left.

After a long half hour of waiting for those men to check Arnold's room and leaving the boarding house, she sees the couch appear into the wall she climbed up on it and she was back in his room.

"Thanks Arnold. I don't know what they would've done if they found me."

They both look at her and they both ended up feeling pity for this poor girl whose life is turned upside-down.

"What am I going to do now? I can't keep hiding behind your couch, but I don't know what to do."

A few moments of silence, an idea strikes up in Arnold's mind.

"Why don't you run away? Get out of town until all this blows over."

"Oh sure, the 'hell-born' Helga G. Pataki is going to run away from town and…you know that's not a bad idea. Where should I go, exactly?"

"Whoa, wait a minute. Of all the crazy ideas, and believe me there are a lot, but this is the most screwed up one yet. First off, where is she gonna get the money to get out of here?" asked Gerald.

"I have about 10 thousand on me right now."

"Now that's just messed up; where the heck did you get all that money, Helga?"

"I entered some online writing contests and I won the prize money."

"Well; all she needs is a destination now."

"Any city will do, I don't care for the country life."

Arnold was receiving text messages from a private number but they were all signed by "-Mr. S"

Is everything ok? Those men were from one of the notorious gangs and they were looking for one of your friends. –Mr. S

Everything is alright for the moment, but my friend has decided to run away from town until this blows over. –Arnold

Hold on. –Mr. S

I have called in a few favors, but the only way I can help your friend is to have you leave with her and keep her safe. Can you do that Arnold? –Mr. S

Arnold looked at Helga and he thought about everything that went on and what he might lose if he does this. At the last thought he couldn't help but smile.

You can count on me. –Arnold

"Hey, I have an idea. Why not run away with me?"