==Don't Touch Me==
Chapter 3: Run Away
"This time I won't let you
bring me down
won't let you shut me up
I don't wanna think about you"
-Simple Plan (Don't wanna think about you)
Glacia looked around her with wide eyes. It did not feel safe at all. What if one these neighbors saw her outside, and told Peter about it? What then? He'd surely hurt her.
-..Nope, babe, he's gonna want to talk to you UP CLOSE..-
Temptation struck her, she was ready to pivot and go back inside. Shut the door, lay on the floor, and wonder what the hell she had been thinking. But she stayed paralyzed, should she proceed?
-God! Woman, what are you thinking? Do you honestly think you'll escape him? What if he comes early from work and SEES you outside.. He'll know. He ALWAYS knows...-
Glacia took a baby step outside, and another. A jogger passed, and he waved at her. She struggled to smile and waved back. She shut her eyes, and tried to calm down.
-You're so strong, Glacia the Glacier..-
What? Who said that?
-You never give up, even if things get hard..-
It was just a voice in her head. No, not a voice. It was something someone had told her. She just couldn't remember.. Glacia the Glacier? Yes.. Someone nicknamed her like that. But who?
-I wish I was like you. All I do is cry...-
A tear dripped down her cheek. Yes, it was a friend. Someone whom she used to hang out with. but when she got married, she moved far far far away from him..
-I'm sorry, I just can't do it..- she thought wiping away her tears. -This is too hard..- She felt bad for that friend, he admired her because she never was afraid, but Peter was a different story.
-Have you forgotten about me..?- the voice inside her said. She shook her head, not worried if anybody might be staring for shaking her head at no one.
-LIAR-
Her eyes snapped open.
-You're a FUCKING liar. So you were afraid all this time? I went through worse- the kind voice had suddenly turned monstrous.
But that voice was right. She remembered her friend. He was always beaten by his stepfather since he was five. He was raped and beaten. His mother never cared for him since she started doing drugs.
She had met him at the park when she was seven. She saw a little boy crying, other boys laughing at him. Calling him a "wussy". Well, they'd be crying too if their stepdaddies had placed their mouths at their "private" spot and broken a glass on their heads. She had come to him that day..
Flashback
"Why are you crying?" small Glacia had asked. The boy looked up at her, his clear blue eyes staring at hers. They were so full of fear, anger, and tears. All the joy a normal child should have is sucked dry from his eyes.
"Mind your own buisness.." the boy had said wiping his face with his sleeves.
"I'm just worried.." Glacia said.
"Well, don't.. I don't need your pity.." the boy said, glancing at her, eyes full of hatred and despair. "See? I don't need your pity!" He tried getting up, but his bony and tired legs failed him. He angrily punched the ground, making his knuckles bleed. He put his knuckles on his mouth, biting them, tearing out small chunks of skin. Tears slipping more faster from his eyes. He had his eyes shut for a moment, when he opened them, he saw a hand very close to his face. He winced, backed away, and yelled "Don't hurt me!" But the hand wasn't clutched, or inso close as to hit him. It was open, and stretched out. It was the girl's hand.
"Let me help you." she said.
The boy's eyes turned softer. He looked at the ground for several seconds, which seemed like ages. Looked at the hand again, he wiped the blood from his right hand on his pants, and took her hand.
End Flashback
It was decided. She was going. She helped that boy years ago, and he'd surely be dissapointed to see her back down. She took normal steps and walked across the street.
-But where will I go..?- she asked herself. Her mind answered for her.
-Jhoto-
Yes, Jhoto. Peter never wanted to go there. He said that place was full with "man-whores" and bitches in need of money. She knew where the port station was. She'll got to Slateport City, and take a ship to Jhoto. She'll leave the rest when she gets there.
She always walked nervously. Glancing behind her, believing Peter would be there, waiting for her to look behind to scare her. Then God knows what he'll do. But everytime she did, no one was there. Everytime she saw a red civic passing, she almost screamed, she thought Peter had finally found her, but it was always a different person.
She stopped at a "Stop 'N' Go" and called on the Phone Booth. She shakingly inserted the coins, dialed a number to call for a cab, and waited. When the receiver answered, she told them with her voice breaking, that she would like to go to Slateport City.
The cab arrived twenty minutes later. All that time, she had gone inside the shop an buyed herself a Twinkie and a soda to keep herself busy.
The cab driver seemed like he was in his late 30's, he wore worn-out jeans, and a filthy white T-Shirt that read 'I Know I'm going to Heaven cus I passed Hell'. He took the cigarette the had from his mouth, and asked, "Where to, ma'm?"
She took out her ATM card, "I don't have bills, though.. Can we stop on the way to an ATM machine?" The cabby looked at the ATM card as if it was a fake, and nodded. "Umm, okay then.." she stuttered, "Can you take me to Slateport City, please?" The cabby's eyes opened up a little. "Its a far way, ma'm, it'll cost more than a normal drive. You're really sure?" She nodded quickly. The cabby shrugged and Glacia got in the cab.
The drive was quite long, there was really nothing to do for Glacia, except watch the small watch-like cab machine that estimated her amount to pay. After quite a bit of time, the cabby stopped at an ATM booth.
"I'll be right back," Glacia told the cabby and left the car. She stopped in front of the ATM booth, and looked at it. She never really used a machine like this, and the instructions did no good. She just punched in the numbers, after various mistakes, she managed to punch the right number. The machine then asked how much she wanted to take out. She pressed a four, a cero, and a digit, but she changed her mind and deleted the numbers. She punched in a one and a fifty, then a digit. That ought to do it.
When she pressed enter, she half expected the machine to scream 'HALT! SHE'S A THIEF! SHE'S NOT THE OWNER OF THIS CARD! CATCH HER! THIEF!' But all the machine read was 'Thank you! Have a nice day!" She turned to return to the cab, almost bumping into the man waiting behind her.
After almost an hour, she finally reached Slateport. She asked the cabby to drive her to the Port, and when he did, she gave him his amount and tip. She nervously walked inside, knowing there was no turning back now. She escaped, and she has no other choice but to fulfill it.
She walked to a table, where a man was writing down dates on a journal. He looked up, and said "Hello, may I help you?" She swallowed, and stammered, " I would like to get on this ship, please.." The man checked the calendar behind him, nodded and said, "Which region?" She inmediately said, "Phoebe Summers." Oops, the man asked for what region, not her name. She just figured the guy would ask for her name. 'Phoebe Summers' was a friend, she had known her in high school, and Phoebe was just thirteen. She remembered reality, and said "I'm sorry, I believe its Jhoto."
The man nodded and said, "Ah yes. I've been to Jhoto, beautiful region. Unlike Kanto, that place is not even civilized.." the man wrote down something, tore out a ticket and handed it to Glacia. "Just show it to them, that's about it."
Glacia smiled and headed towards the ship, still glancing nervously around. She played with the ATM card between her fingers. Walking towards the trash can, she held out the card. If she used it any more, Peter will trace her. He's a cop, he knows how to look for people.. She let the card drop the trash can, she wiped her hands, and sighed.
She walked towards the entrance of the ship, showed the guard the ticket, and was shown her room.
She expected the ride to last longer, but it just lasted about three hours. At least she was there, ships always made her somewhat seasick.
She exited the ship, and sat down on a bench.
-Now what? You came all the way out here, girl, now what?- She fidgeted nervously with her purse.
-Boy, you're in so much trouble! Peter must be home already, he knows.. And you ran away without knowing what to do! Hahahahaha!-
That voice was right. She just ran away from home without knowing what to do next. Now what?
Suddenly a tall booth caught her attention. In big words it read 'HELP BOOTH' Should she go there? Will the person be kind, or will her be some man with an attitude.. No, he probably won't care.
-That's not like you, Glacia. You always said to try. You never know unless you try...- that voice again. Yes, she'll try. And if it fails, at least she tried.
She approached the booth. The man there was reading a newspaper, and she just looked at him, to make sure he had the face of a caring person.
He looked old, but wasn't bald. His small glasses kept on falling down from his nose, but he didn't seem to mind. Then, he suddenly looked up at her and smiled warmly. This eased her mind much more. He kept on smiling and said "May I help you?"