Realistic or Modern The Runaways

[OtakuWriter]

She didn’t look back when she dashed out that door and into the dark streets of the city.

Out of anger and resentment, she wanted to run. Far away from the people she grew to despise. She didn’t have a plan, no luggage on her either. Just her committed mindset, focused on going anywhere else but that cage. Freedom tasted like the outside air, which was cold and bitter. It froze her lungs and made her nose numb from breathing at such an increasing rate.

It felt good though. As if she finally did something for herself, took initiative, without a care. But she wasn’t brave, she knew that. Just desperate.

Her legs gradually started to burn and loosen. Soon enough, she could no longer run. It was freezing yet her body was burning up. Her gaping mouth tried to collect her breath all while trying to keep moving forward in a slow walk.

Eventually she found herself coming towards a station. There was a convenient store, and through the glass she could see people. The sight of others came to her as a relief, but not long after she realized how useless it was to feel happy. She couldn’t call anyone nor could she simply talk to these strangers at such a late time. With her being a little girl, she came off as an easy target.

She walked passed the gas pumps and looked up at the beaming lights, a few blinking and glitching out. The girl simply slouched her shoulders and sighed, taking a seat at the curb. She raised her arms and held herself, as nobody else would. If only she stole some money, or brought a jacket during her escape. Then the night she was facing could’ve been a lot easier.

 

[ShadowWolves]

A clear blue sky night was happening tonight and the highway was lit up like a Christmas tree on Christmas eve. Cars drove by and they rarely stopped unless they needed to for gas or for any other personal reasons that they needed to stop for. A gas station wasn't too far from the freeway's entrance and normally many people would be going to the station to get gas, but today, there were very few cars going to this specific station. One such car that was pulling into the gas station was a Chevy Suburban 2003. It pulled up to one of the gas pumps and stopped before the driver side door opened and out stepped a man of about 6 feet and 3 inches in height, somewhat skinny but also having enough muscles to be able to do whatever job he did for a living, As the man got the pump and paid for the gas before pumping it into his SUV, he couldn't help but take a second look at one of the semi-lit corners of the gas station and thought he saw what looked like a child sitting on the side near where the bathrooms were and he went over to see if what he thought he was was correct and found that he was and so, he looked at the child as he got down on her level and asked "Hello there, what's a small child like yourself doing outside all by yourself on a cold night like this?" He asked her

 

[OtakuWriter]

The girl hung her head low, staring down at the worn-out leather buckled shoes she wore. Dusted dirt covered them. She lowered her hand and swiped it off with her thumb. A breeze swept through the area, and left her to shiver.

There was no where to go. Not even for a cent.

As her eyes only focused on the ground, her ears picked up on the sound of footsteps growing louder until they stopped. She lifted her head and watched the figure lower himself, almost startling her.

“I’m-...” she paused. “I’m fine. I’m just...waiting for someone. So...yeah.” She stuttered while continuing to play with her shoes.

 

[ShadowWolves]

The man looked her over, she seemed to indeed be cold as evidenced by the fact that she had her arms around her body. At first the man just isn't sure, she could be telling the truth, but she could be just trying to get him to leave her alone so that she could just be by herself. Regardless though, this is a child that is cold and sitting out on the pavement of a gas station all by herself. If she stayed like this it would just make it worse for her, he had to do something to help her, even if it was for tonight.

The man himself was an active duty military member that was away without leave. When he had first joined, he thought that life was gonna be so amazing and so many other things that just turned out to be not right. He had decided that he didnt wanna be in the service anymore, he was only about 2 years into his 6 year contract that he had re-enlisted for the what seemed like millionth time now, so he still was under the umbrella of the military justice system. He was in as psychically fit a shape as you could expect a military member to be in.

"Well if your waiting for someone, I can get you an oversized jacket to keep you warm if you want?" He offered deciding to be nice and accept her reason and just offer her some help if she wanted it. He would also give her a place to stay if she wanted it for the night.

OtakuWriter

 

[OtakuWriter]

She stopped with her distractions and kept her focus only on the man. Her eyes widened a little, due to the unexpected kindness given to her. She couldn’t last a second without shivering in her pale skin. The little girl slowly nodded. Her eyebrows slanted in a worried and feared expression. The more she was out here, the more she regretted ever running away. But this stranger, gave her hope. That there actually was more out in the world. “Yes please.”

 

[ShadowWolves]

"All right then, I'll be right back okay? Dont go away now." He said as he went back to his truck and opened it up getting out one of the jackets he had inside of it that was sort of big on him and would be swimming for her and brought it over to her and slowly put it around her, making sure not to go too fast in case she got scared and something happened to make her get injured which would make him feel so bad that he had caused her to get hurt. She seemed like the kind of girl that was able to take care of herself. But there was a stronger want to not let her have to worry about that and coddle her, keeping her safe from all the troubles of the world and give her a better situation that she might have runaway from if she had indeed run away from a family that had maybe abused her.

He couldn't be sure of any reasons she might use to runaway from wherever she might have come from. She might also be lost on the road and simply need a ride back to her house. She could also just be waiting for someone like she had originally said. While he had no reason not to trust what she said, he also had to think of the fact that based on what he had heard from others who had kids that had told him stories before and from when he had helped to take care of his nieces in a limited fashion for the night.

"Would you like to wait in my truck for a bit until the person your waiting for comes along and then you can go and meet with them and I'll be on my way, okay? I dont wanna make you feel like you have to stay in my truck if you dont want to, but I can't imagine it's very warm for you sitting out here in the semi-lit darkness and possibly being tired if you ran from wherever you might have come from?" He mused lightly, he had decided as he was getting her jacket in the back of his mind that he would try and maybe get her to come and sit with him while she waited for the person she was waiting for and that way at least she would be warm along with being able to get off the cold, dark pavement that she was sitting on and get to sit on something a little more comfortable. He didn't wanna force her to do anything she didnt want to do and would let her choose whether not not she wanted to come and possibly have a place to stay for the night if who she was waiting for didnt show up.

 

[OtakuWriter]

Her stare followed his movement, watching as he walked off to retrieve the jacket. Once he arrived again by her side, she allowed him to place the heavy material around her shoulders. It almost felt like a blanket from how spacious it was compared to her small body. Her hands tucked the clothing closer and embraced the welcoming warmth.

From such a simple act of kindness, it made her mind wonder if this is what it feels like, to be cared by someone. Genuine care and concern. The jacket was a bundle of safeness, something she rarely found herself in. A safe place.

The emotions she felt in that moment were too overwhelming to bear. The walls she built up came crashing down and the waves of tears were found to be uncontrollable. She pulled her legs closer to her chest while burying her face into the jacket. Soft whimpers whispered from her until her voice grew heavier into a long cry.

“I-I lied. No one...I-Is coming to get me.” She said through her sobs. Her light voice being shaky and even cracked at some words.

 

[ShadowWolves]

"Shh, shh. It's okay, it's okay. Why dont we go into my truck okay? At least there you'll be safer and warmer from the cold okay? We can figure out what to do next once we are there. You dont have to be upset, I'll let you stay in my truck for as long as you like, okay?" He said as he took an arm and just put it around the child and just slowly scooted her closer to him and just let her try to feel comforted. She can't have had a very good childhood up to this point if she had been willing to lie about someone coming to get her when there was no one coming.

He started to wonder as he held her close to him, what would make her want to runaway from home? What kind of terrible situation had she come from that she had to tell lies like that too other adults that tried to help her. Also based on her current state of emotions and how her clothes seemed to be a little bit dirty. It would seem that she had been probably traveling along the highway for a good while and sticking out of sight so that no one could catch her and then possibly bring her back to whomever was her legal guardian.

Once he thought he saw and heard her start to calm down he asked her "do you mind if I carry you with me to my truck and set you down in the passenger side seat? I'd like to have you stay the night with me if it's alright with you, just so that way I know your gonna be alright. After that, if you wanna go on your way you can, or if you want to by that point, you can also choose to stay if you want to, it's really up to you and I will let you make the decision for yourself, okay?" He told her as he waited for her answer to his question and then got up and lightly lifted her up into his arms once he had her permission to do so, he made sure to support her as he held her in his arms and started to walk all the way back to his truck, he knew he couldn't stay here for much longer, unless he wanted to be caught and sent to military prison, which was something that he certainly did not want happening and he just hoped that no one had been told about his disappearance/desertion from the military. He would not want to have to face his family after what he had done as of late and knew they would try to turn him in if he went to them for help. He loved his parents, he really did, but sometimes, they could be a little bit too patriotic and that worried him in a way, but regardless, he had this little girl to help right now, so he couldn't think about those negatives at the moment.

 

[OtakuWriter]

She instinctively shuffled closer to the person she would soon find trustworthy. Out of everyone she's seen or met, at this time, she would start to lean towards this stranger. It was the way he treated her. His soft voice and comforting words. Especially out in the middle of night, where cars would honk and sirens would screech. It was only natural for the kid to look up to him in such a stress-filled situation.

Placing her forehead against him, she continued to pour out her worries and tears. What felt like an eternity, was only mere minutes before they spoke to each other once again. It was as if her heart rose to her throat, she was hesitant to decide but finally agreed. "Okay but-..." Her hand reached out to grip his shirt, giving it a tug. "You have to promise me. That you won't take me to the police."

That was her only condition if she were to go with him. After confirmation, she closed her eyes once she was held in his arms. Placing her chin onto his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt as the breeze swept her bangs to the side. This was odd. She was never held like this. Nothing forceful or rough. It was something she enjoyed, it was warm.

 

[ShadowWolves]

The man felt the little girl grab onto his shirt and look at him, tears in her eyes and make him promise that she won't be taken to the police, he looked at her for a moment and then nodded his head "I won't, I promise. I'm actually on the run as well." He told her as he took her to his truck and tried to hold her with one arm and shift his weight to where he was holding onto her. Once they were inside, he opened up the door and put her inside, making sure that she was secure and was feeling all right. Once it seemed like she was secure and okay, he closed the door and went to the drivers side door,making sure to put the gas pump back where it belonged and then opening the drivers side door and getting inside before starting up the truck and then starting the drive to the hotel he had in mind. He did wonder however if the child was hungry and maybe if he should stop and see if they could both get something to eat since he was a bit hungry himself at the moment. But he didn't also wanna have to stop and then suddenly be noticed, maybe they could go through a drive thru quickly if they had to stop and get something to eat.

While he was driving, he couldn't help but let his mind wander about the child and ask many questions, for instance, one of the thoughts that came up in his mind that was more paranoia than anything despite what the little girl had asked him not to do was 'will she eventually think about turning me into the police because she finds out that I'm a deserter of the military?' and 'Even if she stays with me, how am I going to be able to take care of this little girl, I don't know anything about being a parent, hell, I could barely keep up with my friend's kid when I watched her for a whole night, while their family was away.' These were just some of the thoughts swirling around in his head and it made him feel very uneasy and even more afraid of being caught then he already was. Regardless though, for right now, he had to be strong, for the both of them, not just himself at the moment, because he had a precious gift from above sitting in his backseat, which he didn't even know why he had done that if he didn't have something to help protect her against the impact of a car crash that would happen. 'Shit! there I go again! Always thinking the worst of every possible scenario, that's what made me desert in the first place! I cannot be thinking like that!'

OtakuWriter

 

[OtakuWriter]

“Uh- so...” She would suddenly speak. Waiting for her voice to help snap out of any thoughts he might’ve been in. “What’s your name? Or...what do you wanna be called?” Having her seat buckled and her face turned to stare out the window. She watched as lights and building zoom pass and the vehicles that drove right beside them.