Status: Perhaps, Indefinitely Paused?
Who Said Life Was Easy?
Chapter Three
The year is 2005. I was 14 years old.
Nena inhaled the cool air as she softly crept out of her bedroom window. She silently thanked herself for choosing the downstairs bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows. But the house was still a few feet elevated, and she tightly gripped her converse in her hands as she made her barefoot jump onto the backyard patio cement. A breath of relief escaped her mouth, she was quickly learning how to make her escapes quieter every time.
Slide the window closed. One, two, three steps. Peek around the corner. The lights in her dad's room are off. Good. Her heart hammers against her chest as she creeps past the sliding glass doors from her father's master bedroom that lead directly into the backyard.
Tip-toeing adrenaline. Even her breathing sounds too loud. Squeezing her eyes shut, she mentally repeats to herself, "Stay calm, don't rush. Stay calm all the way through. Don't run the last few steps."
Her father was a master at catching escapers. She knew all too well from the experiences of her two older brothers. "But he doesn't know about me, yet." She felt the damp grass against her bare feet. She had made it! Turning another corner she dashed along the side of the house. She leaned against the scratchy brick wall fencing that separated her house from her neighbor's.
Slip shoes on. Easy, the laces are always tied.
She peered up at the moon. "So stupid." She didn't even know why, but that's all that came to mind. What a stupid, stupid moon.
She adjusted herself.
Hoist!
Up!
One leg over!
And now she sat on top of the brick wall.
Down, down, she went.
Hopping into the neighbor's yard.
Out the side, into their driveway.
She was free.
Glancing down at her watch: 1AM.
And then she started.
Running.
Away from everything. Her father. Her house. Her life.
Down the street, to the left. Over the golf course fencing.
She kept running. The cold night breeze burning against her cheeks.
Brushing away tears.
She ran, to feel the burning in her lungs.
Her shoes stained green by the golf course grass.
Up the hills.
Running to nowhere in particular.
Running to somewhere.
Someone.
Out of breath, she pulls out her cell.
"Here." Send.
A brown-haired girl peered out of the window of the house that Nena stood in front of.
Slide the window open. One, two, three, hoist! Up. And down into the room.
"It happened again?"
Nena only nods.
"C'mon. I'll get you something to eat."
Nena knew her best friend would always keep her safe from her nightmares.
Nena inhaled the cool air as she softly crept out of her bedroom window. She silently thanked herself for choosing the downstairs bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows. But the house was still a few feet elevated, and she tightly gripped her converse in her hands as she made her barefoot jump onto the backyard patio cement. A breath of relief escaped her mouth, she was quickly learning how to make her escapes quieter every time.
Slide the window closed. One, two, three steps. Peek around the corner. The lights in her dad's room are off. Good. Her heart hammers against her chest as she creeps past the sliding glass doors from her father's master bedroom that lead directly into the backyard.
Tip-toeing adrenaline. Even her breathing sounds too loud. Squeezing her eyes shut, she mentally repeats to herself, "Stay calm, don't rush. Stay calm all the way through. Don't run the last few steps."
Her father was a master at catching escapers. She knew all too well from the experiences of her two older brothers. "But he doesn't know about me, yet." She felt the damp grass against her bare feet. She had made it! Turning another corner she dashed along the side of the house. She leaned against the scratchy brick wall fencing that separated her house from her neighbor's.
Slip shoes on. Easy, the laces are always tied.
She peered up at the moon. "So stupid." She didn't even know why, but that's all that came to mind. What a stupid, stupid moon.
She adjusted herself.
Hoist!
Up!
One leg over!
And now she sat on top of the brick wall.
Down, down, she went.
Hopping into the neighbor's yard.
Out the side, into their driveway.
She was free.
Glancing down at her watch: 1AM.
And then she started.
Running.
Away from everything. Her father. Her house. Her life.
Down the street, to the left. Over the golf course fencing.
She kept running. The cold night breeze burning against her cheeks.
Brushing away tears.
She ran, to feel the burning in her lungs.
Her shoes stained green by the golf course grass.
Up the hills.
Running to nowhere in particular.
Running to somewhere.
Someone.
Out of breath, she pulls out her cell.
"Here." Send.
A brown-haired girl peered out of the window of the house that Nena stood in front of.
Slide the window open. One, two, three, hoist! Up. And down into the room.
"It happened again?"
Nena only nods.
"C'mon. I'll get you something to eat."
Nena knew her best friend would always keep her safe from her nightmares.