Don’t Forget To Take A Breath Before You Fall

Kat was never a very good runner. At school, the only time she would run was when attempting to flee from the bully in the fifth grade. But today was different, she ran hard and fast – as if her life depended on it. The dust from the dirt road hit Katherine all over her face but she didn’t care one bit, as she glanced back towards the house she saw nothing.

She was finally out of there.

Silence surrounded the seventeen year old, and Katherine soon realized that she couldn’t go on like this anymore. Her legs were weak with lactic acid, and her head was pounding. She need to rest. She needed sleep. But most of all, she needed her family.

She landed with a soft thud on the side of the dirt road. The sun was setting softly across the horizon, and Katherine felt that through all her efforts, she had finally managed to escape.

She hadn’t seen a car thus far, and right now, that was the one thing she wanted. Kat’s head lulled softly forward and she grasped at her hair, frustrated with what she was going to do next. She ran her fingers through her short brown hair, and breathed in the dusty air, her lungs heaving as she did so.

Kat glanced up, hearing music from the distance. She glanced out towards the horizon and noticed what seemed to be a small neighborhood. She sighed in relief and stood softly; dusting the dirt off her already filthy shorts and making her way towards the first house that came in sight.

Quietly, Kat made her way up the front steps and she peered in the window. There was a family of five, all sitting down to a quiet meal. A mother, a father, and three daughters all had their heads bowed in what seemed to be prayer. She waited until they glanced up and started to pass the food around before knocking softly on the wooden door. Cautious of her surrounding, Kat waited and listened as footsteps approached the door.

A little girl, no older then twelve with bright blue eyes and brown hair smiled up at Kat. “Can I help you?” She asked softly.

“Can I please speak to your mommy or daddy?” Kat wondered, not wanting to cause the girl any distress. She swallowed nervously, praying that these people would help her out.

The girl returned within seconds, an older man stood behind her, and as he glanced at the broken girl, his face turned sympathetic. “Can you help me?” Kat whispered, and he nodded instantly, ushering her into the warmth and comfort of a real home.

[Don’t Forget To Take a Breath before You Fall]

“And that is how I ended up here.” Kat sat in front of a loving family, she was now clean. Her hair was washed, her face was now perfect. She looked in good health.

“Whoa…” The young brunette, whose name was Kelsey replied softly, before her father hushed her.

“It’s fine.” Kat replied, smiling softly at the girl.

“So you know the Jonas Brothers?” Kelsey asked eagerly.

Kat chuckled, soon enough she would be able to see her brothers again, “Yea, they are my brothers actually.”

“Whoa…” Kelsey muttered again.

“Kelsey can you please go make sure your sisters are ok?” The mother of the house, Amanda ushered her eldest daughter off, and Kat couldn’t help but feel slightly relieved.

“Sweetie did they physically hurt you in any way?” Amanda leaned forward on the couch, genuinely concerned with Kat’s health.

Katherine shook her head, “No, nothing physical. Just emotional and mental…”

“Would you like to have a lie down until everyone gets here?”

Amanda and Frank had called not only the police, but the Jonas family as well, and as she sat there in the house, her family was on their way. Emotion began to take over Kat, and as sat there in front of complete strangers, she poured her heart out.

“I need my brothers so much, and my mom, an-and my dad-” She held her heavy head in her hands, and felt a supporting hand pat her back, “-I, god I just need to sleep and…”

“Shhh…” Amanda whispered, sitting softly next to Kat. She rubbed small circles on her back, and Kat felt her eye lids begin to droop. She lay her head softly on the cushion, and let sleep consume her.

For once, she dreamed happy dreams. She could finally say that she was safe at last.