Running With Scissors

*Ding*
Please fasten your seatbelts. The flight will be landing in a few moments…

The announcement had woken me up and I scrabbled to get the damn seatbelt done up while my mind was still half asleep. But then I realized it- the flight was landing. I peered out the window to the familiar city lights below and looked around at the empty flight. I was home.

I groaned as the anxiety and nausea came back and placed my hands over my face as the ride began to get rocky. The flight was the only obstacle- I didn’t like flying much. I had decided to take the red-eye and I could almost guarantee that the pilot was just as tired as I was, which was an un-assuring thought of safety. Besides me, there weren’t many other passengers- A few businessmen, but that’s about it. And they didn’t seem to mind it that much.

I don’t know why I was so god-damn stubborn- I would have gotten here just as easily if I took a daytime flight tomorrow. It was the middle of the night- Even once I did get here, I had nowhere to go. And that was the one thought that hadn't hit me when I bought the flight ticket. Jayde had probably moved since I had last seen her and I really didn’t have many other places to go. I could visit the Care Center to see if I knew anyone there… But I knew that most people there were released at 18- Most of the people I knew would be long gone. So my only choice was to randomly walk around in the middle of the night until it got light out and I could figure out a way to get a hold of Jayde.

I spent the next hour in the Airport, obtaining my luggage and mooching motion-sickness medication off old ladies. It wasn’t until after that hour was up that I realized that I had only twenty dollars of cash on me, and a couple hundred in my bank account. But money in the bank is of no help when you’re in a cab. The only good thing was that I didn't feel sick anymore.

I stood outside the Airport in the cold wind, trying to get the attention of a passing cab. I was lucky when the seventh taxi I’d seen decided to pull over and give me a break. I threw the two suitcases and my backpack into the trunk and lazily plopped into the front seat. I looked at the man driving. He looked as if he should have been retired. He looked back at me and said, “Well, where to?”

I quickly tried to decide on the closest place to the Airport so I wouldn’t have to spend as much money. “Uh… McKellar Care Center, please.”

The man simply nodded and turned his eyes to the road as he began to drive. The streets were so busy, even at night. I should know- I’ve been there, done that. Cities don’t sleep at night… A whole other civilization wakes up. The ones whose best friends are martini glasses and numerous dance partners.

I sighed and watched the houses passing by as it began to rain. Great. Just perfect.

“There ya go, son,” The man stated loudly, breaking my from my tired, half-conscious state.

I handed the man a twenty dollar bill, but after a few moments of waiting for him to get my change, I told him to keep the change as I opened the door and stepped out into the rain. I grabbed my luggage out of the backseat and watched as the man drive away before turning my attention to the building I was standing in front of. I couldn’t help but thing that this was stupid- These people may had helped me once, but I wasn’t theirs anymore- They couldn’t help me out now.

I walked up to the front door and pushed it open. The reception room was completely lit up. I once again became nervous as I walked up to the front desk, placing my things on the floor at my sides and looking down at the unfamiliar woman sitting at the reception desk, typing away on her computer. She didn’t appear to notice I was there.

I looked around, feeling completely awkward and embarrassed that I had come before I cleared my throat, trying to catch her attention.