Uncontained

I ran for what seemed like forever.

Czeslaw wriggled out of my arms and led the way. Spirit had disappeared and I didn't know where she went. It didn't stop me from screaming her name. "Spirit! Spirit!"

My voice only echoed back at me.

I was going mad. She'd put a pokeball into my hand and I didn't know what was in it. I was so freaked out I thought I was going to puke. Team Rocket had guns. Team Rocket had my mom. Team Rocket was coming after me. I didn't know what to do.

So I ran.

I ran until my legs burned and my breath rasped in my throat. I ran until I couldn't anymore. I ran until I collapsed onto my hands and knees and my Pokemon fell out of my arms and my wallet flew open in front of me. The last remaining picture, one that I'd hidden since I was slightly embarrassed by it, shone up at me. It was of my mother and I at an amusement park. I was five and downing a hamburger that got all over my face and shirt. But my mom was smiling so big. That was my favorite picture of her.

I let out a sob.

Florence cried with me. She wrapped her little arms around my neck and held me as we both cried. Czeslaw only watched, and his eyes were pained. He looked as if he were to say something, to rumble and try to communicate a sentence, but the nidoran just laid a paw gently on my hand and remained silent.