The Runaway

Read into the story of how one girl becomes a runaway.

The Runaway

By Cierra K Scott

Her head jerked upwards as the teacher slammed his hand against the desk. “Wake up, miss Cavennaugh. It's not time to sleep!” Running her hands through her hair, she sat up, yawning a bit to herself. “I'm sorry.. I'm awake.” She couldn't remember the last time she had a good night's sleep. Not since her father killed her mother.

11 years in the past...

It all started when she was about four years old. Her father started drinking and getting into some kind of drug addiction and her mother did everything she could to please him. The constant crying and screaming that came from her mother's room every night; the begging and pleading she heard for him not to come into my room when he was angry. The pain never went away. Not even to this day. It was on her fifth birthday, that everything changed drastically. Little miss Maxine Cavennaugh was sitting silently in her room, coloring in her coloring book, a picture of a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. It seemed to be the only thing that kept her mind off of the fighting that usually took place down the hall.

This time was different. There was a dark aura around the house even more so than there usually is. Maxine's mother was begging for him to let her go; objects were being thrown to the ground and breaking, shattering. Max wandered out of her room and peaked around the corner, only to see her father throw her mother into the table, hitting her head on the corner and immediately, her screams were silenced. As her eyes began to water to the view of her motionless mother, her father grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hall. Fighting, kicking and screaming, her attempts to get away were futile. She was thrown into a closet that locked from the outside. Banging on the door, pleading to be let out, she was ignored. It wasn't long until she became weak and tired, falling asleep on the closet floor.

When she woke, the closet door had been opened and it the moonlight was shining from the window into the confined place. Slowly, she moved out of the closet and wandered down the hall, where she saw her father drinking away his spirit with a bottle of whiskey. Her mother's body had been removed from the floor and her father turned to look at her. “You aren't to say a word about what happened. As far as everyone knows, it was an accident.” The girl was silent, staring at her father as he staggered over to the couch to plop down and immediately pass out in his drunkenness.

Present Day..

That day after school, Maxine was only remembering the very memories she had suppress for so many years. The visions of her mother lying dead on floor at her father's hand. The pain and suffering she's gone through for years and the bruises she hides behind baggy clothing. Each day, she dreaded going home from school. Being home was like living in a nightmare over and over again and she could do nothing but walk right back into it. Her father was very well known in the society for being “helpful” and a “kind man.”None of them saw him for what he really was... A monster in the flesh of man. Her attempts to get help were futile and only got her more bruises and pain.

When she got home, her father had a couple of no-good, perverted friends over. They were all watching the game, getting drunk and yelling their profanity at the T.V.. Max was sitting at the table, trying her hardest to concentrate on her home work, but the constant yelling and random babble were distracting her. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Packing her things into her book back loosely, she got up and began to walk down the hall to her room. However, before she could get far, one of the men grabbed her book bag and tugged, making all of her books fall out as she fell backwards. “What the hell!” She turned around and snapped, pushing the man's hand away.

By this point, all of her father's friends, including himself had stood up to surround her. “You better have some damn respect, little girl.” He got close to her, pushing her into the wall and grabbed her hip to pull her against him. Maxine's eyes lit up with rage - all of the hate she had been harvesting for years. Letting things pass that were unforgivable - She finally snapped. Her knee reared up into his groin, causing him to stumble back and hunch over, grabbing himself in agonizing pain. Another hike to her knee, upwards to hit him in the jaw, causing him to fall back. Immediately, she took off for the door before the others could be within range of her body. They yelled their profanity at her and chased her out the door, but none of them followed her past the that in fear of neighbors hearing or seeing.

Once Maxine got to the end of the driveway, she turned and looked at the door of the house. She thought to herself about how much freedom she felt now that she stood up for herself. She finally felt a heavy weight lifted now that she left that house with no intention of going back. So she turned and she ran; she ran as far as she could away from that tear-soaked house. She ran away from that corrupt town... But most of all, she ran away from her nightmare.

She's finally free.

Author's Note

I wrote a similar story like this back in my senior year of high school and the flash drive it was on died and I lost it... Soooo I re-wrote what I remember from memory!

Reviews

[SnakeEaterCorpo]

really have enjoyed it:) I love your dialog and especially the detailing of your characters, keep up the good work oh and I would appreciate it if you could check out one of my stories and leave a rating with a comment once you get the chance. Thank you so much and great job:)

[Cierra]

Thanks! Yeah, I'll take a look!

[Antonio]

this is amazing, you did an incredible job. I enjoyed it so much and your character detailing is great it really let me visualize it in my head. keep it up.

im actually getting ready to do the same thing I wrote a story quite some time ago and its still in my head so im going to re-write it. I cant wait. (now, if only I had the confidence to post it)

[Cierra]

I post everything regardless of whether or not I think it's good. Haha

Thank you for your words!!

[NoelHC]

Cierra, I grew up in a home where this type of thing never happened, and raised three children in a home that also never had violence in it. I knew that this type of abuse existed of course, but I never truly comprehended it until a very close friend described to me the horrible molestations and abuse she suffered, from her own grandfather. I could not believe the things she told me, and yet I have no reason to doubt one word.
What is truly amazing is how she survived, and remained whole, strong determined.
I hope that Maxine will grow to be the same, it seems she has the right spirit for it.
What you have writen here describes so much of the abuse my friend suffered and told me about.
Well done.

[Cierra]

Thank you! I've had several friends who've gone through this sort of abuse.. It's pretty upsetting to know that someone could do that to another person...

[SVT]

I liked the action in the end of this, very fluent and descriptive. Not bad for conjuring it up from memory, sometimes retelling a story like that brings out new details that weren't there before. Great job:)

[Cierra]

Thank you very much!

[wordman]

I enjoyed the read and good for her finally free

[Cierra]

Thank you!

[wordman]

welcome if you want comments just start reading and commenting most every one returns the favor

[Cierra]

Thanks for the information! Will do! :)

[wordman]

welcome this is a good site