by Jennifer Mendez

Created on: September 07, 2008   Last Updated: September 17, 2008

Runaway

The hot sun shone on his back as he walked along the dirt road. His footsteps were loud; his boots covered in dust. The man looked around at the nothingness around him. There were birds circling above, calling others to join them, as if awaiting the moment he collapsed to the ground. The horizon before him was forever flat, making him feel like no progress was being made. His guitar and suitcase were getting heavier by the minute.

The man kept walking, thinking of the town he had left behind. His hometown was small and unknown by the world, but it was the universe for those who lived there. Being as insignificant as it was, everyone knew each other, something that drew him crazy. He had left in the middle of the night so no one would notice him leaving. He didn't want to be interrogated or bothered in any way. After all, they had done that all his life. He was ready for a new phase, a promising future, something that tiny place would never offer.

He remembered how people looked at him every time he spoke of becoming a musician. It was a look that made him feel like he had five eyes and green teeth. Those people would never understand him. They had lived in that town and grown up believing that there was no life beyond the ordinary. On the other hand, he had always been different. He wanted to explore the world, travel to places beyond his wildest dreams, play his music, and meet people he had never seen.

The man looked up quickly, as if woken up from a dream. He noticed the sun was going down fast and quickened his pace. "I have to get somewhere. Anywhere," he said under his breath. He had been walking for hours, but there was no sign of life other than the birds and himself. Suddenly, he heard a booming noise coming behind him, far away in the distance. He stopped and turned to face the noise, which quickly became recognizable. It sounded like loud music being played in a fast car. The man's heart skipped a beat as he realized that this could be his salvation. This was the first car he'd heard all day.

And then it came. The green Jeep was clearly visible now. As it got closer, the man noticed how the paint had no shine left. The Jeep was from the early 90's, in good shape, but in need of a few touch-ups. The man was too busy examining it to notice how the Jeep went slower as it got closer to him. He remembered to lift his thumb, but it was pointless since the Jeep was already stopping in front of him.

"Hey, need a lift?" said the man from inside the car.

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