Editing Character Vignettes (section)

=='''Runaway'''==

By the time I realized the thing wasn’t chasing me, I had no idea where I was.  I turned into an alley and sat, with my back against the wall, and my exhaustion suddenly caught up to me.  As I slowly recharged, I noticed the graffiti on the opposite wall – I mean, really noticed it, had time to look around, take it in.  The flickering lamplight lent a strange kind of rhythm to my intake.

And I realized that it obviously meant something to whoever made it.  Even though nobody will know them, let alone give them any kind of recognition or reward.  Even though society thinks it’s a nuisance at best, people have the urge to create.  And as I realized that, I realized how beautiful it was.

It was around about then that I noticed there was someone else in the alley.  Tall, lanky – even though I’d been warned not to go into strange places at night, for some reason I didn’t feel like I was in danger from him.  Besides, there wasn’t any place more dangerous than my own home now.

“You look… freaked out.”  He said as he came into the lamplight.

“Yeah.”  I was too exhausted and incoherent to say any more.  He extended his hand to help me to my feet, and I took it.

“From the looks of it, you don’t have anywhere particular in mind to go to, right?”

“Anywhere but home.  Actually, I’m really not sure where I am.”

“Parent troubles, right?” That’s an understatement.  “It’s not all that rare.  Well, luckily, there’s a place to stay not far from here – I’ll show you.  My name’s Scott, by the way.”

“I’m Sara.  And thank you.”

I still hadn’t completely gotten over my initial shock by the time we reached the shelter.  Scott knocked on the door, and I had my first meeting with a certain warmly-smiling woman.  

“Scott, come in.  And I haven’t met you before, have I, dearie?  Come on in, get yourself out o’the cold.  My name’s Alice.”  As I stepped in, she hugged me – she seemed to radiate warmth and kindness, and there didn’t seem to be a single false thing about it.  Despite all the poverty and trouble that goes with us street kids, she always manages to be bright and kind.  Even when someone misbehaves and she scolds them for it, I never get the feeling that she dislikes them.  Anyway, she got me some hot chocolate (from one of the big bulk-buy cans), the got a mattress, pillow and blankets for me and showed me to one of the girls’ dorms.  It wasn’t much bigger than my room at home, but there were about eight girls there, so it was way more cramped.

Tired as I was, it was impossible for me to get to sleep – I lay awake, tossing and turning, afraid that… thing would suddenly appear.  After I-don’t-know-how-long-but-it-felt-like-forever, the girl next to me – Kate - touched my shoulder.

“Can’t sleep?” she whispered.

“I’m too scared.” I replied.  “It was… my dad’s… he changed…” I trailed off – how could anyone ever believe me?

“You mean changed changed?” she asked.  “Like, into a monster?”  

“What?  Monsters?  There’s no such thing, right?” But the lack of conviction in my voice was all the proof she needed.

“You don’t have to pretend.  There’s a bunch of us who have seen monsters.  They’re real, even if nobody else believes people like us.  Well, Alice believes us, so maybe you could talk to her about it.  So, if you can’t get to sleep after something like that, I understand.  Hey, I can stay awake with you if you want, help you keep a lookout?”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.  After all, people like us… friends are about the only thing we have.”