The rain was cold and had soaked through my clothes but I was too scared to move from inside the thick bushes. I started to shiver and all I could think about was warmth. There was only one place I could go and be safe and before I knew completely what had happened I realized I was running. Down the side of the busy road I ran, the cars splashing me as they whizzed by. The cold rain stung as it hit my face and my wet clothes rubbed my skin raw but I continued to run. People driving by looked at me. I’m sure they wondered what a kid was doing out this late in such a bad storm.



I took my pocket knife out of my pocket and held it in my palm in case a weirdo tried to stop and attack me. Up ahead I saw the lights of the convenience store and I ran even harder. I looked over my shoulder to make sure no one was following me. There was six inches of water sitting in the parking lot but it didn’t slow me down. I didn’t stop running until I hit the brick wall next to the pay phone.



I pulled the change from my pocket and put a quarter in the pay phone and dialed. “Please be home, grandma,” I said, trying to catch my breath. The phone rang and rang but she didn’t answer. She wasn’t home. I sat on the curb for what seemed like hours and then decided to walk to her house. It would take the whole night and I would have to go through bad neighborhoods but I couldn’t stay there.



The rain had stopped by the time I started walking. There were hardly any cars on the road now. I walked and walked until the sky turned red. I turned and a cop told me to stand still.