Running Away

Robert had just returned from a difficult day at his school. Endless bullying about how his father had left them and how his mother was struggling to make ends meet. Somehow he managed to keep his tears away till he got to the neighborhood park. As he collapsed near the back wall behind some leafy bushes, he considered his options. He could run away. He loved his mother but he couldn’t take the bullying anymore. He could stand up to his bullies but then they might hurt him. And then his mother would be sad again. But for the life of him he couldn’t think of another option. One that didn’t involve keeping his head down because he was way past that.

Eventually Robert went with the lesser of the two evils. He ran. He had no idea where to go. Just to go. So, Robert went to the neighboring town. He had a few friends there but he had no idea how he was going to explain why he was there without his mother. Instead he continued on through the town and on to the city nearby.

He knew no one here. It was cold and dark. The streets were unfamiliar. He didn’t know if he was welcome or if anyone would pity him and give him food. Robert had finished all he had brought with him in the first town. He should have thought this through. Then suddenly a huge man covered in tattoos turned into the alley Robert was crouched in.  Robert yelped and curled into a ball. He could hear the man’s footsteps coming closer.

“Please don’t hurt me!”

“Why would I hurt you kid?”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I…”

“You ain’t from around here, are you?”

Robert found himself telling the man the truth. “I ran away from home. The boys at home bullied me a lot. I couldn’t take it anymore. Now I’m lost and hungry and scared and lonely. I shouldn’t have run away.”

“I’m Luis. Come on, let’s get some food in you then figure out what to do with you.”

“You didn’t ask for my name or where I’m from.”

“Oh right...sorry! In the gangs we ain’t particularly big on names and pasts. But you ain’t a gangster. You’re just a kid--”

“I’m Robert. I am from a town a little ways away, Old Creek.”

“Man you’re from the country!”

“Yeah, it’s a pretty small place.” By this point they had arrived at a food truck. They ordered tacos and sat at some tables nearby.

“So you got family?”

“Yeah. I got my mama. My father left a long time back. It’s just us now. She must be worried out of her mind.”

“Hey kid lemme tell you somethin’. My mum died when I was born and my pops blamed me. Kicked me outta the house at 8. Gang took me in. You got your mum. Bullies will give up at some point. Fight back. They only like easy prey. You’ll be fine on that front kid. Go back home kid. You won’t have your mum forever. Go back to her.”

“I can’t. I’m lost. I don’t know how to get back. Besides she’ll be so angry.”

“I’ll give you a ride. Trust me kiddo, she won’t be mad at ya.”

As soon as Robert stepped inside the house, his mother wrapped him in a hug. Surrounded with his mother’s arms, he realized that maybe life was hard but maybe he could be harder. As his mother wordlessly fed him dinner, Robert grinned happily for the first time in a long time.