Lost

Ninas POV My name is Nina Thompson. By my calculations, I should be 18 years old. But I'm not sure. I don't celebrate my birthday. I don't celebrate anything. See, my parents, Jim and Nancy Thompson, aren't too keen on me having fun. Actually, I get beat for even cracking a smile. For as long as I can remember, I have never had fun, never gone outside, never had friends, and usually don't even know what day it is. My goal in this life is to make food, clean the house and do my homework. Anything else and I don't get to eat and normally get beat. I stay in the basement until an alarm goes off to get up and make breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Those are the only times I'm allowed upstairs. I've learned how to stay quiet while mom and dad are here. I bet you're wondering why I don't sneak upstairs while they are gone. Simple, I tried. I was able to sneak some books down to my room in the basement one time. If it's not homework, I'm not allowed to read. Dad says it's because I'm not allowed to let my imagination run wild. I got cocky and tried to sneak some food as well. But I got caught. Mom and dad took all the food from my room and locked me in the basement for a month, only giving me a bottle of water and a piece of bread every day. Thankfully, they didn't find my books. I put them in the one place I knew they'd never look, the dryer. Since I was the only one to do laundry in the house, it was pretty easy to hide stuff there. I should have hid the food there too, but I was so hungry that I wanted it by me, so I put it under my mattress for easy access. That was the wrong answer. My mattress is no bigger than a toddler mattress, so they spotted it with ease one day when I was getting a beating for not waking up in time to make breakfast. Anyway, like I said by my calculations, I should be 18 years old today. I have notches etched into the side of a wooden cabinet that holds the laundry supplies. I started that way back when. I don't know how old I was. It started after my parents decided they hated me for some reason. But enough is enough. I am done with this life. If I can't make my escape tonight, I will end my suffering. Mom and dad have a galla to go to tonight. So I'm off the hook for dinner. That just gives me more time to get some food together and what few clothes I have, and leave. Mom — "You'll do well to stay in the basement while we are out. One misstep and you'll get a beating so bad you won't be able to stand for a week.'' Me - "Yes ma'am." Dad — "Clean up this pig sty, I want this place spotless when we get home''. Me - " Yes sir." Listening intently, I waited for the front door to open and close. It has a small squeak to it ever since I got slammed into it for trying to answer the door. The moment I have been waiting for comes. The door opens, then closes. I wait for what feels like forever before I get a bag and start putting my clothes and a blanket in it. I go up the stairs quiet as a mouse and make my way to the pantry. I'll be on the run, so I can't pack food I'll have to cook. I get some bread and crackers, then go to the fridge for some water bottles. Everything packed and ready to go, I started heading towards the back door. I put my hand on the door knob and freeze. I've been waiting for this moment for so long, and it's finally here. My freedom is just on the other side of this door. But I've never been outside, I have no idea where anything is. What am I doing?!?!? My heart rate starts rising, and I feel like I'm about to throw up. " Stop it, you have to breathe. You have to go. GO!" Opening the door to the outside world, I breathe in and run. I feel like I'm going in slow motion. Like a grandma could catch me. But I have to run. I start running towards a bunch of trees, then see the road, so I veer that way and run down the street. Running past houses and cars, I can't help but to wonder why no one ever came to rescue me. Did they even know I existed? Ugh, get these thoughts out of your head and run. Run like your life depends on it. Because it does. Forcing myself to keep running, my lungs started burning. I guess that's what I get for never running. I keep going. Blocks and blocks, house after house. I come to a long dark road. A sign on the side of the road reads, Now Leaving Ports Town. Wow, I guess we didn't live that far from the city limits. Who knew? Where do I go from here? I guess I just keep running. I take a minute to sit on the side of the road and get a drink of water. I look around to see lights in the distance of the town on one side and see darkness on the other. My only chance of survival is getting out of this town. Darkness it is. I put my water bottle back in my bag and started walking again. Headlights in the distance appear, and I start to panic. I race off the road and into the brush doing my best to hide, hoping the car didn't see me. No such luck. I hear the car come to a stop just feet away from me. A car door opens and I hear a guy's voice. "Maybe it was just an animal. I don't see anything." "Then get back in the car," another guy's voice commanded. The door shuts and the car drives off. That was a close one, I think to myself. I have to be more careful. Sticking to the brush, I make my way down the dark road. I have no idea what time it is or how far I've gone, but I'm exhausted. I have to lay down for a bit. Finding a place behind that shrub that I'm hoping hides me well enough, I get out my water and my blanket. I use my bag as a pillow and cover up in my blanket. Sleep does not find me as I lay there looking up at the stars. Was this all worth it? What will I find out here? Questions storm my mind, making it impossible to sleep. The morning sun warms my face as I lay groggy on the ground. Not ready to get up yet, I decided to lay there a few minutes longer. Listening, I hear a car fast approaching. " Should I see about getting a ride? It would be easier than walking. But I have to get a car that's not going the way I left. Come on body, move." Trying with all my might, I force myself to my feet. " No cars yet. Okay, I guess walking it is. " Some time passes while I'm eating some of my crackers and drinking my water when I hear the sounds of another car. I turn to look and see a big black truck coming my way. Too weak to do anything, I just stare at the oncoming vehicle. It starts slowing as it gets closer to me and comes to a stop just feet in front of me. A tall man steps out of the truck and calls out, "What the hell are you doing out here?" His voice husky and full of something I can't put my finger on, sends chills down my spine. "I........ I....." Before I knew it, the world went black.