Chapter one
Hi, my name is Kelly. I ran away from home about four years ago. I’m sixteen, so that means I was twelve. Reasons why I ran away are complicated. Abusive step dad is one reason. It's a lot of trauma. One day, I left with some of my s**t and never looked back. I’m better off in the woods alone. No one to bother me, no expectations to live up to. I’m free.
When you've been out here in the woods alone, you learn real quick how hard it is to survive in the wild. In Michigan, we can get bad winters and well all four seasons, really, but winter is the worst because of the snow and freezing temperatures. But lucky for me, during winter I go to a cabin that is only used for hunting season or summer and I use it.
I go to the same one all the time, my uncle Mike. He told me that if I ever needed a place to stay, I could crash there. Out of all of my family, he is the only one who really understood me. My uncle was the only nice one in my family. I've always felt like an outcast in the community. Yet Uncle Mike was always there to break up a fight or just to hang out with me. I had another uncle but I hadn't seen him for a very long time. He might be dead. I hope not, though. He was my best friend for the longest time.
Anyway, the last week of winter this year, Uncle Mike came up and hung out with me. One night, we were playing Uno, and just as I was about to kick his ass he told me about this place where I can train for what I need to accomplish. I could be me without anyone judging me. A new start.
“What if they don’t like me?” I asked as I tightened my wool blanket around my shoulders.
“Kel, they will love you. I know for a fact.” he gave me his famous sweet smile before getting back to the game. “Oh and pick up four card sucker!” he yelled as he put down a card.
“f**k I almost won!” He just shrugged with a big grin on his face.
You might be wondering “Kelly why did you only stay at your uncle's cabin in the winter, why not all the seasons?” Well, unless the weather was extremely bad I just stayed outside. Strangely, I felt more comfortable. Also if anyone were to find out I was staying there they would have told my step father. Neither of us wanted that. So I had a tent a few miles from his cabin and that's how I lived. It was peaceful.
Sometimes at night I would sleep outside the tent by the fire and just look up at the stars and see millions of stars. Always wondering just how many are really up there. The moon would light the sky and I always always looked at it. Feeling a strong connection to it. Sometimes I would feel this primale need to go run at night and hunt as strange as it sounds.
The next day he gave me a map, $200 and a week later I was walking to a place where I didn't know anyone and could have been rejected, regardless of what he said. But I will admit the thought of not being alone all the time does sound nice. Before I left though, one thing that uncle Mike told me about this place kept ringing in my head 'They only let the ones they want in'.
What the hell was that supposed to mean? I really have no effing idea. Maybe it was something to do with the government? Nah I don't think he would send me to a place like that. I walk for a week and two days until I finally get there. I took breaks and slept when I absolutely needed to, but tell you the truth I barely did it. I just wanted to get to this place. See if I would really have a shot.
Laying in my sleeping bag looking at the fire I look back to the past four years of my life. I’ve come so far from the twelve year old little scaredy cat I used to be. I have a lot to make up for before I can forget and forgive. But I will get there. Some day. As I’m lost in my thoughts I slowly drift off to sleep.
The only thing I remember the next day was seeing this big gate in the middle of the woods and fainted right after seeing the dang thing.
I know you're probably asking why I did that? Well I was tired from only getting 20 hours of sleep the entire week and the dumb f**k I was I didn't pack water or food after the last town two days ago so yeah I was dehydrated and starving to say the least. I probably could have taken a cab but honestly I don't trust anyone. Like how can people blindly trust someone to just take them where they want to go and to not kidnap them? Even if you pay them. What's to say they won't do what they want with you and toss you to the side of the road after? That's why I thought it would be better If I just walked. Clearly that was a mistake.
The nurse said I was in and out for the rest of the week and that they had me hooked up to an IV and put me on some fluids to keep me hydrated. Well that sucks. I could have been doing something. Who knows maybe it could have been getting to know these people? Well anyway, that's how I got here. Where? I don’t know yet, but soon I will.
