Shoving what few articles of clothing and items she owned into a backpack, Star opened the balcony windows and used the vines on the side of the building to scale her way to street level before breaking out into a run. Left turn towards the plaza. 2 more rights to get to the park. Straight ahead and the fire station’s on her right. Take a left from there and the school stands tall. A school she never attended because she always skipped. Her first day of school was not the best of memories. Running past the school she made 2 more lefts then another right before finding the forest. Her comfort place. They never found her here.
Dropping her bag next to a large rock, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. She couldn’t live with society anymore, not the way they expected a 15-year-old to. Taking out the water bottle from a side pocket, she took a few sips. She needed to preserve what little food and water she had fit in her bag. Shoulders relaxing as she leaned forward, she thought up different plans. This was the fifth foster home she’d run from. She was just too different. She couldn’t stay in the forest for long though. They’re bound to find and drag her back. They haven’t given up and she’s more than certain her “Master” had put out a hefty reward on her head should one of his subordinates return her to him. 1 night was okay though. But not more than that. She can’t go back to the city either. Too many people and no way to know who’s who.
The sun would set in about an hour. With darkness comes danger peace. Walking through the woods for a few minutes, she found her small safehouse. Well, more of a safe bunker. A small clearing with an abandoned bear cave. No human or animal had been her for over a year. Well, no one besides her. She always kept a small stash of supplies here and not once has it been tampered with. She didn’t know why she did that, only that a voice in the back of her mind told her she had to. She’ll spend the night here, then hitchhike somewhere to a smaller town. Out of the city. She couldn’t escape them but damned if she wasn’t going to try and run.
The moon came and went without so much as a crickets chirp. She hated silent nights. Everything felt too still, to artificial. Animal’s hide when there’s danger nearby. And so did she. The sun started waking. Waiting until the cave’s mouth was fully illuminated, she gathered everything she had left in the cave. She wasn’t coming back. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she turned around and took one last look at the only place she’d dare call “home”.
One foot after the other, she walked out of the forest and towards the highway. The police had to know she was missing by now. They wouldn’t be looking for her though. Not actively. No. Best bet, she had been taken again. They’re not going to waste their resources on looking for a broken pet. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the anger away. Getting worked up about how little people cared for her wasn’t going to help.
There is one person that cares for you
She walked along the highway away from the city. One foot after the other. Counting how many steps from one interstate sign to the next.
126. 127. 128. 129-
A pickup could be heard coming her way. Stopping, she waved her arm in the air trying to grab the drivers attention. It sped right past. No one was going to help her. She kept on walking.
130. 131. 132. 133.
She reached the interstate sign. The next town was 10 miles away. 10 miles. That’s good. That’s far enough. The sun had been beating down on her for the last couple hours as her stomach growled in protest. Stopping to rest for a few minutes, she took out her water and a granola bar. Small sips and slow bites. Make this one last. 5 minutes later she was on her feet again.
3 more hours of walking. 15 cars, 7 vans, 9 pick ups, 3 trucks, and 1 highway patrol trooper passed her. None of them stopped or even slowed down. Her feet felt like lead after this much walking. Her back hunched and her head not looking up from the weight on her back. Still, she couldn’t stop walking. Sipping on her water she heard another car coming. She had long stopped trying to get the drivers attention. Closer and closer until she could hear the engine right next to her. It didn’t race by. She didn’t stop walking though, not until the driver rolled down his window.
“Do you need a ride Miss?”
Silence
“I’m just heading to the next town over. Are you walking there by yourself?”
Nod
“Get in. You shouldn’t be walking in this heat. Your bag looks far to heavy for you to be walking around with it.”
Taking one look at the backseat, she hesitated. She can’t be this trusting. She would decline politely and keep walking. Opening her mouth to reply, she froze when a voice from the back interrupted.
“Daddy? How long until we’re at Gramma’s?”
A young girl sat in her car seat. Star cursed herself internally. How could she have missed a child in the back. The heat and walking couldn’t have gotten to her that quickly. Could it have?
“Almost there honey. A few more minutes. We’re just going to help this young lady out a bit. She’s also going to Grandma’s.”
Straining her neck, the young girl looked over her dad’s shoulder and right at Star’s dishevelled look. Feeling self conscious, Star ran her fingers through her slightly frizzled locks. The braid she placed it in this morning had become loose.
“You’re coming to Gramma’s too?” She looked so excited at the prospect of having a guest.
Star found herself at a loss for words. She took one look at the child in the back seat and smiled tiredly. She couldn’t say no to her if she tried. Turning to the father still waiting at the wheel, she nodded and took off her backpack. Opening the back door, she slid into the backseat and buckled in. The young girl cheering as the father eyed her through the mirror.
Mouthing the words thank you, she gave him a smile. Satisfied, he smiled back and put the car in gear. 5 minutes later they arrived at the town. The entire time the girl had been talking nonstop with Star. While she didn’t reply much, she was more than happy to listen to the ramblings of the girl. Toxic thoughts of her wishing she could have done the same with her parents emerged before she pushed them back down.
They arrived at the grandmother’s house before Star leaned over to undo the child’s seat belt and then her own. Getting out of the car, she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder. Thanking the father, she turned to leave before he called out to her.
“Is there anywhere you want me to drop you off? Forgive me for saying this, but it doesn’t really look like you have many places to go. If you’d like, you can spend the night here. My mother doesn’t get much company and she’d be ecstatic if I brought a guest over.”
Upon hearing her father offer Star a place at their grandma’s, the little girl started jumping up and down, practically hanging off the teenager.
“Can you stay with us? Pretty pretty pretty please!?”
With voices in her head yelling at her to decline and leave, Star struggled to stay focused, to stay in control with them trying to take over and turn her away. Shaking her head in an effort to silence them, she looked down at the little girl practically hanging off her arm. Her large green eyes staring up at her, practically begging her to come to her Gramma’s. Looking back up at her father, she let out a small sigh. One night couldn’t hurt, could it?
Mistake
Nodding her head in agreement, she spoke the words that would soon be her undoing.
The US Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) awarded Lockheed Martin $26.3 million for the design, development and production of a high power fiber laser. AFRL plans to test the laser on a tactical fighter jets by 2021. The contract is part of AFRL's Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD)
