𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬

Chapter 2

SAMARIA RENEÈ JENKINS
2:33 a.m | WEDNESDAY MORNING

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LOCATION: UNKNOWN

A GROAN ESCAPES HER LIPS as someone shakes her awake. She was so tired, this was probably the best sleep she'd got in weeks and it was all being disturbed by this one person who can't respect her sleep.

"Excuse me ma'am?" She hears a deep voice say. "You've been on this bus for almost two hours, where are you going?" She opens her eyes when she realizes it's the bus driver that's trying to get her attention. She turns her head to look at him, then she quickly looks at the window, "Where are we?"

"Baltimore."

It was at least an hour away from home. Perfect. She thinks. Anywhere is better than home.

She collects her things and gets up, the driver steps back and allows her to step out of the seat and onto the aisle. "This ya' stop?" He says confusingly. Samaria nods, a fake smile plastered on her face. "Yea, it is, thanks." She quickly says before walking down the bus aisle and down the steps onto the pavement. She looks around, the streets are actually pretty busy for it to be almost three a.m. She looks down at her busted watch she'd had since she was kid— to in her surprise, it's still works.

The time read 2:40 a.m. Her stomach rumbled. She wasn't sure what was open at this time of night, but she had to find some convenient store or restaurant to fulfill her hunger.

With her now new trench coat covering ninety percent of her small body, her duffel bag was slung on her shoulder as she walks down the somewhat busy street. The only people that were lingering were drug dealers, prostitutes, and workers that got off at graveyard hours or workers going in.

"Hey pretty lady, wanna make a quick $40?" A guy drunkly leans on the side of a brick wall. Laughing as his own words as he tried to holler at Samaria. She quickens her pace, turning down another street that had more brighter light than the last street. A sigh of relief escapes her lips and she keeps walking, still feeling disgusted by what that man said to her.

She sees a store open down the street. With glee, she walks down to the store, pulling the door open hearing the faint ding of the bell letting the worker know a customer has walked in.

"Welcome to Food Mart." The worker says in a bored tone. He is seen sitting in a chair, legs kicked up with a bag of hot chips in his hand as he stares at the movie that played in front of him.

Samaria walks down the chips aisle, slowly scanning her options. She didn't want to splurge too much, only have $350 to her name, she needed enough to at least find a hotel room, if she even can with her age.

She grabs two bags of chips, one hot fries and the other bag being doritos sweet and spicy. She walks over to the cooler and grabs two waters, she wasn't much of a juice or soda person.

She contemplated on whether she should get any type of candy. Thinking of how she hadn't had anything sweet in a while, she proceeded to grab a Hershey's cookies and cream bar in a king size, then heads towards the register.

"Will this be all for you." The cashier says boringly. She nods. He rings everything up and places it in a bag before telling her the balance, "$17.85" She was taken back by the price, not expecting it to be so expensive for a convenient store, but she hasn't been shopping in a while, so it shouldn't be a surprise that prices have risen.