Reality

Chapter 14

Me and Thomas layed together for a while until we fell asleep. Before I did fall asleep, I thought about what he said, that if I don't love myself, I can't reach my full potential. It's nice to know that someone believes I can do it, I just need to get the thought out of my head that I can't do it. 

I wake up bright and early in the morning and go down to breakfast to grab food for everyone. By the time I'm back up to the room, everyone is awake and getting ready. "You're up early, you're usually the one that sleeps the longest." I laugh at Lydia, "I guess I'm just excited to leave!" Mine and Thomas' eyes meet and I smile at him, while he grinned back. Something changed overnight, maybe it's the fact that Thomas and I said I love you to each other, or maybe because I learned something new about myself. I learned that I am stronger than I thought I was, and that I can achieve anything as long as I believe in myself.

We leave in less than ten minutes, and are about to head to the station. It's about a three minute walk, so it shouldn't take that long to get there. "Ready!" I really am enthusiastic right now. "Yep!" we all started to walk to the station when I heard Thomas, "GO NOW!" I look behind me and see the guards again. How the hell did they find us... again. We all ran and Josh was trying to keep up as best as he can. Lydia was banging on the bus door to Chicago, "OPEN! HURRY!" He eventually opens the doors and all of us jump in, and people are staring. 

The bus driver was taking his time getting ready, and the guards were getting close. "HURRY UP old man! We can't wait any longer!" The bus driver looked in the mirror and stared angrily at me, but my face did not budge. He started to drive and all four of us found seats all the way in the back, that way no one could hear us. "How the hell did they find us?" Josh looked scared, and I would be too if I were shot by those guys. "I have no clue, but thank god we made it just in time."

I took a deep breath and tried to focus. How did they find us, there's no way anyone could have said anything. I hear the glass shatter and I look behind me. I see them grabbing Lydia. She's screaming at the top of her lungs and the bus stops. "GET THE HELL OFF OF HER!" Josh is screaming and Thomas is trying to get the guys off of her. I grab Lydia's hand. "I got you Lydia, I won't let go ok!" I keep pulling and Josh is trying to help me. Its 4 against 6 right now. Thomas is trying his best to get one of the guards hands off of Lydia's leg. I feel Lydia's hand start to slip away, "come on Lydia, were almost there. Help me Josh!" We keep pulling and pulling and I lose her grip. 

"NO! Thomas help us please!" Thomas hits the last of the guards and I see him pull her back in the bus. Lydia hugs Thomas and cries in his arms. I run to the front of the bus, "are you going to drive or not!" He shakes his head, "you are fugitives, I will not move this bus." Thomas comes over while Josh is calming Lydia down. I keep yelling though, "if you don't move this bus, I will." The bus driver doesn't do anything, "get the hell out of the way before I make you!" I look back at the guards and they are starting to get close. Thomas squeezes my hand and shakes his head. "Please sir, I'm begging you. We will be killed if we don't leave. We are trying to find our home, so please allow us to find it." 

The bus driver looks at Lydia and Josh then starts the engine again just in time before the guards can come. "Thank you sir, thank you all for not turning us in." Everyone is dead silent. We go back to our seats and sit down. "Are you alright Lydia?" she nods her head shakily. "I'm so sorry this happened to you but can I ask you one thing? She nods her head again, "did you ask for help on finding tickets for the buses?" She looked at me with wide eyes, "yes. What if the person who I asked told some of the guards where we were heading. I mean one of the guys was stabbed, so they would have to go to the hospital. They probably knew we were there at some point because Josh got shot, but we just didn't cross paths." 

I was bewildered by this thought, what if the guards were at the same hospital at the same time? "That is insane. From now on no more asking for help on getting anything." Lydia looked embarrassed, "I'm sorry, I should have known." Thomas sat face to face with Lydia, "it's fine. Now we know and that's all that matters now. We all went silent after, I think it's because we're all wary of the people around us. I guess everyone in the System knows about us running away, which I'm not surprised because word travels fast in the societies. 

I am praying that they will just give up trying to catch us, they've lost now three times. Isn't that a big enough hint to tell them that it's over. We are now closer to Chicago than we are New York, when will they give up the search?