Chapter 1

A Chapter by SummerL

I dragged the remainder of my belongings, to my Dodge Ram. The gleam from the sun blinding me, I hadn’t been outside in days, maybe months since the accident, since my entire life changed. I looked back at the house that I never wished to step foot inside of again, the constant pain the captivated my body. Squeezing my eyes shut trying to lose the memories, the images that I saw. The moment I turn around, I will never look back, nothing will make me want to see this place again. In one fluid motion I threw my bags into the bed of my truck and closed it, averting my eyes from the house, got in the car, and didn’t look back.

I pulled out onto the busy street destined to leave this hell hole called Los Angeles, heading for a small town, Corvallis, Oregon, to start college at Oregon State University. I hadn’t been up to going, I didn’t see the point in it anymore. My mind drifted back to my mom demanding that I go to college, and make something of myself. I had always planned on going, I just liked to bug her saying I would live with her the rest of my life. A smile spread across my lips at the memory, tears welled up in my eyes, my smiled wavered, and quivered. No, I wouldn’t cry, not anymore.

It’s tough though, being only 20, losing everything you’ve once cared for, becoming distant from everything else, losing touch with reality. You don’t realize you’ve pushed yourself that far, but the again you don’t care. You don’t want anything else, but the companionship you once had, that you can never get back.

I finally got out of the traffic I decided I needed to get gas before I tried to drive the next couple hours. I pulled off at the next exit to fill my tank up, and maybe grab a few snacks. I grabbed a few energy drinks, and a coffee, it was winter, and maybe coffee would warm me up enough to lighten my mood. As I walked through the gas station I caught a reflection of myself in the windows of the refrigerated section. Is that what I looked like, really? Black bags hung under my eyes, I looked like I lost all my muscle mass, and all that remains is bones and skin, my once dark brown luxurious hair, hung flat and dull in a tangled mess atop my head. I sighed and looked away, the once upon a time baseball star, the guy everyone wanted to be, turned into a person that I didn’t even want to look at, that nobody did. I quickly paid for my belongings, and headed to the counter, I averted eye contact with the woman at the register, ashamed of what I’ve let myself turn into.

After filling the truck up, I headed north, not planning on stopping until I either reached my destination.

next chapter