The Great Escape

What is life when everything you love, and everything you live for is gone? Life looses its meaning completely. I have found that there is a difference between living life, and just existing. When the things you love are cruelly taken away, you loose all fortitude to live.1

I remember, it seems like eons ago, when I was just nine years old, my parents and I were driving home from a family reunion at my Aunt’s house. It was late, dark, the roads were pitch black. The roads were covered with a layer of black ice. The car was sliding out of the lines, but luckily the roads weren’t busy, and dad was a good driver. We all enjoyed the treacherous ride maybe to much.2

Everything was perfect. We were all happily singing along to happily to our favorite CD, Lifehouse; a family favorite. We all knew the words, and didn’t care how we sounded. My mom and dad both looked at me through the rear view mirror. Smomhow, it was all bittersweet, like there wouldn’t be much more of this ‘family’ time, but what was I thinking? Nothing was going to happen. We were all safe, I was just worrisome. 3

I didn’t know then, that this would be the last time I saw my family together, smiling. I didn’t know that I would soon be waking up form a nightmare, just to see that is was reality and that all of it was true.4

* * *5

I woke up and I found myself in a white room. The vision was blurry from having my eyes closed for such a long time, but there were people surrounding me, and some of them seemed to be crying. Once my eyes adjusted, I could make out the figures, some of them were crying. 6

I was confused, I didn’t know what was going on. Why was everyone crying? I started looking around the room, looking for my parents, but they weren’t there. Why weren’t they here? Every time I had been in a hospital bed, they had been there, holding my hand. But where were they now?7

“Where’s my mom and dad,” I said immediately. My voice was cracked, from the fear. Imagine, waking up in some mysterious place, not knowing what is going on, who surrounds you, and where your parents were. I was panicking, I had no idea what was going on.8

Everyone in the room was staring at me in silence. I looked at every face in the room, waiting for them to answer. They all had the same solemn, sad expression on their face. The silence in the room was almost loud. The only thing I could hear was everyone breathing loudly.9

Finally, a women spoke up. She was old and had gray hair and a white wrinkly face. “Ayla dear,” the old lady said kindly. “ Do remember anything?” she asked. She had a soft and kind voice that was comforting. Even in my tragic state, I still felt a sudden feeling of comfort. 10

“ What’s going on?” I demanded as I lost that comforting feeling instantly. I didn’t have a clue what this lady was talking about. Was I going crazy? No, I couldn’t be. 11

The same lady spoke again. “ Ayla dear. Do remember being in your car with your parents?” she asked. I nodded the memories returned to me, singing along with my mom and dad. 12

“ Do you remember anything else?” she said in her same soft tone. I tried to remember everything. What had happned after they looked at me in the mirror? What? Why couldn’t I remember? What was wrong with me?. I must have blacked out. I shook my head. I was tired of these ongoing questions. The only thing I wanted was answers. The lady took a deep breath and said 13

“ I am so sorry, but your parents died in a car crash.” The words echoed in my mind. My world was now over. Everything was gone. I have just lost my meaning of life.14

At first, I was too sad to cry. I was in shock. After a while, a horrible sob broke in my chest. My emotions overpowered me. No sort of sadness could explain how I was feeling right now. When ever I was sad, my mom always told me, “It’s not the end of the world.” But those words would never apply in this situation. 15

I stayed in the hospital another night and in the morning, I was taken to a Foster Home. I had no other relatives that could take care of me unfortunately. Both of my parents didn’t have any brothers or sisters. And their parents were both in retirement homes, so there was no possible way they could take care of me. 16

I didn’t want to go to a Foster Home and have a person I have never met before take me away. I didn’t want to be with anyone by my parents. I was alone. I had no one to hold my hand and give a big bear hug and kiss my cheek. 17

I stayed at the Foster Home only for a week. Most kids would kill to stay there for only a week. Though my whole stay was a blur. The majority of the time I sat in a corner and cried, still trying to grasp my parent’s death.18

We didn’t have enough money for a proper funeral, so there wasn’t one. I wouldn’t have gone anyway, it would have been too sad. Could you imagine going to your own parent’s funeral, at my age. To me, it would be just heartbreaking.19

A lady named Samantha Dickinson adopted me. She was a little, plump women with brown hair that was turning gray and gray eyes. Her gray eyes intimidated me. There was something about them that scared me, but I didn’t know what.20

She was the principal of a boarding school and she told Foster Center that she would let me attend the boarding school. But this didn’t make me feel any better. I didn’t want to live with a lady I’ve never met before. 21

The boarding school was a ways from civilization. It had a cold empty look to it, and I felt like a condemned prisoner riding to their execution. I felt helpless and trapped with no escape, I felt doomed.22

In Colorado Springs, it was by the Garden of the Gods. It would only take about fifteen minutes to walk there. I loved to go to Garden of the Gods. It was so beautiful. My parents used to take me there all the time when I was sad.23

The school from the outside was made out of red brick. It was a beautiful school. It was a little out dated, but I kind of liked it. The inside of the school was as amazing as it was on the outside. There was a big open room that had black leather couches and a TV in the center. There was also a huge long,brown table, where I’m guessing everyone ate. The inside was just as out dated as the outside.24

“Follow me to the kitchen,” said Ms. Dickinson. I followed her into the kitchen. I was the biggest kitchen I had ever seen. It was really big and open. There were three sinks, four ovens, six microwaves, and the biggest fridge and freezer I had ever seen.25

“From now on Ayla, you are going to work here. Every morning you wake up at 6 AM and you will help the cook, Sally. Then after everyone has eaten you will go to the dorms and clean them. Sally will explain the cleaning. Also at 8:30 PM you will sweep the entire floor. And your room is the kitchen,” she said sternly. Every word she said shocked me. I couldn’t believe that those words came out of her mouth. I was expecting her to say, “ Welcome,” and show me my room and ask me if I was hungry, things like that. 26

This was the only thing I could say. “ What about school?” I asked. Had this lady lied? She told the Foster Home that I would be going to school here. What was going on? Again, confusion raced through me.27

She laughed. It wasn’t a regular laugh though, it sounded cruel. “ You are not going to school my darling. Face it, I lied. I am in charge here now and I make the rules and you just better get used to it,” she said in a stern tone that sent chills down my bones. I didn’t like her, not at all. I didn’t know what to do, so I sat on the kitchen floor, stunned at what I had just heard.28

Ms. Dickinson walked out of the room. “ Are you okay,” asked Sally. Her voice sounded just like my moms, a sweet and comforting voice. I got a lump in my throat. I was trying so hard not to keepcrying, but I couldn’t hold it all in. Sally sat down beside me on the floor and gave me a big bear hug. I started to cry even more because she reminded me so much of my mom. I knew that this was just the beginning of my new horrible life. 29

* * *30

It’s been about four years since that day. I was sitting on the kitchen counter while Sally cooked breakfast. “ So how’s it going?” asked Sally. She was like a broken record. I really did like her, she was the only one there I liked, but she asked the same question everyday. She knew I was still having a hard time getting over the loss of my parents, so everyday, ever since I’ve been here, she’s asked the same question. I know she was hoping that one day I would say, “ I’m doing better.” But I know that day would never come.31

“ The same,” I said dully. I always answered the same. She had that disappointed look on her face as she did everyday. 32

I have changed a lot since then. My short blond hair now turned to a long, light brown hair from working inside so much.. My eyes also changed to a golden brown. I also grew, I was now 5’1, and skinny from doing all the work around the school, I got a lot of exercise. 33

“Ayla, I’ve been meaning to tell you this for a while, so I’m just going to say it,” she said. She took a deep breathe before she spoke.She looked a little nervous. “ You have to get over this. You can’t live your life like this,” she said quickly.34

I couldn’t believe she had just told me that. She had always been such an understanding person, and now she was telling me to get over my own parent’s death. How could anyone do that? Even grown adults couldn’t get over it.35

“ Sally,” I said. “ I don’t want to be rude but I can’t. Just imagine where I would be right now if they were alive. I could be so happy. How can I get over it. My life would be so different,” I said fiercely. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that, but it did.36

“ What you need is change, Ayla. You’ve been doing the same thing your whole life. Tonight, I’m breaking you out of here,” she said boldly. When ever Sally got her mind on something, she stuck to it. There was no way of getting out of this.37

Her words surprised me. “ What do you mean breaking me out?” I asked. I was hoping it wasn’t the whole running away thing and it was just a new saying I haven’t heard of.38

“ I know a way to break you out of here. I have a plan, trust me. Tonight when you take out the garbage, you’re going to drop it outside and run,” she said excitingly. Her whole face brightened up. I could tell she had been thinking about this for awhile.39

“ First of all, where will I go?” I said. I have no where to go. No relatives, nothing. Where do you expect me to go.” I had no idea what she could be thinking of. 40

“ I have some friends that can help you. They are very good people, I promise. They are going to take you to their home, and you are going to live there,” she said. “ And, no one will find you. So what do you think?”41

The whole idea sounded crazy, demented and any other word of craziness you could think of. There was a little part of it that was brilliant though. I could escape this place, and as she had said, “have a life”. I needed a life. Here, I had nothing. I knew what I was about to say would be the craziest thing I had ever done “ Okay. What do I need to do?” I asked slowly. To tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure about this. If I was caught, I don’t even want to think about what could happen.42

Sally started jumping up and down enthusiastically. “ This is so great! I am so excited,” she said still hoping up and down. She looked like a kid on Christmas, maybe even happier. “ The first thing you have to do is at 6 o’clock sharp you will go outside and say you are taking out the trash. Then you will run all the way to Garden of the Gods. You will meet my friends at the front gate and they will take it from there,” she said still having an exciting edge in her voice. 43

“ Have you been planning this out for awhile? I asked. She seemed like she had. The confidence in her voice was different. When ever she wasn’t confident with herself, she stuttered. She said the whole plan with clarity. 44

“ Kind-of. I know this whole thing sounds crazy, but it’s worth a try. Like I said; you have to take risks, and live,” she said. 45

“ Okay. I’ll be here at 6 o’clock,” I said. I was still unsure. There are so many things that could go wrong. I didn’t even want to think of the possibilities. 46

The rest of the day seemed to drag on. I had to confess, I was really excited, after 6 o’clock, I would finally have a life. 47

I did my usual routine, I passed out breakfast, cleaned kitchen, clean dorms, serve lunch, clean kitchen, clean dorms, help with dinner, serve dinner, clean kitchen, and clean the main hall. 48

Finally, the time I thought would never come, came. It was almost 6 o’clock. 49

“Ayla,after all these of these years you have worked for Ms. Dickinson without a single complaint. She treats you horribly and beats you and yells, but all you do is nod and reply accordingly. I can’t watch a a child so innocent, like you live this horrible life. It’s time to set you free,” Sally said sincerely.50

I was truly grateful she was there for me. All of these years she has been the shoulder I could cry on. She always made me feel so much better with her comforting voice and big bears hugs.51

“ This isn’t it. I will see you again. Now go Ayla Jackson,” she said confidently. I didn’t know how I would see her again, but she seemed very sure of herself.52

I walked out the back door. Before I walked out the door, I took one last look at my dear friend. I looked into her hazel eyes, and I knew I was going to see her again. She gestured for me to go, and I did.53

I ran like I had never run before. I could feel the cool wind blowing through my long brown hair. I had never felt so free in my life. I didn’t know where I would go, or what was ahead of me. I was unsure of so many things, but the only thing I knew was that I was free, and I had a whole life ahead of me to live.54