The Runaway Twins, Chapter 3

Now dash like a dancer,

Now prance like a vixen!

Like a comet! Like Cupid!

Oh Donna, get lickety-splitin’!

Get off of the porch steps,

Get around that wall!

Now run away! Run away!

Run away all!
---
Brrring, brrring!

The sound of the phone ringing woke Donna from her sleep. Her eyes shot open, and shot to the curtained window. It was dark, which meant it was before 6 AM.

“Who could be calling so early in the morning?” Donna yawned. She heard Mr. Lawner’s voice coming from downstairs, and something compelled her to listen. So, Donna crept out of her room and listened at the top of the stairs.

“So it’s going to be right after the little thing eh? I like it Belinda. Strike him right when he’s vulnerable.  Yep. They’re picking up the little light tonight. The boss is going to be so proud of us once they’re get rid of and done for. You wanna know her name? The girl’s name is Donna. She’ll have no idea what hit her. Alright, talk to you later Belinda.”

Donna froze in her place at the top of the steps, refusing to believe what she had just heard.

“I’m going to get rid of? Where to? No idiot, not where, but WHY? Why would he do it after all these years he’s been with me? Maybe he’s just faking it…but…he sounded so sure and confident. Oh, what do I do?” Donna whispered.

“I’m not going down without a fight. They aren’t going to trick me so easily. There’s only one thing I can do…I’ll have to run away. I don’t know where, and I don’t know if I’ll make it a day…out there. But I have to try.” She sneaked back into bed, and began coming up with a plan.


“I’ve got some changes of clothes, some food that will last me for a few days, two bottles of water, and the rest of the money I inherited from my father. And there’s still some space for you, my little Baxter.” Donna said as she packed in her stuffed dog, Baxter.

“Oh yeah, and these packets of powdered Orange Juice. I almost forgot about those.”

Everyday Donna had to drink at least a glass of orange juice, since she needed an extra supplement of Vitamin C everyday. If she didn’t, Donna would have a higher chance of getting the illness that killed her father, so she was extra careful to get her daily dose everyday.

Donna wore a long sleeved purple shirt and long black pants. Underneath were a pair of tennis shoes Donna and somehow gotten for her 14th birthday. Donna practically had no use for them since she was never outside, but they were nice
.
“Now…I feel as though I’m forgetting something. Something very important. …Oh! How could I forget?”

Donna got up on her bed, and put her hand against the back of the headboard. Feeling around, she finally felt a small handle and pulled it back. Getting the contents of what was inside, Donna pulled out something she hadn’t seen in years, the necklace her father had inherited to her. She had kept it hidden from Mr. Lawner, and Donna was glad she made that decision.

It had a pendant shaped like the sun looped on a silver chain with a clamp. The sun was a bright array of red, yellow, and orange that was spread around to make a swirled effect. Her father had left a note with it that said to never lose it or discard it no matter what happens. The back had a sort of a crescent moon hole on the back of it, which Donna never really knew why it was there.

Never the less, Donna put the necklace on and hid it under her shirt. It was a slight risk putting it on and having it be discovered, but also it was safest since she wouldn’t lose it if it was around her neck.

“I’m ready…ready for whatever they’re gonna throw at me.” Donna said, slipping on the backpack.
 
“Donna, can you come down here?”

“I’m coming!” Donna shouted. She looked at her room, the room that held her dreams and memories for all of these years. Donna then turned off the light and went downstairs, where she saw Mr. Lawner and two other men. She felt intimidated being the youngest and the only female, but Donna kept her head up high.

Keep your cool Donna. Just stay calm, and alert. Donna thought, trying to soothe her nervous self. She was in the same room as some people who want to do terrible things to her,

“Well won’t you look at that. She’s already nicely packed up.” One of the men joked.

“I heard your conversation that we were going somewhere so I figured…I might pack in advance.” Donna said, crafting up a slight lie. It was true, they were talking about traveling, but she was a little more prepared than the average 14 year old.

“Well then little girly, are you ready to go?” The other man asked

“Yeah, sure.” Donna replied. Psh, I’m NOT going to the place you want me to go. Donna thought to herself. "Where are we going, by the way?”

“Oh, somewhere you’ll enjoy Donna. We have to…relocate you.” Mr. Lawner replied.

Relocation? Nah, more like sending me to my doom! They opened the door into the darkness of the night and one of the men lead the way. The other man and Mr. Lawner were behind her, so she slowly walked out.

Wait for just the right time Donna…then you can make your getaway. Eyeing around, she watched with great attention. And then as they got to about halfway to the car, Donna bolted as fast as she could to the right!

“You’re not taking me anytime soon!” Donna shouted

“She knows! Quick, get after her!” Donna heard Mr. Lawner shouting from behind her. One of the men managed to gain lead on her, and eventually grabbed her shoulder, hard. Donna tried to wriggle free from the man’s grip, and almost all of Donna’s hope seemed to be lost.

…Almost.

Before she knew it, something or someone tackled the man off of her and swooped her up!     But not in the direction of the car, instead it was leading her in the direction she wanted to go.

“Hold on tight, okay kid? I’m helping you out here.”

“You wretched stowaways! Come back with her!”

“First of all, it’s runaways, and second of all, I’m not leaving any new runaways behind!”

“You and your little group will pay for this, I swear!”

“Just try and stop us!”

The person had ran for a little longer before taking shelter in the shadow of one of the trees in the nearby park.

“…W-Who are you?” Donna asked nervously.

“The name is Risa Dressler. Also known as Reese. But the name I use on the streets Lucahjin. …Lucah for short.” Lucah introduced. “And what’s your name?”

“…Donna. Donna DeBolis. At least, that’s my mother’s last name. My father’s last name is Jepson.” Donna replied. “Are you…part of some kind of group?”

“You haven’t heard of us?” Donna shook her head no. “We’re called The Runaways, and we are a group that is against the government and what they do. Not only that, but some of us have been separated by the government themselves. It’s quite tragic really, about what they’ve done."

“Were you the person I saw outside my window last night?”

“I believe so, Donna. What were you doing, looking out your window like that?”

“I was…and I know this sounds silly but…I was wishing on a star.”

“Can you tell me what you wished for? Or is it not aloud?”

“I was wishing for a sign of hope…a sign of my future. Then you appeared. I guess wishes do come true, eh?”

“I guess so.”

“By the way, where are we going for the night?”

“I know of a secret bar run by one of the members of The Runaways. His name is Stephen, and the government did something to him I don’t think he’ll ever forgive.”

“W-What was it?”

“They took away the only person in his family he had left. …Or well, would’ve had. Everyone else in his family had died mysteriously. They had taken his fiancee and future wife, Mallory. …One day before the wedding. The two of them were such a handsome couple, even if Stephen is like 6 foot 7. That’s why he joined The Runaways. Supposedly there’s another group of Runaways down south near Texas, and I just hope Mallory has joined them. Come on, follow me, I’ll introduce our new member.”

Lucah put her hoodie over her head, and got up from the tree in the park. She put an arm around Donna’s shoulder, and began walking down the street.

Even if I don’t know where I’m going, I know that there are people out there who will help me in every way.