Ashley Rainstrom sighed as she slumped into her seat on the 47A train to New York City. She was finally running away from her inconsiderate family. She was sixteen with red hair and emerald green eyes. She didn’t know what she was going to do once she got to the new city. She knew it would be tough and that the money she had saved up and stolen would go pretty quick. She would have to find somewhere on the streets that she could sleep. She didn’t want to waste her money on some hotel room that would probably last one night.
She almost had to laugh at how easy it was to leave. Just pack her stuff and walk out the door. Neither of her parents were home. They had some important meeting in another city for a week. She even left a slight diversion for them. Ashley had bought a map and circled California in red marker, as to throw them off her track for a little while.
Ashley was awakened by a voice yelling, “New York City! Everybody off!” She rubbed her eyes and grabbed her denim backpack, heading off the train. Now where to go, she wondered. She walked until she came across a CVS. Ashley bought three bottles of water and a box of crackers. She’d learn to manage the hunger pangs she was sure to get.
After that she found an inconspicuous spot in a park, wrapped the straps of her backpack around her leg, and fell asleep.