I had to get out of this stupid town as soon as possible! No one ever did anything to help me when I needed them…. My parents abused me so much, I couldn’t even count the bruises I have on my arms and legs.

Me…being a stupid child, I decided to do stupid things…like hitchhiking. Now, you may be wondering, “Samantha, why are you doing something like that? You’re basically committing suicide by getting into a stranger’s car!” Well…again, I was a very stupid person back then and thought that I could have a better life if I just ran away from the people who were supposed to love and care for me.

Now, I must say it took me some time for me to get the courage to run away. I won’t get too far into it but when I got home from a friend’s house, I entered through the back door just to avoid my parents but they were standing right there.

“What are you doing home so late?” Dad asked and I looked around. Mom was tapping her foot against the ground anxiously with her arms crossed. Some people might think that they were just worried but they weren’t. I came one minute late through the door and that was only because I was chatting with our neighbor. It’s was six in the evening….

“I’m sorry, Dad, I was just—“

“Fooling around with that boy of yours?”

No! Besides, I wasn’t even with—“

“Don’t be talking back at me you brat!” I stared at Dad for a second or two….

“You keep interrupting me!” I turned to Mom. “And you! You never stand up for me! Why? Why don’t you stand up for me?” Dad slapped me across the face so hard, I fell to the ground. I could feel my cheek burning as I looked to see blood dripping to the floor.

“Oh great, look! Now you’ve messed up our hardwood floor! You ignorant child!” Mom shouted and I got up, running to my bedroom. I packed all of my things into a suitcase and dragged it outside where my parents followed me, demanding I get back inside. No chance of that, I thought.

I started walking down the street of the neighborhood, trying to get rid of the pain with one single paper towel I had. Eventually I got to a dirty area to rest…but I didn’t stay long. This gross man looked at me with a weird smile. It was as if he wanted something. His unkept hair was all over the place and part of his white stained shirt was torn with holes.

“What you doing all alone out here, little girl?” The man inquired and I tried to keep my voice from breaking. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction that he was creeping me out….

“I’m just…I’m just waiting for a friend to come pick me up.” I said. The man chuckled and he stood up. I could feel my legs tremble with every step he took. He almost laid a hand on my shoulder when I zoomed passed him.

“Hey, where are you going?” The man called out but I didn’t look back. I ran to a forest and took a breath, putting my hands on my knees. My heart continued to beat expeditiously. I looked around at the beautiful trees and the leaves that fallen down onto the road. What should I do? Where should I go?

I began walking on the grass, surely there would be a car soon that could help me figure out where to go…or let me ride in with them.

It felt like an hour but I would look at my phone and only five or ten minutes would pass. Great…what kind of situation did I get into? Well…this wasn’t so bad compared to what happened a few moments later.

A green truck started coming into view and then it slowed down once o put my thumb out.

“Need a ride?” A man with a gruff voice asked and I laughed nervously. This man had a long beard and I could easily tell he had been drinking…. He smelled like alcohol and he didn’t look like the kind of guy you would normally want to argue with…. I changed my mind.

“No thanks! I’m good! I’m just…I think I will travel on foot. Good excerise!” I exclaimed. The man stared at me for a long time and then grinned. His teeth looked disgusting and old.

“Come on little lady! I don’t bite!” The man said. I shook my head and took a few steps back.

“No, thank you. Like I said before, I’m just going to travel on foot.” I said and the man got out. “What…what are you doing?” The man didn’t answer. He got so close to me, I almost started gagging by the stench.

I rubbed my nose for a second or two and then he grabbed me. I fought with him as he grunted for me to stop. Somehow I managed to grab a hold of the pepper spray I had in my backpack zipper and sprayed it with him. I ran off with my suitcase as he cursed at me. I only got a glimpse of it but I could see he was on the ground, rubbing at his eyes and clawing at the dirt. I was free!

Not quite, though. I still had to find a place to stay and there was no way I was goi no to be going back to my parents who are probably discussing their “rightful” punishment for me.

I didn’t have any family to stay with…no, they weren’t dead or in other states…but they never did anything about the abuse I went through. They would also just send me back home and I would be in a whole lot of trouble. So I went to that same friend of mine. Gracie. I knew she would let me in and her grandmother never minded if I stayed at their home.

The only thing I could really do was just stay at Gracie’s house until I knew exactly what I was going to do. We still had to figure out school, the mall, etc. because Mom or Dad could come by at any time and demand for me to come home.

I don’t ever want to think about what could’ve happened if I was unsuccessful in fighting back that man. All I know is that from now on, the will be the first and last time I ever try and do hitchhiking…. You never know what people could be preying on others.