Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen Page A

Every
molecule.
And when I was done, she smiled and said, “Better?”
    I nodded. And I tried not to, but my chin quivered and my eyes stung as I told her, “Thank you.”
    So I’ve been thinking that this place by the cement river is like my first safe house. And it may sound stupid and naïve to you, but thinking that way fills me with hope. And stupid and naïve or not, without hope I’ve got nothing.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 
    3:20 a.m.
    steel screeches on

    the track

    reaches on

    the night spans gray

    and lights

    burn my eyes

    as night

    reaches on,

    endlessly on
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    The next day
    I had a miserable night last night, but right now I am in the absolute best mood. You are not going to believe where I am!
    I happened to find this place while I was searching again for The People’s Church. (My friends from last night tried to give me directions to the church, but I don’t think I understood right.)
    But forget that. Right now I’m inside the coolest building I have
ever
seen. It’s big, with tall ceilings and echoing halls, and it’s full of wood and (of course) cement. But this is good cement!
    So where am I?
    Here’s a big hint: I haven’t told you the
main
thing they have here.
    Big hint #2: You would love it here!
    Give up?
    I’m in the
library.
    This is nothing like that podunk hardly-ever-open Aaronville library (or any other library I’ve been in, for that matter). This place is a
museum
of books. Floor after floor of books! I wandered around for hours and am now in the teen section. It’s unbelievable here: cushy couches and coffee tables and magazines…it’s more like a
lounge
than a library.
    I’ve picked out a few books, too. There’s one about escaping from Alcatraz. (You’ve heard of Alcatraz, right? That old prison on an island? I never knew this, but it’s in California. I’m not sure if the book is fact or fiction, but it sounds great!)
    Another book I picked out is about an evil boy who terrorizes people during the day, but at night he turns into a benevolent ghost and goes around helping people. What is he, evil or good? I guess I have to read it to find out.
    But the one I’m going to read first is about this girl who gets stranded on a desert island with her dog. What a perfect life! You should see the cover—the girl looks sort of lame, but the dog is so happy-looking! (What I would give to be stranded on a desert island with a dog that cute….)
    I could probably sneak the books out of the library, but why would I? It’s cool and comfortable in here, and there’s no traffic noise. Plus, the bathrooms are nice, and everybody’s minding their own business.
    Too bad the library closes at eight.
    Too bad they don’t have free food.
    But forget about that. I’ll deal with sleep and hunger later. Right now I’m going to sit in this cushy chair and read!
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    3:45 p.m.
    Guess what! I found a room with a refrigerator and scored big-time! Two sandwiches, a couple of yogurts, a can of almonds, and some beef jerky. I stashed them in my jacket quick, then went into a bathroom stall, scarfed some of it down, and put the rest in my backpack.
    I love this place!
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    7:45 p.m.
    The library’s closing in 15 minutes. And all of a sudden I’m really, really tired. I shouldn’t have spent the whole day reading. I should have found that church. Or I should have taken a nap in here.
    Maybe I’ll hide behind the bookshelves and wait for the place to close down. It would be so nice to sleep on a couch….
    But what if they have night security? What if I get caught? They’ll know I’m homele a
gypsy.
They’ll turn me in.
    Crud.
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    10:30 p.m.
    There
are
guards roaming around. Two, I think. They cruised through the teen