Running away from home at seventeen

I have run away from home.

The earliest idea of running away from home was when I was fifteen years old, not long after I graduated from junior high school, I stayed at my grandparents' house in the countryside, and I was bored every day, lying under the big acacia tree in the courtyard, counting the stars in the summer night wind. When I counted to the fourth star of the Big Dipper, I suddenly thought of running away from home, or maybe it was something directly or indirectly related to running away from home, I forgot the details, but it was true, there was definitely some possibility that made me have the idea of running away from home. Anyway, I thought about it all night and made a decision early in the morning: I'm going to run away from home.

So I got up early, even before the rooster crowed, and snuck out the door without my grandparents even noticing.

I was so excited that I thought I had done something great, and I jumped up and down on the country road, but just as I reached the main road at the entrance to the village, I stopped thinking about running away from home. The reason is that the three forks of the road in three directions I do not know which direction to go, but also do not know where to go, so looking at the three naked mountain road hidden, intermittent stretches more than ten miles respectively disappeared at the end of the three mountains, I do not know what to do. Not far from the field stood an old man, holding the ears of wheat in his hands, but his eyes looked straight at me. Although his back was turned to the sun and his face was in shadow, his poisonous eyes were piercing me with beams of sunlight. As if he had read my mind, he smiled devilishly, as if to say, "Hey, kid, get rid of your ridiculous ideas! I was so scared that I returned resentfully. After the failure of that escape, I did not have a move to run away from home, but this idea is like a shadow, y rooted in the heart of a long time never leave.

When I was seventeen and in my senior year of high school, I ran away from home again that winter, and I succeeded. I was able to run away from home. I remember it was a very cold and long winter, and there were only three snowfalls in the whole winter.

It was the first snowfall when I was about to run away from home.

The snowfall was very heavy and sudden, as if the god in charge of snow had accidentally dropped a snowfall, which should not have fallen on that day. People said that the snowfall was wrong, and that it should have fallen at least a week later, which is reasonable. But on the contrary, it came down unexpectedly, on that particular day.

It was the 25th day of the Lunar New Year in the lunar calendar, and some strange citizens and I were walking on the street from the Oriental Bridge to the Central Plaza. There was no sun in the sky, and the sky was not blue, but under the bright sky, the earth was radiant and warm, and it could be called a sunny day. In such a cheerful atmosphere, pedestrians were all smiling and walking safely. Just walked to the Central Park, suddenly, in that instant, the sky drifted up snowflakes, at first first sporadic snow foam, little by little sprinkled down; not long after it is the sky is covered with snowflakes, heavy and vicious head to head down, to every pedestrian, to every building, to every street ...... in a while, the road, the trees, the power lines, and so on. People were frightened by the sudden and enthusiastic snow and rushed to their homes in a panic, so that in no time at all the streets were empty and deserted. I stood under a frozen acacia tree, back to teach the white leaching paint wrapped trunk, look at the sky flying snow as a shuttle like stabbing towards me, stabbing over, my body's fatigue actually relaxed a lot.

After returning home, I immediately made preparations to leave home. Based on the experience of the last time, this time I drew up a detailed plan: I decided to go east, first by car to Qinzhou City, and then continue along the railroad into Shu, and finally south to Dali, where I found my cousin, find me a job, and so on the end of the college entrance exams, if I got into one of the universities in Yunnan, there will be a place to settle down; if the test is not, then go there to work, and finally get married and have a child, and the rest of his life. With such a perfect plan, I wrote two long letters, one to my parents in the countryside, telling them not to worry about me, I had gone to Yunnan to look for my cousin; the other to my good friend Fei, asking him to take care of the rest for me, such as my vacation homework. I finally wrote: Don't tell any unrelated people to avoid unnecessary trouble. Also, don't try to contact me until I arrive in Yunnan to meet my cousin. I ended by saying that I would find a way to come back before the end of my vacation.

I put the two letters on my desk and pulled the curtains back and closed the windows tightly. I knew that Fei would be coming to my house in the next few days, and I knew that my parents would come looking for me if I didn't return home by the 30th of Lunar New Year and couldn't get through on the phone. I simply cleaned up my room and closed the door behind me, and finally I left the house.

On the 25th day of the Lunar month of the lunar calendar, at 4:28 p.m., I arrived at the East Bus Station, and after twenty minutes I got into a black BYD car that was going to Qinzhou. I didn't buy a ticket because it was a private car and I didn't have an ID card; even if I had an ID card, I couldn't have bought a ticket because I'm seventeen years old. It was kind of a thought-provoking question after all, I couldn't move an inch without an ID. But I'm not too worried, we'll see when the time comes, maybe I'll even run into a private car. Take a step and see. I am now carrying nine hundred and sixty yuan and eight yuan, carrying a black traveling bag, the bag has gloves, scarf, mask and glasses, and some mineral water, instant noodles and compressed cookies, in addition to a pack of cigarettes, a small bottle of wine and two lighters. I sat in the black private car while thinking about the future, while looking around again. The driver is a man of about thirty years old, handsome, with a scruffy beard, slightly chubby, wearing a black sweater, a pair of gray jeans, a pair of patent leather shoes; co-pilot is also sitting on a woman with long brown hair, thick eyebrows and big eyes, looks at most twenty-five years old. Perhaps the car is too hot, they all put the down jacket off to the side. From the words can be judged that they should be a couple, all the way to putty and so sweet, without regard to the back seat of my feelings. But this is the best, a person just sit quietly do not have to explain too much. The man only asked me why I went there, see me stammered and did not ask more questions; the woman was with her big eyes glanced at me, feel and more than two years ago in the wheat field that old man looked at me when the same weird. But this time I'm not afraid to show anyone what I'm thinking.

About three hours later I arrived at the Qinzhou station, the sky has been completely dark, I got off the bus to pay, the ticket sixty, the driver only charged me fifty, I do not know why. Just the woman told me to make myself at home, and I realized that she was quite pretty.

I decided to find a hostel first, but considering that I don't have an ID card, it's intimidating to stay in a hotel, so I decided to find a place to eat first, just in case I'm hungry, and by the way I can also inquire about the accommodation.

I went out of the station and walked straight along a dark commercial street, and after ten minutes I reached a big square, which was decorated with lights, old ladies dancing in the square, teenagers dancing in the street, and a few girls playing skateboard. Walk a little further, I saw a flyover, high in the city night sky, lights on the faces of passers-by, as if floating in the night sky. Continue to walk forward, there is no road in front of me, a brightly lit building in front of me, I turned left, in front of me is a ruin, around the ruins, I finally smelled a strong and light aroma, obviously, the air mixed with many kinds of snack food flavor, I followed that mixed smell across two streets, I saw the brightly lit night market, very lively. I asked for a bowl of fried noodles at a stall selling stir-fries, and then sat down to wait. Next to a pile of coal fire is burning brightly, I look around while roasting my hands. This little place was full of customers, every little square table was filled with plates and bowls, tin cans were thrown all over the place, and the garbage cans in the corners were also filled up. On the street, the asphalt was muddy, the snow that hadn't melted yet had been trampled down, and the sound of the chowder was deafening, as the crowds and the endless streams of cars made their way down the busy street. Noodles are finally ready, the boss's wife yelled, a bowl of steaming noodles in front of me, the rich flavor straight to stimulate my taste buds, I have long been hungry, the bowl of noodles into the stomach in three times, and then contentedly leaned back in the chair, a long breath of air. The moon does not know when to quietly out, to the boundless night wrapped in a layer of white veil, coupled with a variety of colors near and far colorful lamps decorated, the original dry night actually showed a gentle soft beauty. However, I have no intention of enjoying this night scene, because there are more important things to do.

I got up to pay, the boss was sitting on a wooden stool smoking, the boss's wife was washing dishes.

"Boss, can I ask you something?"

"You tell."

"Do you know if there's an inn around here?"

"That's a lot, you can see several of them if you go up this street, here, see that neon sign? That's not it."

I looked in the direction he was pointing, only to see a few big blood-red letters brightly lit up in the pitch-black night sky:

Business Hotel

"Uh ...... Boss, do I look like I'm the kind of person who would stay at that place?"

"That's right heh! Are you a student?"

"Uh-huh."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Your parents le? Why did you run out alone?" He

As if questioning me, "Where are you from?"

"I just came back from studying in Jinzhou, and I'm preparing to go home, so I'll go back tomorrow."

"Is that so ah ...... college students ah ...... studying in Jinzhou?"

"Well, it's like this uncle, today I just got off the train and lost my ID card, so I can't get a car and can't live in a store, I'm not too familiar with here, so I'll ask around if there are any inexpensive small hotels ...... a little bit more expensive can be, as long as they don't take ID cards on the line! "

"Well ...... is so ah ~ count your kid lucky! My neighbor's house is open hotel, if you are willing to live on it wait for me to close the stall followed me away, I give a word to call to leave you behind ~ price well, not expensive, but the environment is really not to say! How ......"

"That's really good, thank you uncle ...... When do you get off work?"

"When there are no guests ......"

The so-called no guests, it turned out to be one in the morning. I helped the old couple pack up the stalls, the street has no pedestrians, only a few businessmen who are also packing up to go home, and a few stalls are still tenaciously lighted, seems to still want to take a chance to see if they can wait for one or two young boys and girls who do not return home at night.

The old couple pushed a cart in front of them, and I followed behind, turning left and right, and I couldn't recognize the direction anymore. Finally, we entered a dark alley, not far from the mouth of the alley, they suddenly stopped.

"Here it is."

It was a hostel called Renheli, four stories high. From the outside it looks like one of those rental apartments, inside the lobby it has the style of a normal hotel, European architectural style, antique furniture decoration, simple wallpaper, it seems to be no worse than a normal hotel.

The owner is a man in his fifties, wearing wide pajamas, looks quite lean. I found the cheapest single room, fifty a night, no TV but with a bathroom. I could not care less, took a comfortable shower, lay down and went to sleep, the time is already two o'clock in the morning.

When I opened my eyes, I didn't know what time it was. The weather is very good, I washed up and walked to the street, bought a few small dumplings and a cup of milk tea, unknowingly walked through two blocks, I got lost. So what, I just walked straight down an alleyway to the riverbank and took a walk in the park. Although it is the depth of winter, but the scenery along the river as early spring in March, the sun is bright, the breeze is warm, the only thing missing is a point of willow color and a pool of blue water. Every few steps there are one or two unique landscapes in front of me, so that the whole journey is not duplicated. After strolling through the park, I went to the Fuxi Temple to report the temple and several other places, I feel that the journey is full. Do not realize that the sun is gradually slanting, I think it should have been the next lunch point, I then turned to a large shopping mall, in the supermarket to buy some snacks desserts dried fruit and a few bottles of beverages, I decided to turn around for a day, and so on tomorrow morning and then go to the station, to move to Jinzhou. So I did not slow down for a while more supermarkets bookstores shoe stores and what not, and by the way, also watched a movie. From the cinema out, is the center of the square, I sat on the marble steps of the square and smoked a cigarette, sat quietly for a while, and finally took a car back to the Renheli. It was already eleven o'clock in the middle of the night. So the day passed.

I really don't know whether I should scold myself or blame the driver, early the next morning I went to the station to inquire about the car to Jinzhou, only to realize that I went wrong: to Jinzhou is not through Qinzhou. That is to say, I now want to go to Jinzhou will have to return to Langcang, that is to say I I ran a trip for nothing. After listening to the words of the driver I almost did not blow up, I fucking idle play this is the opposite ah, I have a lot of money ah, I have a disease ah!

In this way, the waxing moon twenty-seventh morning nine forty-five, I sat on a black Chevrolet car from Qinzhou to Langcang. After stumbling along the way, I stood under the acacia tree in the central square of Langcang again at 1:07 PM. I quietly contemplated, I feel that now leave me not much time, and I want to run away from home but in the end it is somehow back to square one, how ironic! Is it because I didn't learn geography well? Why can't I tell north from south? Just in my concept of all the way to the north is the only way out, but never thought about the relationship between what I want to go and where I am geographically, confused! So this time I know, I should go to the south bus station.

I planned carefully, this time, whether it is money or time in my precious, I have been unaware of a large amount of time spent in vain and RMB, now must be rationally allocated. I am now on a **** left eight hundred and seventeen dollars, by car to Jinzhou is estimated to spend at least six hundred dollars, the rest to eat and live, should be just right. As for time, is not a minute can not be delayed, I must rush to thirty before the cousin there, and before my parents call the cousin to explain all this to the cousin, although always inevitably a storm of criticism, but that's all an afterthought. I did take the time to make a trip back home though.

The first time I went back to the house, it was obvious that Fei had been there, both letters had been read, there were a couple of cigarette butts behind the door, and my packet of peanuts had been opened and half eaten, and I was so angry that he left me a note:

Half a packet of cigarettes taken away, and the job was done.

The writing was just ugly.

At 2:30, I came to the South Station, which is the time for the bus to leave. I asked around for a bus to Jinzhou, but I found only one bus that goes to the state, and it will leave tomorrow. I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that, but I'm sure I'm going to be able to do it tomorrow.

At night, I drank a bottle of 500ml rum and sat on the tempered glass of a broken underground fountain in the middle of the central square, with flashing LED lights under my buttocks, and unknown internet songs in my ears.

I thought:

When tomorrow comes, I'll run away from home, and I'll be happy!

I rushed to the South Bus Station early in the morning, and found the car I promised to take to Wudu yesterday. It was a white AE86 car that looked at least 100,000 kilometers old. The owner of the car was a man in his late thirties, tall, with a hippie haircut and beard. He said it was too early and that he would wait until the sun came out after lunch before setting off. I was disconcerted, but there was nothing I could do about it, as I had no choice. Also after all, it was only eight o'clock and it wasn't even fully light. He told me to be there at twelve sharp and left the station. So I was left standing in the middle of the huge station, in the middle of the empty sand, the gravel rustling under my feet, even though I wasn't moving. I leaned against the cool AE86 and smoked a cigarette, took another picture, and then left the station as well. I didn't go too far, just a couple of stops at a nearby elementary school and a supermarket, stopping by the nearby gym to play basketball for an hour or so, before heading into a breakfast place. I was determined to have a nice meal, even though I wasn't very hungry. I asked for a cage of xiao long bao, a bowl of millet porridge, two tea eggs and four fritters, and it took me half an hour to get all these guys into my stomach, and another ten minutes or so to drain them as they were, and finally I was satisfied and slowly made my way to the station. Despite the guy's anxious urging for me to go faster, he dawdled until almost one o'clock when he started the car. To avoid unnecessary trouble, I bargained and paid beforehand. He asked me for three hundred, I countered with two hundred and fifty, and we finally settled for three hundred. Now I only have more than four hundred left, I put the four hundred neatly and carefully tucked into the pocket of the inner layer of the down jacket, the zipper tightly closed, the four buttons are also solidly pressed on. Even though the sun was shining outside the window, I had no intention of appreciating it, I just wanted to sit quietly for a while, fret and close my eyes. I fell asleep, and only a moment later, I was woken up again, no, to be precise, by something hitting me. It was my head, hitting the seat in front of me. The driver stopped the car suddenly.

"Arrived?" I asked the driver suspiciously while looking out the window. Outside the window was a bright asphalt road with a row of bare Champs trees and a green and yellow field in the distance. The completely unfamiliar scenery enveloped me from all sides, front and back, and it was as if I was in a dream.

"It's still early!" The driver said to me in a bad mood, "I'm going to relieve myself!" After saying that, he unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door to get out of the car.

"Want to join me?" He asked me with one hand on the window.

"No, I'm in no hurry."

"You won't get a chance when you get on the highway later. Really do not go?"

"It's fine, go ahead." I explained, "I just went to the bathroom this morning."

"Fine!" He closed the car door heavily and headed for the far field. It seemed to be the big one.

I drew my eyes back to the interior of the car, the amenities displayed before me were not only spartan and outdated, but all in all it was a pretty good car, it had all the things you should have as a car, there was nothing out of place, the only thing that could be questioned was that there was no Safe Journey pendant on the front windshield, which detracted quite a bit from the aura of the car. The owner of the car is afraid to be a complete realist.

The driver came back to me a little more enthusiastic, it is really strange, is it because he finished after the bowel movement after the mood of relief, so see me also on the eye? So I will inevitably have some kind of unnecessary connection with his excrement, I am very puzzled, especially when I saw his smiling face in the mirror, it is simply bizarre to the extent.

"Want to listen to a song?" He asked me without looking back (of course you can't turn around in this situation), and there was still a creepy smiling face in the reflector.

"That would be best, naturally."

"What's your favorite song?"

"What are all the songs?"

He fumbled a couple of records out of the compartment and handed them to me without looking back.

There were five in a ****, two of which were bootleg car discs that I put aside without looking at them. The other three were regular laser CDs, one of Jackson's Thriller, one of LinkinPark's Meteora, and one of Cui Jian's Rock on the New Long March. No Jay Chou.

"Just this one." I handed him 'Rock on the New Long March' first, and the remaining four together and later.

"Like Cui Jian? Like rock and roll?" He asked me, and this time he returned the favor.

"Like Cui Jian and rock. But it's limited to the occasional listen, and to be a true idol, it's still Zhou Dong." I said in a rather satisfied tone. To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to this ****ing same topic, it's not too much fun after all.

"Who?"

"Jay."

"RUBBISH!" he cursed.

I decided not to say anything else.

It was too hot! I took off the heavy down jacket I was wearing and set it aside, and pulled another bottle of orange juice out of my book bag and drank it. What have I been carrying? Heavy schoolbag, in addition to some compressed cookies and a few packets of old Beijing instant noodles, the rest are drinks: half a bottle of rum, a bottle of orange juice, a bottle of Coke and two bottles of mineral water. Why did I buy so many things? It's not like I'm wandering or fleeing the country. I should have gotten rid of something. What would be good to get rid of?

The two bottles of mineral water were thrown out of the car window and landed in the grass on the side of the road.

"Don't throw things, kid, it's dangerous!" The driver hadn't missed the opportunity to lecture me.

"Okay." I replied.

Back and forth, the guy got out of the car at least four times, either to go to the bathroom or to buy a pack of cigarettes, and once even just to take a few pictures of an antelope that had come onto the highway from who knows where, which I was really indignant about, even though I did it too.

I don't know at what point I fell asleep, and when the driver woke me up, he said that we had arrived at the Steps. My head was in a chaotic daze, perhaps because I had been drinking rum. But anyway I should get off.

I got out of the car with my backpack on one shoulder and the door in the other hand. It was almost dark, and when I looked at my watch, it was almost nineteen o'clock, but my memories were still stuck in the hot steamed buns in the morning. Where is this? In front of the eyes flashed up bright neon lights: the order of the state bridge ...... but my memory is still stuck in the morning burning coal fire in the package store.

In front of me is a long bridge, is gradually drowned by the night. The first time I saw this, it was a very good time for me to go back to the office. The first thing you need to do is to get a good deal of money to pay for it. Ear suddenly sounded the roar of the engine, AE86 began to move slowly, the driver master rolled up the window, the car began to accelerate, more and more far away, until disappeared in my field of vision outside. He seemed to say at the end that he wished me a pleasant journey, but I only heard half of that sentence, the other half was nowhere to be found, maybe it was blown away by the wind. The wind was so cold that it made me shiver. After all, it was a night wind in the middle of winter, and besides, I was wearing so little. I actually only wore a black sweater with a low neckline, so it's no wonder I felt cold. Hey, I remember I clearly have to wear a down jacket ah, how, could it be that I remembered wrong? I should not ah, I went out in the morning when I did have a set on the body, eat breakfast when obviously also wearing, get on the car has been wearing ...... I suddenly remembered what, suddenly panicked.

I desperately ran in a certain direction.

That is the direction of the wind blowing away the sound, the direction of my lost soul. I collapsed in a certain position at the end of that one direction and kept calling out for something.