7806jc+Norman+Rockwell+Story

Runaway by Jillian Comstock

“Hunter, you get back here right now, mister!” yelled Mrs. White. “You don’t even know how mad your father would be if he saw you running away.”

When I turned around, she slammed the front door. I kept running and running until I was out of breath. Don’t you just hate it when everyday you get bossed around by the same people? Your parents. All you want to do is runaway. Thats my story.

Sometimes my mom worries too much.

I remember the last words my mom said to me before I ran away. “Hunter, go clean your room now!” she yelled, her finger wagging in the air as her tight curls bounced. I could not take it any longer; I went in my room, packed a small bag, and tied it on a thin stick. When I was done, I flew out the door. My mom caught me running out the door and screaming at me to come back.

After walking for over 10 minutes, I came across a diner and decided to have a quick meal. I was kind of scared because I thought someone was going to notice that I had run away from home. I walked through the door and sat on a stool. A waiter came to me.

“Hello young man, what can I get you to eat?”, the waiter said.

“May I have some fruit snacks?”, I said.

“We don’t sell fruit snacks here,” he replied.

“Okay, what about Cheerios?”, I said, hoping that they would them.

“We don't have that either. Sorry, bud,” he said with a weird look on his face.

“Then what do you have?”, I cried.

“We have scrambled eggs, pancakes, fruit cup, and a lot more foods,” he replied.

I remember Mom used to make pancakes all the time.

“May I have chocolate chip pancakes please,” I said.

“Sure can do,” he said

When the waiter left, I heard the door open. An police officer sat down right next to me. I was hoping he wouldn't see me. But, he looked down and stared me right in the eye. I stared right back.

“Little boy, have you by a chance seen this person?” he said.

He showed a picture of me. It read Boy ran away, if found please call 908-823-3906. Reward: 500 dollars. I just stared at the picture. He looked at me with a face that said You're caught.

“It’s kind of interesting because you look a lot like this boy in the picture,” said the police officer. “It’s like you could be twins...” he added with laughter.

“Nope, its not me; it dosent even look like me,” I replied.

The waiter came back with steaming chocolate chip pancakes. I was trying to eat the food fast so I can get out of there. Right after I took my last bite, I got up.

“Where ya headed? ” he asked casually.

“Oh, nowhere... well, at least I haven’t decided yet,” I said.

“Well, I have to swing by the park. Do you want me to drop you off there?” he asked.

“I don't know,” I replied. When the officer said that sentence I knew the park was next to my house. I surely didn't want to go there.

“Come on, there will be a lot of kids there you age,” he said.

“Okay,” I said with a little bit of relief.

“One thing though, you have to call your mom,” he said.

“That’s a good idea,” I said with a smile on my face, “because sometimes my mom worries too much.”

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