RUN

I woke with a start, goosebumps trailing my skin and the chilly air had nothing to do with it. I was still on the bus, but in my nightmare, Murat found me. He had me by my arm and his face was unforgiving. I took in a deep breath, my heartbeat wild within its cage. The scene out of the window continued to blur by as the bus ran its course, but I was alert, turning and looking at the faces in the bus with me. Most were asleep, while some were busy with an activity on their gadgets. The rest ahead of me I could not see but the back of their heads told me none of them was Murat.

I exhaled the breath I never knew I was holding, turning to the window with no particular thoughts. My family should be awake now. They would find my letter, my dad would throw a fit and blame mom for everything like always. Then he would run to Murat with the news of his daughter’s rebellion… my body shook with conscious awareness of the decision I had made. I had just defied my father and all our tradition stands for. Most of all, I had defied Murat.

At six foot five with burly muscles and a nasty scar across his mouth, Murat was my living nightmare. Not only because of his ghastly look completed by two dead white eyes, but also because he lived up to his reputation. Born to the village chief and dictator, Murat was every bit his father’s son. His word was law and his word weeks ago was declaring me his wife. I had no right to object. Not when father already had visions and plans of putting their wealth to good use. I thought I could live with it, I could endure but I woke up yesterday morning with the strong conviction that I could run away and make some money being a writer.

Now that I am on the bus and far away from their claws, I wonder if I would actually achieve it. I know no one outside our small village and apart from the small journal I have tucked away in my small bag pack, I have zero experience in writing.

The bus arrived breaking me from my thoughts. My knees buckled as I stood and joined the crowd in alighting. This would be my first time in the city and unlike the bus station back home; this place was teeming with lots of people. It was so crowded I almost missed it. I almost missed him…

He was here and looking around frantically, his height a dead giveaway, and his hair in its signature ponytail. Four other men were on the prowl and I felt my heart drop to my stomach. Terror flooded my veins and I froze in shock. How…

He turned and locked eyes with mine. It only took a second for recognition to set and his scarred mouth tipped up in a terrifying smirk that chilled me to the bone. The moment he took the first step, my senses kicked in and I fled. No direction. No guide. Just the thought I had to run. I ran and ran but I could hear them gaining. Tears clouded my vision and my lungs burned. I wasn’t a runner. I never exercised in my life. Still, I kept going.

“Amina! Stop right there”

His shouts only made me put more strength into my legs. I refused to look back but I could hear the heavy footfalls closing in. My heart burst with an emotion I could not decipher and my life flashed before my eyes. Was I a fool to dream? Would I never be free of them?

In my heart, I called for help from God, or anyone. It took me a while to register that I was not just praying inside me but screaming at the top of my lungs, so disenchanted. Heads turned and people scrambled out of the way, as I screamed. Is this how it would end? Would everyone look away like in my town? Would they let these men take me? Just as I felt the brush of his fingers on my arm, I heard a collision and the grunts of several people. I turned and gasped…

Several men held down all five of them. Murat was resisting violently and the police had intervened. A dark skinned woman blocked my vision,

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Look at me.” She was holding my hands and other people began to gather around us. I burst into tears, my legs gave out and I collapsed against her.

She went down with me asking someone to call an ambulance. She rocked me telling me I was okay and it was all fine. Soon a police officer walked to where I sat against the woman on the sidewalk.

“Are you okay Miss? Did they hurt you?” I shook my head unable to do anything else, “alright,” he continued, “Do you know those men? One of them says you’re his fiancée”

I shook my head as hard as I could, “No. Please. I do not want to get married. I don’t want to…” I turned to the woman, grabbing unto her hand, “Please help me”

The woman looked to the police officer, who was trying to get me to calm down and then back to me before she spoke,

“How old are you?”

“Sixteen”

The woman frowned and then turned to the police officer, handing him a card and saying, “I am Lois Spocket, Family and Child advocacy attorney. I will be…” she turned to me, "what's your name?"

“Amina…”

"I will be representing Amina from here on. I and my client will meet you at the station.”

I watched the woman transform from loving and motherly to fierce and protective before my eyes. She glared daggers at Murat who was yelling obscenities at me, and for the first time in all my years, I felt the embers of hope. The police officer looked a little lost but he nodded and went to join his mates as they loaded Murat and his men into police cars.

The woman rose and brought me up with her. Only now, as she cleaned me up, I realized she was dressed in a gray pantsuit and had low cut hair. Her round earrings dangled a bit when she picked my bag off the floor and handed it to me.

“You don’t have to say a word when we are at the station,” she said as she guided me to a car, the people had dispersed but there were still some lingering onlookers, “I will do the talking. And…” we stopped when we got to the red SUV, she turned to face me, looking me in the eye, “You never have to be afraid again. I will never let them hurt you. Trust me.”

For some reason, I did. I trusted this stranger to take care of me. Was it her clear eyes? Or the way she carried herself? Was it for the fact that she took my side? I do not know. What I could tell was that I was at a new chapter of my life.

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