• She walked down the hot, dusty road. Every step brought her one inch closer to her goal; leaving this town, and the painful memories, behind forever. Although their had been joyful memories also, they seemed to be erased out of her mind forever. Her friends had betrayed her, her family shunned her, and everyone else looked at her with pity. Nothing was worth living for, but no matter what she did, she couldn't find the strength to pull the trigger. Her mind, heart, and soul, all racing, but for different reasons.
    Her mind could only think of the memories, the pain, and the suffering that had been endured here. She has been abused at a young age. Her step-dad had become a drug addict, and had gone on rampages of anger. He had nearly strangled her mother, and on her arm, there were still marks from where he had grabbed her, and hit her. She had never told anyone, for fear of being hit again, and possibly killed, although in time, that fear came to her everyday. She always wore a fake smile, hiding her scars under her jacket.
    Her heart only longed to get out. She had always dreamed of the day she could be free of this place of torture, and now she had the chance. Her only reason to live was the horses. Her boyfriend was once her world, until he betrayed her, just like the others. The horses had never betrayed her, and were always there to listen and wipe away her tears. She would have taken one with her, had it not been the fact that she longed to get out more than she longed for their company. Horses existed all over the world, and she could easily steal one later, or perhaps even capture her own.
    Her soul raced with spirit. She had the will and strength inside to do what she must. She fought on, despite the urge to stop and cry. This was her only shot, and she had to take it, or she would be stuck here for the rest of her life, no matter how short it would be. The will to survive was strong, but her body was weak. The spirit was the only thing keeping her alive, and the only thing keeping her going. If she didn't have the heart, she'd still be back in East Ridge, and most likely dead in a gutter somewhere.
    She reached the sign post that read 'you are now out of East Ridge' and broke down, tears streaming from her eyes like Niagara Falls. She was finally free. No one could catch her now, and even if they did, she was far enough away that her step-dad couldn't find her, and she could tell them everything. The only problem was, she had no name. There was no way they could find him, for she had never known his name. No one in East Ridge was allowed to know their name, or at least that was what her mother said. She was sure, however, that no one would catch her in any case, at least not alive. The trip had exhausted her, and she was weak. She knew she wouldn't survive the night, but five minutes of freedom was better than a million years in the evil prison known as East Ridge. As she drew her last breath, she smiled for the first time in her life. She had been freed, and that made everything worthwhile.