Teen Ink

Running Out of Time

The next morning, when Myrna grudgingly woke up, the first thought in her head was: only two more days. There were only two more days left and Myrna had not only not decided what to do, but also very probably alienated her only friend who also could help her escape. Myrna was depressed, but she resolved to make a decision by the end of the day. Depressed as she was, Myrna couldn’t help thinking : either I die in the garbage, or I die in the forest. All day, she weighed the benefits of each. She could take her chances with retirement (whatever that meant), or she could take her chances with escape to the nearby forest. Either way, Myrna couldn’t be sure of her fate. When dusk approached, she thought of Erwin, wondering whether or not he would come back… wondering whether she would have a choice at all.
Time passed slowly, and Myrna was just about to give up when there was a rustling in the bushes. When a small black head with a white stripe poked out of the bush, Myrna almost shouted with joy. Erwin approached cautiously, a bit embarrassed at his attitude the previous night, and greeted her.
“Hello, Myrna.” He said, waiting to see what she would do.
Myrna knew what she would do the minute she saw his head peek out of the bushes—she was going to…escape.
After many apologies and hours of additional planning, Myrna and Edwin were exhausted. Myrna looked forward to their challenge with nervous apprehension and Erwin looked forward to it with jumpy excitement. The approaching dusk parted the weary friends. Both unsuccessfully attempted to get a few hours of sleep before the big day.