I didn't want to run, I was tired enough since I didn't get any sleep. I crept in the shadows. I had my body up against the wall so it was harder to see me. I'm fourteen which means I shouldn't be out at this time and neighbours would probably call the cops. I tried my best to stay out of view from the neighbour's windows, it was a cramped alleyway with plant boxes and bikes outside peoples houses. The houses all looked old and boring, I lived in a part of Kyoto that has bad housing problems and the middle and lower class people lived here cause it was all they could afford.
I had been walking for about 2 hours straight without taking a break and decided to finally stop. I sat down and drank some water. I only had one water bottle so I'd have to spare it and not drink too much. I had packed some food from my food stash, my parents fought so often that sometimes they forgot to make dinner so I had to steal stuff from downstairs and put it in my food stash box. I didn't grab much because I didn't want my bag to be heavy. I've stolen money from my parents before, thankfully I stole some the other night so I now have a budget of ¥13,000 which isn't a lot but it's enough to get some food at least.
I didn't rest for too long before getting back up and walking again, I could see that it was getting lighter meaning people would start waking up and heading to work. This was good and bad because some people that go to my school also live on the street I was on. If I would be able to blend into the crowd I'd be fine, make it look like I'm heading to school then duck down a tiny alleyway and figure out where to go next. I had to get far away before 8:30 am because that's when school starts and the Principal will call my parents and they'll come looking for me. I didn't know what the time was so I started asking a few adults, the second adult I asked was kind enough to tell me that it was 8:06 am. I didn't have much time to get away or at least hide so I started speed walking through the crowd, everyone was going in different directions so it made it a bit difficult.
I was walking when I finally got out of the crowd but some moody teenager decided it'd be funny to push me over and run. I landed on my hands and knees and they got scraped up a bit.
"Do you need help?"