Henri's Escape

Drumroll please... it's the Choose Your Own Blogventures unveiling! If you would like to start at the very beginning of the story please go here. Otherwise my section is posted below along with the link to the previous section of the story. Enjoy!

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Henri motioned towards the bus, "After you, Emma." She bounded up the steps, each motion blatantly showing her excitement.

"We're running away together!" Emma exclaimed to the driver, unable to contain herself. There was a hint of immaturity in her voice, making it obvious that this was a very last-minute decision. The driver quietly chuckled. He knew young love when he saw it. In fact, he had been there himself a time or two.

Henri boarded the bus right behind her. His hands were shaking and he grabbed the hand rail to steady himself. He knew in his heart he couldn't go through with it. She was, after all, a convicted felon. Not exactly someone you could bring home to Mom.

He watched as Emma walked down the center aisle of the bus, looking for two open seats. She was beautiful. He silently scolded himself for falling for her without really getting to know her. This wasn't the first time he had mistaken lust for love, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

The bus was crowded. Emma's back was still facing him. Realizing it was now or never, Henri slipped through the nearly closed doors and ran as fast as his legs would take him. He was so far away when he heard her cries, that they were barely audible. It felt surreal.

As he ran his mind replayed images of her, taunting him. He could hear her laughing, a laugh so intense it couldn't be mistaken for anyone else's. "The laugh of a crazy girl's more like it," he thought to himself.

He slowed his pace as he rounded the block, not really sure of his destination. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a crowd gathering across the street. He made his way over, wondering what the fuss was all about. Elbowing through didn't get him very far; he was still unable to see what was causing the commotion.

"Do you know what's going on?" Henri asked as he tapped the shoulder of the girl to his right. Her ponytail swung around so fast it nearly hit him in the eye.

"Oh, I'm sorry! You startled me!" The beautiful brunette was now facing him, "I think someone was hurt. I heard a man on the phone with 911." But Henri didn't hear her answer, she was becoming a blur right before his eyes. Everything suddenly went black. His head was pounding. He tried reaching back to find the source of the pain, and felt concrete.

He was coming to.

Emma's face slowly came into focus; the scowl plastered on it contradicting her laughter. "Tried to get away I see." The crowd he had imagined earlier was actually gathered around him. He was the source of the commotion, his escape plan had failed.

Looking towards his feet, he now understood how he had fallen. Smashed between the treads of his sneaker were the remnants of an orange Hostess cupcake. "Shit."

He knew that very soon he'd come face to face with Emma's collection of vintage but operational belt sanders and antique cheese graters.

THE END