Freedom | Teen Ink

Freedom

May 19, 2017
By Anonymous

Have you ever looked outside your window, and wondered, Is this really happiness? What is the point of living if all we do is the same thing as everyone else, not changing anything, just walking down the set path the world has laid out for us? I pondered this for a while, sitting at my desk, looking at the raindrops hit the fence of the neighboring house. I could see the umbrellas of a few people, the only thing that really set them apart was the difference of their umbrellas, twirling them around like a man tossing a pizza. They all looked exactly the same to me, just like I was going to be in a few years. 

 

A day passed, that same thought just wouldn't get off my mind, but I knew I didn't really want to do anything, I don't want to do anything I'm not supposed to, because I wouldn't be able to get very far in life with a criminal record. Although, was that really what I wanted? Or was I just too scared to really live for myself, and just didn't want the people around me to hate me? I thought about this, walking home from the grocery store, my mother waiting there, expectantly, for me to bring these ingredients to her. Eventually I noticed a sign that said "NO TRESPASSING" in big red letters, this sign protecting a fence nearby. I checked around me, noticed nobody, and swiftly creeped towards the fence. Tossing my grocerys over the fence, I followed suit, and for a split second, my heart stopped. I felt a huge rush of adrenaline, I was doing something some people have never had the chance to do, never had the chance to see!

 

I felt exhilirated. sneaking around the fence into a small industrial building that was still dripping wet from rain. I noticed a small ladder, which didn't seem to be very sturdy from the creaking of it's boards as I pressed my hand upon it. Despite my best judgement, I climbed up, the ground seeming incredibly distant with each passing step. Once I had reached the top, I caught my breath, sitting behind a pile of bricks that covered me on most sides. No workers would be coming today as rain had just passed through, so I was free to do whatever I wanted, without a care in the world. 

 

This was freedom, above the world, where society would never let me go. I thought to myself as the sun began to sink. I climbed up as high as I safely could, and watched the sunset, eating some of the strawberrys I bought from the grocery store. I didn't want to leave, I just wanted to sit around until the sun came back up, but my mother would be worried sick. The sun had fully sank and I began my descent when something caught my attention. A flashing light in the darkness, and the sound of sirens coming closer. I was terrified, each one of my body parts were stiff. Somebody noticed I was up here and notified the police!

 

I slid down the ladder, planning to turn myself in and explain to my mother, but the closer I got the more I felt I was making the wrong decision. Eventually, my instincts took over and I ran the opposite way, towards my house. The police noticed my arm as I jumped over the fence, grocerys in hand. For some reason, I couldn't stop running, jumping, and sliding through the city. I didn't want to let go of my newfound freedom. The police cars were gaining on me, but I kept giving them the slip by hopping over shortcuts and into people's yards to aid in my escape. My body knew what I wanted and it wouldn't stop until I arrived home or died.

 

I knew the charges for trespassing, and the law did not discriminate, it doesn't matter who or how old I was, it wasn't going to let me off easy. But i just kept going, until the police were out of sight. I arrived home, sweaty and dirty, when my mom who was in tears came to hug me. I forgot about my curfew but I didn't care about getting grounded, I had all the happiness I needed. I now knew what I really wanted, and how to achieve it. Nothing and nobody can take away the freedom I had, the freedom I made for myself.


The author's comments:

Seeing my life fly by without doing anything different from what everyone else did, for fear of losing their safety or comfort. I hope that whoever reads this is inspired to follow their dreams no matter what society tells them.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.