It all started back home. My parents were the type you would find fighting for no reason. Sometimes when they were fighting, I would be used as a “go between”, but when they were happy they would completely forget about me like I didn’t exist.

This emotional abuse was starting to be detrimental to me, it was changing me to a different person and they could not see it. One day I decided to leave home without saying anything. It was in the evening, when I heard them starting to fight again.

I tried to cover my ears with my hands but the sounds still penetrated through in my ears.

“You don’t love us! All you do is to get drunk and act all mighty!” My mother shouted at my dad. “I hate you!” She added.

I quickly reached in my wardrobe and took out my navy blue bag and started packing my clothes, feeling only anger and hostility in my heart. I threw my bag out the window and I followed after it. The window was the only exit I could use that time, I did not even look back.

I made my way through the backyard, into the street. And I walked and walked without knowing where I was heading, until I heard a faint sound of a car engine behind me in some highway.

The car blinded me with its lights and I couldn’t see who was inside. After some time of suspense, a hand came out of the car waving at me. I can’t lie, I was shivering and couldn’t think straight from that moment. It could have been my father or a kidnapper for that matter. But I did not care because I figured whatever happens, happens.

I slowly made my way to the car, with my heart pacing and water running through my body.

There was an old man in the car, wearing a brown cap. I looked through the window and our eyes met.

“Hey young man, what are you doing outside this late? You will get mugged, get in the car,” he said as he opened the door for me.

I boarded the car without even thinking twice.

“I’m James,” the old man said. “Where are you going?” He added.

“Uhm… I… I’m…”

I could not find any words in me. Besides, I also did not know where I was going.

“I can help you if you only tell me who you are young man,” James said to me as he could see that I was uncomfortable.

I told James all about myself, where I came from and how I ended up running away from home. James was generous to me. He took me along with him and offered me a place to stay. I met his wife and she was also generous, she prepared me something to eat and she accepted me with open arms.

They became my parents and raised me like their own. They gave me the kind of love I had never experienced before. Since then I have promised myself to live my life as a revolution and not just a process of evolution.

***