Escaping Him Poem by Ashton Riner

Escaping Him
By: Ashton Nichole Riner

he swiftly cloaks his body
and hurries to school
his sanctuary
his father calls out to him
and the boy loped towards the bus
barely escaping his father's clutches
hey, she smiled
he slipped into the seat by her
are you allright? she asked
I have to leave this place
what do you mean? she held his arm
he shakes his head
tell me, she plead
his sad eyes gazed into hers
he flinches when she grips his arm tighter
and the realization sinks in
does he hit you?
he chokes up, unable to answer
his silence confirms her suspicion
come away with me, she offers
really? he asks, hopeless
the bus stops to pick up another kid
and she pulls him off the bus with her
she leads him into the woods
I've always loved you, he told her, lips trembling
he looked in the other direction
and she flung herself into his arms
I love you too
kiss me, he murmured
and their lips met
her parents heard his story
and gave him a room to stay in
don't worry, they told him, he'll never find you
a week passed and his father didn't look for him
her parents were awarded custody after months
of fighting for him
his suffering had finally ceased
and his father spent the rest of his life in
the slammer, where he could never hurt
anyone again..........