“I WON’T go to school! I won’t!” I screamed at mum.

“You have to, your papers are starting next week!” she replied.

“I’m not going, you never make him go!” I snarled, pointing at my older brother.

“He just gave his papers!” she replied calmly, and said, “Besides, he’s not feeling well.”

“It doesn’t matter, you’re always unfair to me!” I snapped, remembering how I had begged them for a new phone for a month and still hadn’t gotten it and my brother had got a new phone the very next day he had asked for it.

‘That’s it, I’ve had enough,’ I thought. I agreed to go to school but with different plans in mind. I packed my bag but not with books, just some food, a change of clothes and of course, my cellphone. I boarded the bus but instead of getting off at my school, I dropped off at a park. I dropped my bag on the grass and sat on a bench. I thought of what I was doing, I had run away from home. The idea would have seemed insane at home, but now, I felt great! I felt a great sense of freedom. I slept and woke up after five hours, according to my wristwatch.

It was hot, I was sweating and I deduced by the sounds coming from my stomach that it was past my lunch time. So I took out the food I had brought with me and ate it. Then I started playing games on my cellphone but soon the battery ran out. I forced myself to remain calm.

I got up and started roaming around the streets. I saw a dog, I was bored so I approached it, seeking companionship. It growled at me and before I could react, it pounced at me. I dodged it and started running. It gave me a good chase before giving up.

I leaned against a streetlight and caught my breath. I realised my mistake so I decided to return to home. Unfortunately, I had no idea where I was!

I saw a man reading a newspaper in his car parked nearby. I asked him if I could get a lift to my block and to my surprise he agreed, instantly and eagerly. He had a very old and battered looking car; we drove off on the busy road. In a few minutes, I noticed we were going the wrong way.

“This isn’t the right way, sir!” I told him.

“Relax, this is a shortcut to the area you mentioned!” he said.

“But I’m pretty sure you’re mistaken, sir!” I said starting to get worried. He stopped the car in front of an old, deserted building. “I forgot something in there, let’s go and get it then I’ll take you home,” he said, and my greatest fears were confirmed — I was being kidnapped. I opened the door and jumped out of the car. I ran faster than I had ever run.

I turned around, he wasn’t following me, as he wouldn’t dare run after me with people on the street. At a crowded bus stop I took my phone out to call home for help and, to my horror, it had ran out of battery so it was off. I felt hopeless.

I was on the verge of tears when a car stopped in front of me. I looked inside it and saw a familiar face looking at me from the driving seat and I realised, it was our neighbour, Mr James.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” he asked.

“I got lost,” I lied, softly.

He smiled, “Well, then hop on, I’ll take you to your home.”

I thanked him and got into his car. I was grateful he didn’t ask any more questions. We reached home after 10 minutes. I thanked him again and stepped inside my home. I ran to my mum and hugged her.

“Did you have a good time?” she asked. I smiled, she had forgiven me.

“No!” was all I managed to say. This frightful day out taught me many lessons, the true value of family, lying to your parents, and bunking the school, if the plans of the stranger would have been successful I wouldn’t have returned home.