Running From Love

The snow hit the rocks and laid there still as glass and silence. Not a sound to be heard other than the howling winds. Wind which brought the crystallized specs all over the town and water on the edge of the ice covered beach. Water stilled, waves no more until the big thaw comes in the spring. Light pours out from the lighthouse above, rotating and spinning in all directions. Always on the lookout for any and all arrivals to the snow covered dunes.

The zipper on his jacket all the way up around his neck, scarf tucked in, and a hat to top off the look. Mist coming from his mouth with every step his feet take. Heartbeat increases as he runs over the frozen sand, gloved hands lift and drop in time to his foot steps. Music blares from earbuds drowning out the thoughts running miles in his head. Nothing clears one's head as well as listening to someone scream about booze and drugs as they run on the beach.

How did he get here?! Back in his hometown, frustrated, angry, and scared. It felt as though time stood still in this town never changing since he last left. Everyone he went to school with are now adults with jobs and families, yet here they live in their hometown in a repetitive cycle of life. He felt as if it was like watching a never ending spin cycle on the biggest washing machine he had ever seen.

Crunch! Slap! Smack!

His feet and legs carried him for miles as they do every day, he ran to clear his head. Ran to ignore his troubles. Ran to escape life, but no matter how far he runs, his shadow always creeps back in and takes back over.

Why was he back here? His father of course. The man who may have helped give life to him and his three brothers, the man who has now been married and divorced three times and is now engaged for a fourth has just suffered a stroke at the age of 57. When the call came he raced back of course, after losing his mother years ago there was no way he would let his father go through this alone with just the help of his 22 year old fiance who wouldn't know how to handle the situation. His brothers raced back too, but even they were giving him a run for his sanity. Controlling three younger brothers in their early and mid twenties was giving him a mind numbing headache daily, so he ran.

And then of course there was her. The woman who drove him crazy and into the puppy dog eyed love over a decade ago. She was still here, in this town, happily married and still the love of his life. He couldn't get over her no matter how much he tried to. The countless relationships, the countless heartbreak, and the endless pain always led back to wanting and needing her in his life.

She had heard about his father and raced over to check on them all. As soon as she walked in, he was a goner. Watching her every move, smiling at her every word, and as he realizes all of this he starts to panic so what does he do?

He runs once again, running as fast and as far away from love that he can. He knows that if he keeps running he can never be hurt. He may be lonely, but he will never be hurt.