Silence is able to creep its way inside my head, and all I hear through the thick clouds of silence is the low hum of the furnace. The high ceilings of my house, the long hallways, and the spacious rooms always feel so lonely. Loneliness is the only emotion I have ever been able to feel in this house. I can't wait to leave for college. The only downfall of going off to college is leaving my younger sister behind, but she understands. Pictures of her and I line the walls of our home, every turn are different stages of our childhood. Somehow, despite all the love, I feel so detached from my life. How I got to this point is unclear to me.

The only time when my thoughts seem to make any sense is while I am running. Running helps me to shake that feeling of detachment. Those are the only reasons I run. I begin my normal route through the woods. The best feeling, in the entire world, is when the fresh air comes through my nose. While I’m running is the only time that my mind stops worrying, and my thoughts stop wandering. Running, to me, feels so natural.

As I dodge puddles, and attempt to avoid the raised tree roots, my rhythm starts to steady. This route is my second home, my version of therapy. My running may not be the fastest or the most graceful, but I don’t run for those reasons. Instead I run to clear my mind and my thoughts these thoughts that push me over the edge. It prevents me from having a mental breakdown. When people hear my name they don't associate me with mental breakdowns. People know me as Lacey Berg, the talented athlete, fast reader, and the girl who excels in academics. I see myself as Lacey, just another senior girl, and a daughter to my parents, not a runner by choice, but because there is no other stress reliever, books are my only escape from reality. I throw myself into my schoolwork because I have nothing better to do with my time. My parents view me as a gifted student, and expect nothing but the best from me. They are supportive parents; they come to all my games and cheer me on no matter what. What they don’t do is come to school with me, can’t read my mind, and they don’t spend time trying to get to know me. All they know is the wall I hide behind. Come to think of it, no one really knows the real me.

My thoughts are beginning to overwhelm me so I pick up my pace. The cold breeze cuts across my face and goose bumps immediately spread from my head to my toes. BAM! My body smashes to the ground with a hard thwack. Everything happened so fast. One minute I’m darting through an obstacle course and the next I am paralyzed and I don’t know why. My body is frozen; I can barely catch my breath. My once long, slow, deep breaths have turned into rapid gasps for air. My whole body is numb. I try to lift up my upper body but a sharp deep pain vibrates throughout my body. I feel something cold seeping down my left hipbone, and immediately I know its blood. I push up my arms and cause my back to arch, this allows me to turn my head and see my back. What I see is not at all pleasing. I quickly rip my gaze away and for once in my life I have no idea what to do or say. Fear is able to paralyze my thoughts, and my emotions.

The realization of the blood somehow triggered pain, spreading like wildfire through my body. My lower back had been shot, how it got shot is a mystery. It all happened so fast and now I can’t even move. I am so deep in the thickly settled woods that I’m afraid no one will hear my cries for help. My family has no clue where I am, I didn’t leave a note for them, and they will be worried sick. I doubt it though. They won’t even notice I’m gone. I am losing too much blood to fast; the fatigue is beginning to set in. My whole body starts to tingle and before I know it I break out into a cold sweat. I try to control my breathing but I am afraid I need medical attention. Before I know it I black out. My ears are my only sense of awareness. I can hear the rustle of the foliage, and I hear a set of footsteps and I know I am not alone. Someone grabs me by the ankles and start to drag me, I can’t fight this person they are too strong. This person begins to talk on the phone and I know this shooting was no accident.