Call you up in the middle of the night
like a firefly without a light
you were there like a blowtorch burning
I was a key that could use a little turning

1993 was certainly not a good year to live in, specially if you were from the small town of St. Lewis, Iowa. Peeta knew that better than anyone. Well, maybe not better. Everyone who lived in St. Lewis seemed to have the worst life possible. Or ,unless, anyone that Peeta knew. It was just his point of view. The sky was always a shade of grey darker to Peeta's liking and everyone seemed so dead to him, including himself. The only person he didn't think of that way was Katniss's sister, little Primrose, and maybe Katniss herself. There was just something about the Everdeen sisters that brought a twinkle of light to his life. They were like the small rays of the sun that peek through the tightly closed curtains of his bedroom's window every morning. With them, Peeta didn't live in the complete darkness, but it was close enough.

Maybe that's what got Peeta to agree with Katniss's plan. Katniss had suggested for herself and Peeta to run away countless times, but it had never been something too serious. She'd often mention how much she wished to just leave this place and never come back . 'Do you imagine how it would be like if we were somewhere else?' she'd ask everytime the world seemed to be too unbeareble for either of them to take. Peeta would never incentivate her ideas to run away. He'd usually answer her with a 'We aren't somewhere else, and this is our life. There's no going back.' This statement would normally shut her.

But the last time Katnisss suggested for them to run away, Peeta didn't oppose. He didn't understand why he hadn't said the usual words he said, that had already became some sort of manthra in his head. He simply nodded and said that he'd follow her anywhere. Peeta didn't know why he said that. Maybe it was the fierceness she had in her voice, or maybe it was just the way Peeta knew her face would light up if he said those words. Either way, he still went along with her. The truth is that, no matter what, Peeta knew he'd follow Katniss anywhere.

So tired that I couldn't even sleep
so many secrets I couldn't keep
promised myself I wouldn't weep
one more promise I couldn't keep

His backpack seemed way too heavy for him, which didn't even make sense, since he was already used to carry pounds and pounds of flour around the small bakery his parents built their lives with. His room was almost completely dark, and he tried his very best not to tripp on anything. He couldn't afford to wake someone up at this point.

Peeta wondered if he was doing the right thing. Was he really sure he wanted to run away to never come back and leave his family forever? What if he missed them? Even worst, what if they missed him? Peeta scolded himself for having second thought about this. He just couldn't afford to think like that right now. It was settled, Peeta was going to run away with Katniss. There was no way out of this, he would never be able to live with himself if he just didn't leave with Katniss. He couldn't let her go like that, he'd never let her be stuck here, nor leave on her own. And there was something else, he just couldn't live without her.

The last few days Peeta couldn't take a break, sleeping seemed impossible, eventhough he was so tired he could barely keep his eyes open. The last week consisted of Peeta's preparation for his departure. Preparing his (very few) luggage, managing to collect some money for himself (from both his life savings and some more money he managed to sneak from their parents), and, of course, his farewell from his old life. All this had to be done very discreetly. His parents could never find out. If they did, then most certainly his mother would just lock him up in the basement to stop him, claiming she could not afford the embarassment she'd receive if Peeta just ran away. His father would most likely be hurt. Well, actually his father will be hurt about this, but the truth, for more selfish it is, is that, if Peeta wasn't here to see his father's disappontment, maybe it wouldn't hit him so hard.

It seems no one can help me now
I'm in too deep
there's no way out
this time I have really lead myself astray

Peeta cautiously opened his bedroom window, so that it wouldn't creak and wake up every one. although his bedroom was located on the second floor, it was not that much of a fall and Peeta had sneaked out from it countless times. And, just like this one time, it was always to meet up with Katniss. They'd often meet up past the curfew to just walk around (there was not much to do in St. Lewis). Sometimes they'd go to that music store downtown that sold vinnyls for half the price and would be open until late hours. It was probably their favorite meet up place. Both Peeta and Katniss loved music, it was probably the only thing they had in common, besides the fact that both their lives were just hopeless. But there was a big difference from the other times they'd meet up and today, today they'd never come back. Peeta would never climb the small apple tree in his back garden, and from there jump to his windowsmill.

Peeta heaved himself on top of the window, and from there, he reached for the closest in the apple tree. Soon after his feet land on the well-mowed grass. He took one last glance to the house he grew up in, where his family (appart from his older brother, that was already engaged) slept, oblivious to where Peeta was going. He filled his lungs with the chilly night hair and turned saround, jumping over the small wooden fence, never looking back.

Peeta couldn't look back, it was not an option. Right now he was following a one way trail, away from his small world. His bag was prepared, Peeta already had his coat on, and his discman was tighly secured in his pocket, with all the music he could never leave behind. In that moment, there was no looking back ever again.

Can you help me remember how to smile?
Make it somehow all seem worthwhile
How on earth did i get so jaded?
Life's mysteries seem so faded
I can go where noone else can go
I know what no one else knows
here I am just drownin' in the rain
with a ticket for a runaway train

The small train station was, of course empty. No one would be catching a train in this hour of the night, unless not in this place. He takes the train tickets from his pant pocket and stares at them, thinking of the way they were passes to a whole new life.

Katniss had managed to get them tickets. Peeta remembered when she handed him the tickets. 'Ready to go aboard the Runaway Express?' she had mocked.The train was making its way to Des Moines, and from there they'd catch the train to Chicago, Illinois. It was their final destination, Chicago. Peeta would go anywhere, as long as Katniss was there, and Peeta knew very well her fascination for that city. He wasn't sure why she loved Chicago that much (as far as Peeta knew, Katniss had never been there before) but he assumed it was because their favorite band, The Smashing Pumpkins was from. Or maybe it was because Chicago was where her parents had met. Peeta had heard that story once, maybe twice from Katniss. She was certainly not an hopeless romantic, in fact, Katniss despised almost everything that had to do with love (Peeta was very well aware of why she hated love so much, eventhough she never admitted that herself), but Katniss was still human, and sometimes you can't stop being fascinated by love stories. She had told Peeta that her parents met at a movie theatre in the center of the city. Her mother was from the city, but his father was aswell from St. Lewis. He had gone there on some business trip. They met, fell in love, and Boom! That was it.

Peeta wondered that, maybe, if Katniss was away from here (and the place where her parents fell in love) , maybe, just maybe, there would be some shot in falling in love with him. He knew better though, Peeta was very well aware how stupid that thought was. He knew Katniss better than she knew herself, and she'd never just fall in love with him like that. She wasn't one to express her feelings, nor to have them. She just shrugged them off, and changing their location wasn't going to change a thing. Katniss would never love him, wherever he was. And, sometimes, that reality hurt Peeta more than it should. But the truth is, Peeta was a goner.

He didn't love her immediatly, no, certainly not. He didn't even know Katniss for that long. When they first spoke to each other, it had been probably one of the worst times in Peeta's life. The bakery wasn't having very good days, and his parents fought a lot. Well, actually, Peeta's parents always fought, but back then it just seemed even more unbeareble than usual. His mother was always cranky and angry, and she's never waste an opportunitie to yell at Peeta and give him a slap from time to time. Although it seemed vile for her to hit his own son, Peeta knew most of the times he had deserved it. But he could no longer go by the day without defying his mother somehow. he didn't like it at all, that his mother was always on top of him, and sometimes he'd get himself in trouble on propose, just to annoy her. In that day, his mother had kicked him out for the day, only to come back when it was dark. And Peeta felt alone and hopeless that not even his father cared enough to step in and help stop his mother, when she hit him with the wooden spoon, leaving a angry red mark for a few good days.

They met in the music store, Peeta was looking through the vinnyls when she arrived. Immediatly, the atmosphere seemed a little less depressing. She smelled like oranges and spring, which was stupid, since the rain couldn't stop pouring that day. Peeta remembers watching her approach the vinnyl's section from the corner of his eye, She was wearing a baggy light yellow t-shirt and ripped jeans, holding a brown leather jacket in her hand. Her doc martins squeaked on the pavement as she approached him. Finally she stopped right in front of the shelf covered in old vynnils, slightly cocking her head. 'The discount going on over here is pretty kick-ass.' she had stated, more to herself than to Peeta, but he still gave her a quick smile before diving back in his search for the album he was looking for. He had felt Katniss beside him, also shuffling around, looking for some album. For a few moments they both were in silence, until Peeta spotted it. Gish, from the Smashing Pumpkins. He had sighed victoriously and went to grab the vynnil, but when he did, so did Katniss's small pale hand. He remembers not retracting his hand at first, while he simply stared at her fingers, somewhat absorbed by the way her dark blue nail polish was chipping. He also remembers the look she had given him, as if she was silently saying 'I saw it first'. The effect her gaze had on him had left him apprehensible. As soon as he noticed the way her grey eyes pierced him, he immediatly let go of the vynnil. 'You can keep it. I'll look for another copy.' he had said. When she shook her head refusing his offer, she stuned him. 'But really, I don't mind if you keep it.' he had repeated himself. He noticed the way she was bitting her bottom lip, as if she was rumaging over some idea in her head. 'It's not fair that I keep it and you don't.' she had mumbled. Her stare had some sort of eletric effect on him. He immediatly felt the energy flowing through him. 'Maybe you can just borrow me that later.'Peeta had suggested, turning his gaze back to the shelf of vynnils. And, for more impressive it might sound, the next time Peeta was in that store, Katniss was also there, handing him the vynnil and claiming that 'Bury me' was definitely the best track. When Peeta listened to the songs, he had agreed with her.

Soon they started talking. At first it was only about music, about their favorite bands and songs. It eventually evolved to the meanings the lyrics of the songs had to them. Soon, they were both spilling about their life has if they'd known each other forever. Although Katniss was everything that Peeta was not, she was endearing as Peeta was flat out boring. She was somewhat sadistic, never seeing the good in anything, she didn't trust anyone nor let anyone reach her. Peeta was one of the few who had the luck to truly reach her, and he was very well aware of that. And, although Peeta didn't like to admit it, he also knew that his situation was the exact same with himself. Peeta never trusted anyone beside Katniss. Any sort of he had developped to someone had died the moment it appeared. And, with the time, Peeta started realizing that it's wasn't worth trusting anyone if they were just going to betray him, he stopped trusting. Until Katniss appeared, that is. Maybe it was the fact that neither of them had the capibility of trust that brought them together. Having a friendship with Katniss was never hard, it was as if you could never disappoint her, since she was already disappointed enough. It was always a laid back thing, even when they started telling each other secrets and thoughts. By the time Peeta had turned 17, Katniss was already the most important thing in his life, even if he didn't aknowledge it.

And everything seems cut and dry
day and night
earth and sky
somehow i just don't believe it

Dropplets of rain fell over Peeta, leaving him even more chilly than what he already was. Peeta checked his watch. It was the exact time he agreed with Katniss to meet up. She should be here anytime now.

Momentarily Peeta thought of turning around and go back home, give up on this, it was already stupid enough. It was just some teenage dream. He pushed away the part of him that somehow wished his family would notice him missing, read the note he left on his bed, neatly folded, with his last goodbye written on it, and run to the train stationa and stop him from leaving. But that was stupid and Peeta knew it. His family didn't care enough about him to not let him go, to don't allow him to leave their lives forever. They didn't care enough for that.

Peeta remimded himself that there was nothing for him here, that it was no use of staying. He didn't belong. He didn't want to keep doing what he had been doing until then. He didn't want to do what everyone else did in the small town of St. Lewis. He didn't want to graduate and get some job nor work for his parents in the bakery. he didn't want to find the perfect wife ,that he didn't even love, to start a family with. That's what his parents had done, and he refused to turn out like them. Nothing in that life would have an actual meaning to Peeta. It just didn't matter.  The only thing that mattered enough to him was going aboard the Runaway Train to never come back, and he'd never let her go by herself.

Bought a ticket for a runaway train
like a madman laughing at the rain
little out of touch, little insane
it's just easier than dealing with the pain

Soon the small dropplets of rain turned into a heavy stormed. Peeta swore under his breath to not think about bringing an umbrella. He should have predicted this, it is always raining in St. Lewis. always. Peeta hastily pulled his hoodie over his head, trying to protect himself from the rain. How mad he must look right now, standing in the middle of an empty train station, with no umbrella and a backpack, waiting for someone who should've already arrived ages ago. the train would be arriving soon, and Peeta was going on it no matter what. He just couldn't turn around, this was a one way track.

Why would Katniss be taking so long? Did she get second thoughts about it? Maybe she just couldn't leave her little sister behind, the only person that Peeta was aware that she could love. Why would she? If Peeta had someone he trully loved, he also wouldn't be in this train station, waiting for his Runaway Train. She probably couldn't stand the idea of loosing her sister, just because of him. Katniss had already lost enough, Peeta knew it. Her father died when she was younger and her mother stopped being there for them. Of course, Peeta didn't know how that feels like.He had never lost anything in his whole life, he just never had anything at all. of course, How can someone loose something, if they never had it in the first place?

Shortly after, the train arrived. Peeta flinched at the creaking the wheels made. The train would be here for 5 minutes, most likely. There was no reason for it to be in here any longer than what needed.

Peeta sighed, realising that it was no use, Katniss wasn't here. She wasn't coming with him. He'd have to go aboard the Runway train by himself, with no Katniss.

Maybe he should just turn around and leave. But then again, what's the use? There's nothing for him here, this way it's just waay easier than having to deal with that pain.

Runaway train, never goin' back
wrong way on a one-way track
seems like I should be getting somewhere
somehow I'm neither here nor there

Peeta straighened his back and started to walk towards the train.

But someone stopped him before he managed too.

Katniss's arms encircled around him made him feel warm, eventhough by now he was already dripping with the rain. Her hair was just as wet as his, but it still smelled like it usually did. Peeta had almost felt backwards when Katniss almost jumped on top of him, putting her arms around his neck.
Peeta felt almost weird, Katniss wasn't one to show affection like that, she always did it through small gestures, like gently touching his arm when they were sat side by side listening to music through Peeta's discman, or when she'd call his name to simply smile at him. Those were the ways she'd show affection, not with hugs nor kisses. And Peeta was pretty content that way.

"Were you boarding without me?" Katniss asked.

Peeta awkwardly cleared his throat. He had been quiet long enough to make it hard for him to articulate words. "I thought you changed your mind." Peeta mumbled.

Katniss looked at him, something near hurt crossing her expression. But she almost immediatly recovered, and smiled lightly at him "You know I'd never do that. I'd never let you go by yourself." she whispered to him. Peeta felt her soft skin as she grabbed his hand. She loooked at him apprehensively, before opening her mouth again. "I wouldn't let the only thing that mattered leave like that."

Peeta smiled warmly at her, feeling so full of life all of a sudden. he mattered to Katniss. Somehow that's all he needed to hear for all his doubts to dissipate. He turned towards the train, still clutching Katniss's hand, and they both entered aboard the Runaway Train.

Runaway train, never comin' back
Runaway train, tearin' up the track
Runaway train, burnin' in my veins
I run away but it always seems the same

The End

An:

Hey, guys!

Sooo, I hoped you liked this short story, I have been meaning to write it for a while now.

I just wanted to point out that this story his based off the song "Runaway Train" from Soul Asylum (also I recommend you all to hear it) and it really is like a one-shot. There's nothing else after this, I just really wanted to write it.

Also, just a warning, the town that Peeta lives in, St. Lewis was made up by me. It's not real, I just came up with the name. If there actually is a town with this name (which is possible), it's not the same as in this story.

Okay, that's all.

Bye Guys!

~Claire