When I decide that I've gone far enough that if my family decided to look for me they wouldn't care to come this far in this direction -which I'm guessing is about eleven miles- I sit down. I unzip my backpack and I take out a package of my individually wrapped goldfish crackers. I smile as I imagine that dumb commercial. The snack that smiles back, goldfish!

I eat the whole bag, then I take out my journal. I open it up to the first page -which is blank. I click open my pen and I begin writing.

June 2nd, first journal entry.
Today is my first day out on my own. It is my new behmgining. I've traveled about eleven miles east so far. I am totally worn out. I wish I packed some energy drinks or something, maybe even some type of sleeping pills. I doubt I'll get a good night's sleep tonight. I didn't even bring a sleeping bag. I doubt anyone would ever read this, because I would most likely be dead before I let anyone read my journal. If someone does happen to read this, my name is Emerson Roy and I don't know where I'll be by the end of this Summer.

When I'm finished writing, I put my journal and my pen back inside the front zipper area of my backpack, put my empty bag of goldfish crackers inside my bag as well, and I try to sleep.