Callie Star finds out early in life that she possesses a wonderful gift, the ability to run fast— faster than anyone else in her school. As a teenager, she runs away from an abusive father and finds redemption for her suffering in the most unlikely people. Callie’s story is about her plight to find God and normalcy in life while running away from the torturous thoughts that move around in her mind—a mind that quickly becomes consumed with one man.

Her only desire in life is to be with Richie Devonair. He is a dark soul whose demons are a threat to himself and to those around him. What Callie learns in the run for her life opens her eyes to possibilities she only dreamed about and a bright side that takes her years to really see. Where does the finish line lie for her?

She finds the answers to her questions in her struggling faith in God. Hers is a story of tragedy, a story of sorrow, and a story of beauty and redemption told from a place that exists outside the box of acceptable morals (in religion) as American society knows it.

With that, they left, and I brushed past Richie and ran. Big Daddy and Richie made a failed attempt to stop me. I would not go back there. I was running from myself again- from who I inevitably was. I was Jason Star’s daughter and he had come to make me that person once more. I still harbored that pain and dirt. I didn’t want it anymore. I didn’t want the sweet cover-up to an imperfect life. I wanted to trample on every little piece of me until I was completely broken and embezzled into the pavement. I didn’t do it right the first time. The past followed me to steal my promising future and isolate me once again. The past followed me; never dying like it would this time. I would crush the misery so it couldn’t breed more.

I found myself at the bridge. A bridge that was built for a purpose. A bridge that survived so many atmospheres, heard so many voices, held so many people. A bridge with years and years of memories only to stand alone as time slowly destructed it. How much longer would it have to stand alone, slowly decaying? And would I be that bridge someday? Alone and slowly decaying with steel memories. Forgetting what purpose I ever served other than that.

“No!” I screamed. I would never stand like that. I slammed my fists into the cold steel rails, chipping away at its hopelessness. I begged that I would be given the same destruction someday. Someone grabbed my shoulders and took me away from my project, but I was determined to deliver a begged death.

“Callie!” Riche turned me to face him.

“He’s lying,” I screamed. “He’s lying! I don’t even have an aunt! I ran away because he beat the shit out of me all the time! And I was so hungry all the time because we never had food! I won’t go back there, Richie! You can’t let this happen!”

The moon swam in the sky right then just far enough to reveal my injuries. Air borne blood dried my face, and my hands swelled into bloody bags of skin and bones.

“Callie,” Richie said with a hint of panic, “You got to get to the hospital.”

“No!” I screamed. “I don’t want to go anywhere Richie! Stay right here and teach me how to hate. Teach me how to be strong and…and not let anything hurt me. You have a gun- I saw it! Teach me how to kill so I can kill my dad. Teach me how to not feel anything. I don’t want to feel anything! Nothing! I just want to…” I dropped to my knees in exhaustion. “I just want to be like you.”

I could feel his eyes on me, but the night left me too tired to raise my head and see what he was saying. My face rested on the gravel, and I felt myself accept his desire to pull me away from my project of mercy.

I awoke in my own bed while my cloudy mind divided dreams from reality. Eventually, reality took the majority which left me dissatisfied. I had casts on both of my hands. And as I felt the hunger to destroy again, Big Daddy’s face saved me and his love soothed my broken mind. I crawled into his arms and released my need to destruct in a river tears. He rocked me back and forth, contributing his own tears to my pain.