There I was lying on a beach, hidden in the thick dune grass. I heard a grumble of an old dune buggy driving down the beach. It was slow and rusty and made a sound like an elephant that had just been attacked. It was a pretty small search team for a so called murderer.

I was not a murderer. I had been framed not one year ago. I had been sitting in my office. I always liked the view it had over downtown New York. It was on Wall Street. My office was on the 23rd floor. This day the air conditioning had broken so I was using a fan to cool me off because it was a very hot day. Just then the cops barged down my door and said that I would be taken into custody because I was a suspect for the murder of my boss.

Now I did not know my boss was dead which kind of shocked me. I fainted. The next thing I knew I was in custody because they had found my boss in a dumpster below my window. I was given a lawyer for the next day’s trial. I walked into the courthouse. It would have been a beautiful place if it wasn't for the fact that I was being accused of murder. After about two hours I was found to be guilty.

I was thrown into a prison in upstate New York. That was all they told me. I was not fit to be in prison and I knew I had to escape I just didn’t know how. Every night I would make plans for my escape. What I came up with was probably dumb but I would try it anyway. I talked to other inmates to see what I would have to do. They said that the guards were least alert on New Years so I waited.

New Years rolled around and the guards were drunk. So I ran by a guard and stole his keys I waited until night then I stuffed my blanket with pillows then slowly opened my door to my cell I snuck by the first guard and the other was sleeping I went down a flight of stairs and then got outside there were a couple of bushes that I hid behind When one of the watch tower lights went the other way one more came this way. But I noticed a brief moment in between the movement I used it to my advantage. As soon as one looked away I sprinted to the 20 ft wall.

There I found the weak spot the other inmates had talked about. I slammed full force into the wall putting a hole just big enough for me to crawl thru. Then I scrambled out. As soon as I got to the woods I heard the siren blare. I could hear the rough sound of a car go motoring away and I heard dogs and saw flashlights. That was when I saw a glimmer of hope other inmates ran out about 10 of them the search team peeled off me and went for  them.

I ran until it was morning not stopping until I found a thick tuft of dune grass that I ducked down into and made a small camp to stay the night in. The next morning was when the chase came to me.

I had just woken up and I had started a fire using an axe and a piece of flint I had found at a campsite I passed in the woods. I thought of staying at the campsite but then decided that they would look there. I was warming up by the fire because it was pretty cool outside maybe 40 degrees but I was just guessing the sun was still rising over lake Ontario which made for a pretty beautiful sight but that was when I heard it. A loud roar coming up the beach. It sounded like the old bomber I had seen when I had gone to an airshow in Chicago when I was little.

But I knew it was no plane but a loud old dune buggy. Because what followed it was the most frightening sight I have ever seen. About 20 german shepherds all barking like mad because they could smell me. I immediately put out the fire and grabbed my axe and flint then took off because I had nothing else. I ran about two or three miles before stopping and climbing a tree to catch my breath.

I decided that it would be a good place to make camp. That night I had a dream it was about what my life was before being framed about my real name Charlie Damon not my prison name Jingles and I thought that my life was not great even before this. Then I awoke I realized it was night and I had not  eaten in almost 2 days I was literally starving to death.

I grabbed my axe and began to walk. Very slowly I walked because I spotted it just out of the corner of my eye a squirrel carrying a walnut. I threw my axe. It hit the squirrel in the head with the handle which  seemed to knock it out. I grabbed the axe and killed the squirrel. I cooked it and ate it for my dinner.

I decided I would move to Canada to escape the bounty on me. The next morning I felt more strength than I had felt since I escaped. I went back through the woods to try to find lake Ontario which I did find so when I went back to my campsite I put a stick facing towards the lake. then I got to work I sharpened my axe using a big rock then started cutting down trees.

I cut down 3 trees the tallest ones around I cut them down the middle so i formed half logs but still the same length I then dug a small spot in the middle log to put my belongings. I made a small shelter from tree bark. then I made another small hole in which I collected worms and put them in and then put a lid over them. I made two fishing rods with a long stick and weaved together tree bark for the line I made 3 spears. I weaved a strong net to keep fish in after I catch them so they stay alive and fresh I made it out of tree bark woven together.

I made a bucket to put water in. I then made an oar to make it move a bit faster then I made a cart to get the raft all the way to lake Ontario and lowered it into the shallow waters.

I didn't get out far before I ran into trouble. I had been having a good day so far. I just caught a fish a big one too about 5 pounds is what it felt like I put it in the net to eat later. The sun was high in the sky my guess was it was about noon. I cooked the fish I felt a bit better after eating a little.

That was when I saw the lightning bolt. I had no choice but to go head on into the storm. I took shelter in my small shelter where I put all my belongings then hunkered down to brace for the storm. The first sign of the storm being upon me was the bright flash then shortly after a loud clap of thunder boomed over the skies. I felt the wind pick up heard it start whistling. I saw something fly by me then a piece of flying driftwood hit me in the head 2 other pieces flew towards both hit me. I woke up laying on the floor of my raft. No land was in sight I didn't know which way was which. I rested for a couple of hours when I awoke the sun had just risen it was to my right so I was going the correct way. I had most of my belongings just missing 2 spears. I speared a fish which I then cooked.

 I got a good drink of water and felt pretty good. I paddled for about 2 hours then ate lunch. Then I paddled for another 2 or 3 hours. Then cooked dinner. When I woke up I saw the sun to my right and kept paddling for about 2 hours. Then caught a big salmon and had it for breakfast.

For almost a month I just did this routine every day. Then one day I woke up and saw land I paddled like mad until I reached land I dashed to shore I didn’t stop running until I saw a road I continued walking until I saw a sign it said Cobourg Canada.

I ran for miles until I came upon a small town. I walked down what was obviously the main street. That was when I saw a small clothing store with the words employees wanted. I walked in and the look on the cashier’s face was a sight to see.

My clothes were in tatters and I had a long beard so I guess it makes sense that it startled him but when he told me the homeless are not welcome here that just hurt. I said I am applying for a job here whether you like it or not. he reluctantly called his manager in he said this man wants a job here. The manager said then let me interview him.

I tried to remember my old business tactics. Always look the client in the eye. The interview took about an hour but in the end I got the job. It didn’t pay super well but it was enough to buy a low level apartment and keep up with life.

I hardly lived in luxury one bedroom one bathroom a kitchen that I barely fit in but it had a fridge and a stove. It had a small living room. I bought a couch a tv and a bed. My life was going good until I made the news. It was a friday morning the sun was coming up it was about 7:00 and I was walking to work.

I didn’t have a car because my job was just a couple blocks away. That was when I saw the smoke. I sprinted to Carl’s pharmacy where I saw the fire. The first thing I heard was the voice of the owner Carl Garrison I knew him because he was my neighbor I ran in to help.

He was trapped under a large wooden pole. It took all of my strength but I lifted the pole grabbed his hand and got him out of there. Later that night I saw myself on the news I didn’t really think much of this but that was temporary. It was about 8 in the morning I had just gotten up that was when I heard the knock. I walked over to the door looked through the little eyehole and saw a guy in a suit holding a gun.

Then I heard a voice it said if you don’t open the door we'll take it down with force. I decided to run I dove through a window which didn’t exactly work very well. because my apartment was on the second floor and it was directly over the FBI cars. I landed on the roof then took off I ran off into the woods and didn’t stop for a long time.

I found a small clearing where I made a camp. I was lucky because the next morning I found that my axe was on my belt. I cut down a couple of trees and made a small cabin. Later I sharpened a stick and got a rabbit for dinner. To prepare for the harsh winter I killed a deer and made a coat for the winter. I was stranded in the woods with nothing but a fur coat and an axe and a small cabin. I was lucky the next day.

I was walking trying to find water I had not gotten far the cabin was still in sight I went under a large pine tree and found a path. I sprinted through the path and came through a clearing I was running fast and tripped over a bucket. A bucket!! I picked it up and looked forward and in front of me was a stream.

I filled the bucket with water and ran back to the cabin. For the next year or so I lived off of the land. I became used to crazy storms but one really got me. I was down at the stream getting water it  was a beautiful sunny day with a cool breeze. I sat down and washed my face off in the stream that was when I saw something over head. I looked up to see a dark storm cloud a flash of lightning and boom I was out.

I woke up a while later I was next to a burning log the storm was gone I walked back to my cabin which had somehow survived the storm. The next day was all rest. The next day I walked to the stream and found a person standing there. Face to face with me across the river was Carl Garrison.

He smiled he said that he could take me back to Cobourg That I could stay in his home until I was back on my feet and he said I could work at his pharmacy. So that is what happened he took me in and I have lived in Cobourg ever since. I got a new job and apartment that was very fit to live in. The job was as a judge and I made sure that no one was ever wrongly accused like I was.

The end