missmara13: (Runaway)
[personal profile] missmara13
Title: A Gnawing Pain
Fandom: The OC
Characters: Ryan Atwood
Prompt: 047 - Starve
Word Count: 403
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Ryan knows what it is too feel hungry.
Author's Notes: 3rd in the Runaway series, comes after 'Finality' and 'Breakway'.


A Gnawing Pain


Six months after leaving Newport, Ryan sat on a park bench in South Carolina, one hand covering his stomach and hoping the hunger would fade soon. It had been almost 3 days since he'd last had any real food, a stale sandwich he'd shoplifted from a gas station cooler, and he knew he had to get something to eat soon or he wouldn't be able to keep himself alive, especially factoring in his broken wrist.

He toyed with the credit card in his hand, the one that would send the bill to the Cohens and was probably flagged to help them track him down. On one hand, if it was flagged they might not take it and he could end up detained by the cops and have to face the Cohens. On the other hand, if it wasn't flagged he could get some food and get it to stop hurting.

Finally, he stood and headed towards a restaurant down the street, deciding he had take the chance and glad that the place was a frequent stop for truckers, and travelers, so no one would notice his appearance or the duffle bag he carried. When he sat down, the menu in front of him, he decided to order a large meal, plus a salad in a to-go container, claiming with a smile that he had a long trip ahead of him and wanted something healthy to snack on later. But once he had the to-go container on the table beside his full plate of food, he quickly slipped the fries and pickle wedge into the container before starting on his burger.

After he finished eating, Ryan took the check and handed his credit card to the waitress, asking for change to leave for a tip, then asked where the bathroom was. For once, his luck held and the bathroom was away from the register and close to the door, so that once the waitress was out of sight he was able to walk right out the door and away from the restaurant, his to-go container tucked inside his bag.

It wouldn't last long, but hopefully until he found work, so he wouldn't starve, at least. And he felt good that the Cohens would know, one way or another, that he was alive. It also meant, though, that he needed to find a way out of South Carolina soon or he'd be found.

THE END

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May 2019

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