Refugee in your own country
How do you become a refugee? Pack a few suitcases. Pick a random city. Really random. Convince your parents you are only going away for a couple of weeks "until everything settles down". Deep inside you know you are not coming back. It will take them a few years to see that.Never know if it was the right decision. Never know if you could have done better. Never know if you have caused additional harm.
Take it one day at a time, one hour at a time.
* * *
Go to the train station to buy train tickets. Suddenly fighter jets fly above. Everyone rushes to hide in the underground walkway. You get a phone out to call your Mom. An elderly lady hisses at you that cell phone signals can attract missiles. For a second you think that wouldn't be such a bad idea.
* * *
Visit your vet to get a certificate that allows your dog to travel. Bundle the dog, parents, suitcases into a train carriage. It is the farthest they have travelled in years.
* * *
Learn to navigate the new city. From around here, but also not. You look like locals but lack of knowledge of the local area sometimes betrays you. You wonder if people can guess when they see you.
Refugee in your own country. Always asking for something, always a burden. We didn't choose this, you know.