I Am Away From My Life, Leave a Message

I Am Away From My Life, Leave a Message
Holly Wogan

I leave my phone on the bed deliberately. I pack a bag including a pager, my mp3 player, a book, a notebook, a sketch pad, some markers and pens. I add a blanket, a sweater, some food and a few waters.

It is 3am and I’m the only one about at this early hour so no one sees me slip out the sliding glass door, onto the back patio and into the garage. I grab my bicycle and leave my car there.

On my bed I left my phone and a note printed on powder blue, cloud print paper. The message on my phone says “for the next 48 hours, I’m away from my life. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Leave only one message. If it is an emergency, call Trixie”. Trixie is my cat. The note simply reads “The next 48 are mine, don’t worry, I’m fine” with a smiley face.

I smile as a glide silently through the quiet, peaceful streets that will soon be teeming with busy people on their way to work. I won’t be one of them. I will be camping out in a cave, by a lake, surrounded by thick forest, in the middle of nowhere. And the only ones who know are Trixie and my friend Zoe who will keep my secret and page only if it truly is an emergency.

I have been planning this for months. Adding supplies I may need slowly to my secret get away, to simplify my escape. If this weekend works out, I may move there permanently.