Runaway: Stories

In “Runaway,” Flora the goat is a central symbol, embodying both stability and loss in Clara’s troubled life. From the outset, Flora represents Clara’s source of affection and comfort, which contrasts with Clark’s coldness and veiled hostility. His manipulation and passive aggression mark Clara’s relationship with him. He belittles and threatens her in ways that leave her increasingly powerless. Within this atmosphere of intimidation, Flora’s presence offers reassurance. Unlike Clark, the goat is affectionate, loyal, and incapable of cruelty. Clara relies on Flora as a grounding presence that softens the harshness of her existence. The goat becomes a surrogate companion and a symbol of the stability Clara needs to navigate her precarious domestic life.

By the time the story begins, however, Flora is missing. This absence immediately establishes a sense of unease. For Clara, the disappearance is more than a minor inconvenience. Flora’s absence symbolizes the dislocation that defines Clara’s life. For years, she has persuaded herself to endure Clark’s unpredictable temperament and cutting remarks, believing she can manage or adjust. Flora’s loss strips away the illusion that she can cope indefinitely. Without the goat, Clara recognizes how fragile her life has become and how little she has to hold onto.