Chapter 1
She looked around her as she walked down the empty road in the dark. There was nothing but forest all around except for the lonesome gas station standing in front of her. She dug into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. The wallet wasn’t pretty looking. It was torn in some places, and the colors were faded in. She opened it and sighed. She only had three dollars, just enough for either a snack or drink. She started toward the station hoping that the food was cheap enough, though she doubted it. As she entered, the bell above her rang surprisingly loud. The employee at the counter looked at her skeptically, though she couldn’t blame him. A small teenage girl, wearing a black hoodie and sweatpants with nothing on her in the middle of nowhere did look suspicious- at least to her. She looked at the prices for food and sighed, the world really didn't like her today. Though it didn’t like her most days either. She decided on an energy drink and came up to the counter.
“I.D.” The man said looking bored. She dug through her wallet and handed it to him. The man looked at it. “River Millstone?”
“Yep.” She answered, popping the P. The man looked at her annoyed. “How old are you?”
16. “18, it says it on the card.”
The man ignored her. “You a runaway?”
River was getting more and more annoyed by the second. “No, and I don’t see why you're so concerned about it.”
“Can you even pay for this?” She slammed the three dollars on the counter. “Here’s the money. Now can you just ring it up and let me get out of here!”
The man stared at her for a second, and then shrugged, grabbing the money, and scanned the item.
He handed her the change and the drink. “Thanks.” She muttered.
She turned to leave, but she felt a hand go on her shoulder. Suddenly everything went black, and memories surrounded her. Her instincts kicked in, and she grabbed the hand and pulled it over her, causing the person to land in front of her. It was the annoying man who kept asking her questions, he was laying there looking up at her shocked and terrified. In his hand was a couple of dollars. As suddenly as they came, they were gone, leaving her standing in front of a terrified old man. She looked down at him horrified at what she had done. She stepped back bumping into the counter. “I-I I’m sorry I-” She cut herself off, running out of the store and turning into the road, running until she blacked out.
She woke up with a headache. The sort of headache where you feel like there’s a hammer pounding on your temple. The ground was hard beneath her and her body was sore from laying on the road. She slowly got to her feet. Luckily no one saw me. She thought. No one except for. . . She went cold all over. No no no! I’ve been so careful, made sure no one even talked to me if I didn’t want them to, but then I had to lose my cool! What if they find me? What if he finds me? She stopped herself. “Calm down.” She told herself. “It will all be fine. They haven’t found you yet, you just have to keep moving.” She froze. She didn’t mean to say that. That was the last thing her mom said before- She shook her head and turned around. The sun was coming up just barely and there were colors of pink, yellow, purple, and blue lining the sky. She wondered how the world could look so beautiful when so many bad things happen. She sighed and looked around. There was no sign of civilization in sight, and probably for miles around.
She knew she had to get moving if she didn’t want to be caught. She suddenly realized she had left her drink back at the store and she definitely couldn’t go back there. Her stomach growled. She had already spent most of her money and she hadn’t eaten in days, unless you count half eaten food found in the dumpster. She already felt sick thinking about it.
She started to get nervous after an hour. She was now around people, had been for about thirty minutes. It was a small town called ‘Rose Hills’. There wasn’t a lot of people. Most people were inside cause of the oncoming storm weather. The wind was whipping around the trees, and though it wasn’t raining you could see lighting striking the clouds. She knew she had to get shelter soon, but she couldn’t see any sheds or hiding places she could hunker down in while the storm passed. What made it worse was that a car had been following her for about ten minutes. At first she thought that the car was just passing by but after realizing that the car was following her every turn, she put her guard up. She got a bad feeling that whoever was following her was not a friendly samaritan just trying to help her out. She saw a small alley and, on getting closer, she realized that the roofs of the two houses made a little roof for the alleyway. Ducking in the alleyway she went all the way to the end of it and leaned against the wall hoping that the person following her would drive off. Of course the world did the opposite and over the thunder she heard a car door shut. She looked around for a place to hide and saw a couple of crates stacked in the corner. She ducked behind them and peeked out of the corner hoping that whoever it was didn’t see her. She watched as a small boy entered the alley looking around confused. “Hello?” The boy called, his voice bouncing off the walls. She stared at him confused. The boy looked around 9-10. He had dirty-blond hair, green eyes, and was skinny and lean.
Why would a little boy be following her?
“Not so loud!” She heard another voice. This one sounded older. Another boy, who looked around 17-18, stepped inside of the alley. He had the same dirty-blonde hair and green eyes, but had much more muscle than the small boy.
“But I saw her go in here!” The little boy cried.
The teenager looked around until he spotted the crates. They suddenly connected eyes and she ducked behind the crate.
“You can come out! We won’t hurt you.” He said, staring at the crates.
The little boy looked around confused. “Where is she? I don’t see her!”
She’s behind those crates. See?” He said pointing at the crates. The little boy started forward, but the teenager stopped him. “She’s scared.”
The little boy looked up at him confused. “Why’s she scared Sam?”
River decided to speak up. “Why were you following me?”
Sam looked up from the little boy. “Our mom saw you walking, she knows everyone here, and you ain’t one of ‘em.”
She waited a few seconds for him to continue, but he didn’t.
“So that gives you the right to follow me?”
“Technically everyone has the right to follow everybody.” He said, matter-of-factly. She already didn’t like him.
When she didn’t come out he started again. “Listen I’m sorry, but my mom was just worried about you.” He said gently.
“Well you can stop worrying.” She said, with no emotion in her voice. She had learned to talk without emotion through the years. The more emotions you give, the more people can guess about you.
She heard sam sigh.
“Why won’t you come out?” The little boy asked, his voice dripping with hurt. Her heart ached for the little boy. She loved children and didn’t want to hurt him.
Before she could answer she heard a woman’s voice. “What are you still doing out here? You should have been back with that girl by now.” The woman had a thick western accent.
“Sorry ma. We invited her, but she refuses to come out.”
“Where is she?”
“Behind the crates.”
“Dear, why don’t you come out now.” She said, raising her voice so it could be heard over the rain and thunder outside.
“Why were you people following me?”
“I told you, cause mo-” He cut himself off realizing that his mother was listening. “I mean, uh, ma was worried about you.”
The woman gave a herumph before slowly walking toward the crate. River knew she was approaching and started to get more nervous. In panic she stepped out from behind the crate. “Okay I’m out.” River said, her voice hard.
She’s scared. Of course he knew that before, when she had hid behind the crates and refused to come out.
The first thing he had thought when he saw her walking along the road was that she looked sad. He wasn't sure why, but when he had looked into her eyes he could see so many emotions. Fear, anger, sadness, despair, and perhaps that's why he had convinced his mom to follow her.
And now here she was. He didn't really get a good look at her because of the hood, but as she moved into the open her hood fell back to reveal short, wavy, dark-brown hair, and aqua blue eyes. “Well?” She said. She was expressionless and her voice was surprisingly hard.
“Are you okay dear? Are you running from the law?” His mother asked. Leave it to my mother, to make it weird.
Her expression changed to surprise.
“What would make you think that?”
“Trust me. I’ve been in the system. I know how it works. I once was an outlaw myself.” She said that last one with pride.
I groaned, she definitely wasn’t coming with us now.
“Uh, no, I’m not running from the law.”
“Then what’s wrong?” My little brother, Leo, asked.
Her expression softened. “Well you were following me. Plus, your blocking my way out.” She said, dryley.
“No! We’re just blocking the rain out.” I said.
“Wow. Thanks.”
“Listen you can go if you want, we just wanted to see if you were alright.”
“Perfect.” She said sarcastically.
I was starting to get annoyed. We’re trying to help her, and she’s being sarcastic with us! Unfortunately I never was able to keep my mouth shut. “Listen we’re just trying to help you! If you want us to leave then, fine, we’ll leave! But-”
Loud noises cut him off. There was shouting and a man’s voice stood out of all of them. He was giving orders to people they couldn’t see. I looked back at the girl, and realized her face had gone white with fear. “Oh no. They found me.” She whispered.
“What? Who found you?”
She didn’t answer me, instead she turned to Leo and mom. Hide behind the crate, they can’t see you.”
“But-” Mom started to protest.
“They’ll kill you and your-” She hesitated looking at Leo.
Mom looked terrified.
The girl turned to me. “You. Protect them if they somehow find you guys, I’ll lead them away.”
“What is going on!?”
“Just trust me I-”
“Hello there.” We wirled around. A man was leaning against the wall, smirking.
I looked past Sam to see Jasper leaning against the wall.
“Jasper! This is a really bad time!”
“Oh, so your not glad to see me?” He said with a pouty face.
I sighed, he was very annoying. He never took anything seriously, even if it was life or death. “What do you want Jasper?” I whispered trying to keep my voice low.
“Just wanted to let you know that they’re searching for ya’.”
“A little too late for that.”
Jasper frowned. “You know not to get other people involved, he won’t think twice before shooting them up-side the head. Remember last time?”
“Of course I remember last time!” I snapped. “And they followed me! I didn’t even try talking to them!”
Jasper raised an eyebrow. “Did you steal from them?”
“No!” I whispered loudly, exasperated. They heard voices getting closer.
I turned to sam and the others. “Do as I said, unless you have a death wish.”
I turned back to Jasper only to find a man with a gun there instead. Jasper was no where to be found. He smiled at her with yellow teeth, and pointed the gun at her. “Gotcha. We’ve been searching all over for ya’ missy, you’re awfully sneaky though, I gotta give ya’ that.”
“Ugh, you guys are giving me a headache.” I said rubbing at my forehead.
The man came closer. “Now come on. The boss will be happy I found his little trophy. Maybe he’ll even give me a reward!” The man said dreamily.The man looked past me to Sam and his family. He tsked. “Boss ain’t gonna like that.” He stepped closer. That’s what I needed. With speed I grabbed his arm and knocked the gun out of his hand before he could react. I swept my legs into his and he fell down. I lept on him and pulled his hands behind his back holding him there. After that I quickly snatched the small knife from my pocket and held it to his throat. “They didn’t train you very well.”
“Oh we did.” Before I could move I heard more than one gun being cocked back, all around me. I didn’t freeze because of the guns. I could have knocked them all out with one hit. It was the voice. I knew that voice well, the one who had taught me everything I knew.
I turned around. “Hi dad."
