Prologue
A week has passed since my parents death. We've been looking, for a place to go. A place to stay. A place to hide. Will my life ever be peaceful? Will I ever be able to stop hiding from the world? From my past? Maybe and maybe not.
Chapter 1
I know I haven't asked Ben yet. Why he ran away in the first place. Was it because he was finding life too tough to handle? Was there a tragedy back home? I had enough with assuming. So I asked. "Hey, umm Ben, why exactly did you ... runaway?" There was a silence that grew, as he contemplated the question. He began to slow down. His actions seemingly calm and controlled, but as he glanced at me, I could see the anger and the pain marring his perfect features. I was scared to admit, but I had to say I had a crush on the dude. Like, a huge one. The way his voice held that deep husky tone and the way he rakes his calloused hands through his silky smooth strands of hair in such a casual manner. The way he touches his chin – that was now layered with a weeks worth of growth on it – whenever he's deep in thought. It's as if he doesn't know how much his actions create butterflies in my stomach, it stunned me. However, it wasn't only the looks, but the way he cared about how I felt and understood how hard it was to feel pain, it seemed so ... heart warming. I guess that's why I cared so much. That and the fact that I'd been through so much with him by my side. The past week has been a mix of sorrow, heartbreak and astonishment, but mostly silence. Silence, because we were afraid of what we didn't know. Silence, because we were frightened of what we already knew. Suddenly, he spoke. Taking me by unawares. His deep husky voice raking through the air. "I don't know. I never had a plan for my life. I didn't know what to do. The day it happened I was lost." I didn't exactly know what he meant, but I kind of a had a rough idea. "What happened" I asked patiently, still curious. "My mom. She had cancer." As he said this I gasped. Obviously used to the reaction, he carried on explaining, seemingly unfazed by my gasp. "She couldn't fight it. My parents knew it, but they also knew I wouldn't give up without a fight." His head was drooped, faced toward the ground so I couldn't see his angular face. I knew he didn't want me to see him cry, but I could hear his tears as he spoke. His tenor tone full of despair and hopelessness. His hands were shoved so tightly into his pockets it looked almost painful. Even though I couldn't see his hands, I knew they were balled into fists, by the way the edges of his dagger sharp knuckles created dents in his already oversized jeans.
Without warning, memories of the woods raced back into my mind. Each moment indelibly imprinted in my memory. Me crying whilst he comforted me, letting me pour all of my sorrows and burdens on him. I probably ended up crying a river of tears and emotions that day. After everything we've been through, I wanted him to know I'd be here for him, through whatever hurt and pain he was enduring. Suddenly, he lifted his heavy head, the intensity in his eyes so strong it shook me to my core, I could physically feel it.
His eyes were glazed over, a sheen of unshed tears threatening to spill. "I couldn't be there for her. I couldn't save her!" He whispered the last bit. All of the desperation hopelessness and pain was evident as he spoke that last sentence. Eyes a blazing fire as the memories haunted him yet again. His body visibly wracking from the amount of emotions and tears he was emitting. Unawarely, my arms and feet began to move. Wrapping around his back as I stepped closer. My fingers gently stroking the thick strands of hair at the nape of his broad neck, the tip of my head only reaching his stubbled chin. His scent an overwhelming mix of oak wood and mint. He seemed shocked still by my actions, but I knew how pain felt. I knew that when you lost someone you've loved with all your heart and would've given your life to save, you felt empty. You felt, pain. Probably the pain of a thousand dangers continuously stabbing at your heart. I've been there. I've done that. I've cried. I've felt the maximum of the pain that I could feel in such a situation. Once I was sure that he was fine – as fine as anyone could be in the circumstances – I untangled my aching arms from around his body. The teardrops were transparent on his defined face, however I could still see traces of the river of tears scarring his flawless face. After a moment of deafening silence, I decided we should keep walking.
Even after a week we still had only reached the outskirts of the forest. As we came near the clearing, brilliant rays of sunshine beat down on the lawned grass and flower beds that lined the perimeter of the grass land, as the candy floss clouds drifted apart to reveal the crystalline baby blue sky. The scent of magnolias wafted towards my nose, as a calming breeze whispered past my ears. To any other human being, this would be a normal, beautiful day. However, for me this felt like the beginning. The beginning of a lifetime full of adventure. A week ago I would've thought the world was trying to crumple me like a piece of paper, by showing me all the beauties in life that I was missing out on. Now, I felt rejuvenated by the beauty. As the previous week went by, I learned to embrace my loss and re-open myself to the outside world again. The pain is still there though. My heart, like a scarred tissue that will never fully heal but in time it will get better.
Stronger.
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Out of the city
ActionMadeline suddenly thinks she's been betrayed. Her journey through Pennsylvania was cut off by an encounter with the police. Will Madeline keep running? Or will she keep hiding? This is the second book and the sequel to the "at the hand of a gun" boo...