The Lone Rider

Lost and Found

Bri's POV
It's been 2 weeks. Train hopping from city to city, sleeping in abandoned houses, scavenging for food everywhere. Stealing money from waitresses.

I can't live like this anymore. I only have one pair of pants, a ratted T-Shirt, and some water and food. I hope to find a family that will one day take me in, to love me, to care for me, and to nourish me back to health.

I hope.

My grandparents have been dead for a week, they kicked me out two weeks ago, because they thought I wasn't worth the money they were paying for me.

I used to live in the city, but now I've found myself on a farm road, CR 166 I think. I can hear shuffling up ahead of me, not sure what it is, but I see something coming over the hill. It's a little brown dog. I can hear someone calling its name I think.

He trots up to me, starts to sniff me all over.

"Hey there." I coo. " What's your name?"
I look down at his red collar, Rusty. Cute name for a little dog like him.

I hear an engine coming from the same place Rusty came from, and I hear a girls voice calling his name. Surely it's not a girl my age driving a car, right?

I see a big green 4-wheeler drive towards us, with a girl my age riding it. She has long blonde hair, waving in the wind behind her. I also see that she has boots, a flannel shirt, some boot cut jeans, and a belt on.

Real country, real country.

"Rusty!" she calls. "Rusty, get your butt over here right now, or your in big trouble!"

" He's over here!" I yell.

As I study the girl closely, I notice that she has bright blue eyes and a scar on her forehead.

"Hi there" she says. "What's your name?"

"Bri." I say with hesitation. "What's yours?"

"The names Eli, Eli Bensum." she replies." I see you've already met my dog, Rusty"

"Oh yeah, sorry." I say, placing Rusty gently back onto the ground.

I start to walk away back towards 1460, the main road. Until she says something that catches my attention.

" Are you hungry?" Eli says gently. "Momma's makin' some baked potatoes."

I nod violently, since I haven't actually eaten a meal since grandpa's and grandma's house. I'm starving.

"Well then, hop on!" She says. "Rusty, up!" Rusty jumps up in front of Eli, as I hop behind her.

I have no idea what I've gotten myself into.

No idea.