Runaways: The Journey Home

Chapter 20 - Mark Henderson

On a ranch just five miles from where Brooklyn escaped to, a young boy around age 15 was doing his usual chores.

His name was Mark Henderson. He lived on this ranch his whole life with his father and his mother who worked as a veterinarian, and little sister, Nora who was curious about anything.

Mark wondered if he would do anything exciting soon since being on a ranch could get boring after a while. He wanted to see new creatures besides horses and other farm animals.

He went into the hay barn to get another bale of hay for their horses when an unusual sight met his eyes.

Mark's jaw dropped at the sight of the weirdest creature he'd ever seen. It was lying unconscious in the hay with red skin, a tail, two wings, horns, and a beak. He would've been excited if it didn't have that muzzle on, as well as a weird anklet thing.

Carefully, Mark moved closer, seeing one of their horse blankets around its middle. Why did you take it? He thought, gently moving it before suddenly seeing that bloody wound and understood why. He gasped a little at the sight. Despite this new creature looking like a devil, Mark couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for it because of its muzzle and wounds. Someone obviously really hated it to the point of beatings.

Mark knew he couldn't leave this creature to suffer and bleed to death. His father definitely wouldn't take too kindly to it being here. An idea came that he could hide it in his treehouse. Tentatively at first, he touched the creature, but it didn't move. Mark sighed but he would have to leave the muzzle on for a little bit as a precaution.

"I gotta move you out of here, Big Guy, before my parents or anyone else spots you if you can hear me. I'll be right back with a wheelbarrow," Mark promised, wrapping the blanket around the wound again. He knew he had to fix this wound since the creature's skin was so pale looking.

Mark ran outside next and found their wheelbarrow that he would use for the creature. Taking it back in with him, he began the process of lifting the unshockingly heavy guy onto the barrow. He whimpered when Mark wound up accidentally lightly bumping his wound. Mark winced. "Sorry," he apologized while trying to be careful. Finally, the creature was set inside and he pushed it out to his treehouse where fortunately there was a lift for him to use to raise it up inside.

It took some work but at last, the creature was safe in the treehouse. Mark's parents normally never came up here which was a bonus for him. He grabbed some cushions lying in the treehouse and propped the creature onto them to make him comfortable. Now all Mark had to do was wait for him to wake up. He wanted to help this poor creature and hoped it wouldn't hurt him.

It might be a while before the creature woke up, but then he remembered what he had to do or else his dad would be mad at him. He also heard a horse whinny and it reminded him. Mark had to go feed the horses. "I'll be right back, Big Guy. Just got to go feed my horses." Mark said. Then he got himself out of the treehouse to go pitch some hay for the horses.

Inside the barn, there was some blood on the hay from the creature. The stall was also open from having been unlocked. Mark locked it again. Then he put some hay in the wheelbarrow and threw it down for the horses.

Inside the treehouse, Brook was still out of it.

Mark was excited to go back to the treehouse to see what he had in there. He got done as fast as he could. He soon got back and saw his creature was still sleeping. He groaned in his sleep.

The boy started to read a book to pass the time. He just wanted to keep watch over his creature. But it wasn't long before he heard Nora call up to him, "Mark, are you up there?"

"Yes." He replied.

"Mom says it's time for supper. You better come in now." Nora stated.

"Yes, Nora, I'll be right in." Mark said. He knew that maybe offering the creature food might also keep him calm when he woke up.