Eight.

I hopped over the chain link fence, ripping my jeans on the rusty wire edges. "Motherfucker!" I swore. Blood dripped down my leg and I limped through the tall grass as the alarm siren wailed in the background. To the left of me, flashing blue lights appeared at the curve of the dirt road, gradually getting brighter. I clung to my tattered backpack and began to run through the fields, wincing in pain. All around me, the acrid smell of smoke suffocated my lungs as I stumbled behind an old oak tree. The cop cars whizzed past spraying dust in their wake, and I held in a violent cough that scratched my throat. I watched as the blue and red lights faded into the distance behind the burning building before I disappeared into the forest completely. Thorned bushes caught against my shirt, cutting me in a million places and there was a stupid fly that had been following me since I'd lit the match. It was pitch black, and an eerie chorus of croaking frogs and the occasional hoot of an owl echoed throughout the trees, and I prayed I was going the right way. I knew from the get-go that hiking through this part of the forest was risky but it was the only area the police wouldn't even think about looking. No one dared to wander here because of the old folklore and stories but I knew the truth. The dark wasn't so scary when you grew up in it your entire life. Behind me I could faintly hear the fire truck make its way down the main road, and I made a silent prayer that the fire had gotten so big. Part of me was worried that it wouldn't light properly, and I'd run out of time, but here I was, a good few meters into the woods and the cops and firefighters hadn't even gotten to the scene yet. A wind swept through the woods and made all my hairs stand on end, while I made my way through the spiky branches, that pricked and prodded my skin. My blood was all congealed by now, and I was further than I thought with nothing to listen to but my own breath and the occasional hoot of the owl and the croaking of a frog. Suddenly, my phone started ringing, Lady Gaga exclaiming that I was indeed born this way blaring throughout the forest. Shit, I swore, scrambling to zip open my corduroy bag and fish through the contents. No, not the hot cheetoes and gummy bears, nope, not the stuffed panda and no, definitely not the value pack of condoms, and aha, got it. I cracked open my flip phone and hush screamed "What?!". Tons of static and then a quiet "8, you alright?". It was Sage. "Yeah I'm good." I looked down at the dried bits of blood stained on my jeans. Maybe not so good. "I could be better." I added. "You almost here?" Sage asked. I could imagine him anxiously licking his lips, a nervous habit he had, as he waited by the tree house ladder. "I think so. Around the clearing and then by the river right?" I was almost to the clearing, maybe a few more minutes left, but I was starting to get scared and cold, and the adrenaline had worn off ages ago. "Yeah, you got the flashlight right?" I nodded, even though he couldn't see me, and rustled through my bag again for it. I switched it on, sending a beam of light straight ahead. A deer stood there in a trance before darting off into the depths. "Yes Sir, I have the flashlight, I repeat I have the flashlight. Over" I said into the phone with my best secret agent impression. "Alright. Im sending you the map again if you need it." A ping reverberated off of my phone and I clicked onto Sage's message opening the pixelated map. I searched for the old oak tree that stood by the road, and once I had dound it, I followed my path up to before the clearing. Seems like a still had a hell of a way to go. "Yeah Sage I'm still pretty far. Maybe three miles to the clearing, another hour or so." Sage was silent and I could hear is breathing through the phone. "Keep the fire going for me though, will you?' I asked. "Of course" Sage said, laughing softly into my ear, "I won't sleep until you get back." That made me feel a little better. My heart began to thump at the thought of him sitting quietly by the fire, tending to it with a stick, stolen marshmallows and chocolate on the log next to him. I continuedonwards through the thick bush, listening to the dry crunch of the leaves underneath me. "Hey Sage," I whispered, tigheting my grasp against my phone, running my fingers over the peeling strawberry stickers. "Yeah?" I pushed a branch aside. "Is our constellation there?" Silence. "As bright as a baby's butt." I broke out in laughter, "What?" Sage chuckled too, before getting all serious again. "Get here safe 8. Please." I rolled my eyes, "Of course my man. I'm not no dummy." He hurrumphed. "Maybe with that English." He said. I laughed, wishing he was here so i could stick my tongue out at him. "I'll be there before morning. I promise." "Good. I love you 8." My heart bounced. "I love you too Sage" I said back. "Our constellation's really bright. It's crazy." I smiled. Of course Sage was still looking at it. "Just like us." I said. He was quiet, "Yeah, just like us." When we ended the call, I had already reached the clearing, and the cows sat there watching me as if I were a newcomer on a reality show. "Hey shawtys" I said as I creeped around the edge, "I'm just gonna you know, hop on over outta here. I'll let ya'll sleep." One of them moo'd back in response. "I know, you really should get some melatonin. I can see your eyebags, woof, they look hideous." The cow glared at me as I left the clearing, making my way down the the river which I'd cross to get to Sage. Half an hour later and sopping wet socks and shoes, I was a few minutes away from the treehouse. I texted Sage saying I was almost outside. I hiked more, shivering a little as the air got cooler before getting a text from Sage, "Cool. I'm roasting a marshmallow for you rn. Xxx" I smiled into the glowing screen before snapping it shut and slipping it back into my bag. I could feel the path from the river to the treehouse get flatter underneath my feet and before I knew it I was in front of the fire, opposite Sage and his burning marshmallow. His face lit up into a grin, as he rushed over to hug me. God he's so warm I thought. I couldn't wait to sleep with him, with those big cuddly blankets and pillows. "Are you okay?" He asked, his hot breath against my cheek. I nodded, wrapping my hands around him. "I think your marshmallow is burning." "Oh shit" He swore, trying to blow it out. "It's for you, I was warming it," I chuckled and watched as the sienna orange marshmallow fire faded into the dark. With Sage telling me about his day as he cleaned up my wound, I looked deep into the sky, and there it was, our constellation. Gemini, the twins.