The Boy Next Door

Chapter Five

I look back despite my mind telling me not to. I look at the house/hell. Its light blue lining and white paint make it look normal. I still wonder what the house looks like. I climbed through the window to get out, fearing another beating by Sister or Brother. I look toward the neighborhood beyond and feel very scared. So many people, so many choices, so many roads. Where do I go?

I'm scared. I just killed my mother and now I'm standing on the yard outside on the house. This can't be good. The boy from earlier comes jogging towards me from a house next to "mine".

" Hey, are you okay? What happe . . ." He sees the blood and steps a few feet away. I look down at myself. My whole body it splattered in blood. Mother's blood. I killed Mother . . . I killed Mother, I'm free!

"Whoa! What happened?" He gave me a concerned look and took one step forward. "Is it yours?" He gestures to the blood. I shake my head. He nods. I want to tell him I'm leaving, but I don't know how. I point towards the woods that outline the neighborhood.

"What? You gonna go live there?" I nod. "Let me come with ya. I'll help with food. I have a bow and arrows, I still need practice though. Please can I come. I hate my home life. We move around too much and my mom is mean. She is always yelling."

Maybe he can come. I would love some company and someone who can help get food. Hmm, should I trust him though. Maybe. I'll give it a try. I nod hesitantly. He jumps up excitedly and tells me to wait in the woods while he packs. This is going to be a long day. I start to head to the woods.

. . .

About an hour later, I finally sit on a knocked over tree. The boy hasn't come yet and the sun is setting. I need to find shelter. I look around. Many trees, but none with limbs low enough to climb. I see a cave made of fallen trees, but dismiss the idea when a rattle and hiss comes from within. Where is the boy?

I decide to take shelter in an old tarp I found and put up on low hanging branches (none strong enough to hold me). I lay down on the soft earth under the tarp and begin to take out my blanket and hay. I lay the hay down on the ground and then lay on top of it and cover myself.

I wake to a strange sound. Thinking it's Mother, I quickly sit up and look around. Woods are everywhere. Did She leave me here? Wait, no. I killed her. I'm free and living in the woods. Then what was the noise? It's dark out, maybe it was a deer or a bear. I sit up and decide to look for water. I make my way over to the sound of water rushing over rocks. There must be a pond somewhere so I can fish. Where is that boy? The moon is high, midnight, where is he?

I found the water. It's a little stream rushing from a nearby drop over a hill. I stoop to drink. It tastes fresh and clean. I move further down stream to wash up. While I'm almost done with my midsection, I hear a crack. A snapping of a stick. I whirl around and see a figure against the poor moon light.

I bring out my knife from the back "pouch" in my pants and take a step back into the water. It took a half step forward. I growl. It moved back a step, surprised. I move sideways out of the water while keeping a steady growl. It took a step towards me and pounced. It caught my stomach and flung me to the ground. With all of my strength, I push it off of me. I quickly stand and point my knife at it.

"Ow! Whatcha do that for?! Ow! I think ya cut my leg." I sigh in relief and walk over to him. I crouch and inspect his leg. It's just a scratch. Barely a cut. I just shake my head playfully and lead him to our new home.

"I wanted to surprise you. Sorry it took so long. I wasn't allowed in the house like I thought I could be, so I snuck in while the house was sleeping. I grabbed half the kitchen, which is huge, my blanket, pillow, bow and arrows, and books."