New Life

Frightened--Chapter Four

I grabbed my stuff and ran, as fast as I could. "Hey, hey, stop!" I could hear both men taking off after me, and it only made me run harder. Thorns caught at my shirt and slashed giants my skin, making tiny cuts, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop. I was breathing heavily and could hear the men's footsteps fading away behind me, but I didn't slow down. I went to the right, just in case. The cop was old, thankfully. Otherwise he probably would have caught me. Damn. My side was hurting, feeling like I was being ripped limb from limb. I leaned against a tree when I could no longer hear their footsteps or them calling after me. Fumbling with the bag I had clutched to my chest the whole time, I drank some water, some slipping down my shirt from shaking hands. I wiped water from my mouth, and sat down. I'm gonna have to get moving soon, so I can still cover some distance before its light. What time is it? Probably like midnight. Too bad I don't have a watch. I leaned my head back against the rink of the tree, gathering some strength (mostly mental) to pull myself up and keep going. God, I didn't want to keep going. Why couldn't I just stay here for the night?

No, I told myself sternly. I've got to keep going. I laughed out loud. Wow, I really am going insane. Who cares. Not like anybody can see me. Some leafs crunched from somewhere to my left, and I looked around, terrified. Please don't let them have caught up with me, please don't let them have caught up with me, please don't let them have caught up with me... I peered through the dense trees, and saw the shape of a man. Just one. "Who's there?" My voice was cracked and weak from lack of use. The man stepped forward. It wasn't a man at all, just a boy. Around my age. I stood up, wondering whether to run or to stay. As if reading my thoughts, he laughed and said, "Don't worry. Relax. Was it you that almost had that old man have a heart attack back there?" I nodded. If the man wasn't a cop, I'd feel sorry for him. As it is, I'm not.

"So who are you?" I asked him casually. "Mine name is Sam. You?" I hesitated. Hell, couldn't hurt. At the worse, I'd have to run. I'm a pretty good runner. Maybe not for the cops, but a scrawny boy? Yeah. "Tanerame. But you can call me TT." He nodded. "Alright, TT. So what are you doing out here at night? Say...." He studied me. "You're that runaway!" I stiffened, ready to flee, but he merely smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not going to call the cops. So why'd you run away?"

"Long story."

"We've got time."