"How have you been?"
"I'm doing better. I think."
Lily holds her arms to her chest. She nervously takes in the room with worried eyes. The shelves were full with books and figures of all sorts. A poster that was placed next to the first shelf next to the door had said "We're Here To Help", and underneath those bubbly letters sat a fluffy cartoon bear hugging a small smiling child. The whole room had a chill and caring vibe to it. It's baby blue walls and hard wood floor covered in a large faded yellow carpet went together perfectly. The one table in the center of the room had held stacks of blank papers and a clear glass full of pencils and pens decorated with stickers of past patients. Two large red cushioned chairs stayed on either side of the table, each having soft thick cushions to allow the best comfort for hour sessions.
"That's good to hear, miss Lily."
He spoke, Dr. Brean. His dark brown hair was combed to the left to show off his large forehead in a positive way. His beard was nice and trimmed and his white smile was full of trust. He was quite short for a man, being only an inch taller than Lily.
For a year now he had been assigned to help Lily. After a doctor's recommendation, he was the first recommended for Lily to see on a weekly basis. He was quite young, 37, but he was certainly good at his job. He understood each of his patients on a deep level and had grown close with each and everyone of them in a positive way. Everyone who left his office would always consider him to be their friend. Lily, the same as everyone else, saw him as her one real best friend.
"How's the writing coming along?"
...
"We can stay here for now."
The guy spoke up, leaning against a tree as the sun started to set behind them. They had been walking for a while with no real idea of where they were heading. Turning to face her, the guy let out a sharp sigh before dropping the bag he was gifted by the small girl of the group. Seconds later he joined the bag on the ground and stared out into the distance.
"The sun will be setting soon."
His voice came out negatively as he watched the setting sun from a distance. Taking in her surroundings Lily frowned. She could see nothing but trees and overgrown bushes and weeds. Some lay at her feet while others tickled at her exposed calf's and ankles. Taking in a deep breath she also sank to the ground. Her exhaustion had caught up to her as she finally took time to steady her breath. Choking on the air she leaned over until she was holding her head up only by her arms. Her legs scraped against the harsh ground but who was she to care in this moment. The only pain she could understand was all that she had lost in the past hour.
"Have you ever spent the night in the woods before?"
Looking up with red eyes Lily looked over at the man. He wasn't looking at her but she guessed he was questioning her because the young girl next to him was joyfully messing around with a stick in the dirt. She didn't seem to perk up at that question. It was there that Lily finally noticed how similar the girl looked to the older boy. She had the same face structure and dark skin and hair. She wondered if they were related in any way. Why were they out here to begin with. What had happened to have them out here in what seems to be the middle of nowhere. Nothing made any sense.
Finally gaining the courage, Lily found her voice and spoke up.
"No."
She grew red at how her voice had sounded so small and weak. She didn't want to be seen as either. She turned her attention back to a small scrape she noticed on her wrist. Must've been scratched up by either the glass or a few twigs she ran through minutes before.
"Oh."
Lily wanted to squeal as she felt her injured wrist slip and cause her to hit her head on the ground below. She chewed on her lip to prevent any embarrassing sounds from escaping. She had already made a bad impression on this guy and couldn't afford to make him think any lower of her. Just by that response she could tell that he was already annoyed by her.
So what if she had never camped before, not everyone had had the chance to spend a night outside under the stars. The idea had came to her and her dad a few times but they had never followed through with that dream. Just thinking of her dad made her realize how scared she really was. Her parents, out there having the time of their lives, having no idea of what has happened to their house and worst, to their daughter. The whole neighborhood was now so unrecognizable that she doubted they'll be able to find it once they try to return.
