Journey Home

Chapter Eight

I walk along the road for what feels like forever. My legs feel like they're about to fall off.

...But when I hear a car, a ways away, the aching in my legs doesn't stop me from running. I race into the woods. Fortunately, I'm in the country, so the road's are relatively untraveled and there are woods all around.

I lay flat on the ground, listening as hard as I can. The car stops and I peek my head up, panting as quietly as possible. It's a police car.

My heart skips a beat as a policeman steps out of the car.

He glances around and his eyes rest on the woods. I can practically see the wheels churning in his head.

Wheels are churning in my head, too. I try to figure out if I should run farther in or stay where I am.

The policeman shuts the door of his car and starts toward the forest. I panic, but I can't move otherwise he'll see where I am and I'll get captured sooner.

He skims the forest with his eyes, and I guess I make an involuntary movement, because he starts towards me.

I don't move, trying to be as quiet as possible.

He steps into the forest and spots me. I scramble to my feet and back away, but trip over a log and sprawl on the ground. He bends over and grabs my arm, hauling me to my feet and dragging me out of the forest.

I scream and scream, pummeling him with my fists. He stops when we're next to the car and holds me by the shoulders. "Listen, miss. We're just taking you down to the station. You're hiding in the forest, and you match the description of a Zoey that ran away from an orphanage. It's gonna be okay, honey."

"How did you find me?" I yell through tears.

"A report from a party real close to here," he says, opening the car door.

Anger and panic flood through my bones and I kick him in that special place, hard. He doubles over immediately and I take off running.