Innocence Lost: Ashton's Story

Chapter 14

I felt a cold hand rubbing my frostbite not cheek. I slowly opened my eyes and looked up to a tall figure kneeling upon me. He had dark hair but fair skin. His eyes were as deep and dark as the ocean. His smile was brighter than all the stars in space. He looked down to see me. He smiled and wrapped his warm body on me.

"Oh god. I saw that you were laying in the snow and you weren't conscious. Are you okay?"

I struggled to get up from the snow. My arms aches and I still felt dizzy. I lost my strength and he tightly caught me. I coughed onto his shoulder and shivered.

"Please just help me get home." I shivered

His stared in awe.  His eyes locked with mine and he wrapped and blanket around me and carried me. I didn't feel anything from the frostbite. My vision was going white and continued to cough intensely. He brushed my bangs back and smiled down at me. We walked for a while until we reached a blue cabin . He went to his pockets and took out a key. He unlocked the door and walked in. He laid me down and open his couch we turned into a small bed. He picked me up again and laid the blankets in me. He  walked away into the kitchen.

The cabin was small and felt packed. A small ceiling fan hanged from the ceiling with a maple leave wall paper. There were many paintings of sailboats and oak trees. Newspapers and books were scattered all around the living room and old recites piled on the desk near the door. A cable tv was place I. Front of me. The news was in.

"It's been 3 days since the nationwide manhunt for 15 year old Ashton Irwib has been conducted and still no evidence has been reported. In recent reports, residents of Canaberra have reported seeing the teen with a much older man." 

I stared at the TV. I felt a dark cloud gloom over me.  At this point, I felt like I was never coming home. Them an came back and held a tray. Of tea and soup. He pulled a wooden chair and sat beside me with the tray in his lap. He picked up the spoon and asked if I was hungry. I nodded and he gave me the spoon of soup

He came back a few minutes later. He sat beside me and smiled again.

"Thank you for saving me" I smiled

"No thank you" he said "if you didn't give me all this information, you probably would of been gone"

"Oh wow" I gasped 

"So tommorow ill be bringing you back you home. So you'll need to get a goodnight rest tonight. okay?" 

I nodded and slowly curled up. I felt my arms more now. He helped me up as I walked around.

"Do in the meantime, what do you want to do"? He asked

"I'm not sure." I shrugged "anything I guess"

As the time passed I did many chores with him. I helped him organize the living room and kitchen. I also helped him do other activities like doing the dishes and taking out the trash. We made dinner and then did a series of brain teaser and had more tea and talked to each other and got to know each other.

His name was Joseph. He was truly a good man. He told me that he was always in the community when he lived in Sydney. He always did community work and was even in the navy. He really was kind and trustworthy. To me he was like a second father.

As time passed the night came quick. I went to bed around 10:00pm. I went down to tell him I was going to bed.

"Thank you so much for all your care and love". I yawned

"No problem Ashton". Joseph smiled

"Joseph?" I asked

"Yes." He smiled

"I'm going to miss you event gouge we just met. To me your like my second father and you gave me so much and I learned something."

"What did you learn"? He asked

" I should treat my family much better. They had sacrificed so much I take it for advantage sometimes. I should of treat them better. And Michael... Man I messed up" I frowned

"We all make mistakes. The important thing  is that you learn from them and you correct them from there on". He said

I gave him a huge hug and told him goodnight. I walked upstairs and went down the hall to the last room. I opened the door the blue room and closed the door. I snuggled into the sheets and fell asleep to the sounds of the eind. I couldn't wait to finally see my family.