The Land Forgotten

Chapter Three

I turned around in time to see the boy flip down off of the tree. He gave me a dazzling smile.

"Hey thanks for saving me." he said awkwardly, rubbing the back his neck. He walked forward and extended his hand. "By the way, it's a pleasure to meet you! My name's...." He didn't finish his sentence.

'Bam!' I smiled at him before punching him in the face, hard. He fell face down onto the wet grass. His hair was longer in the back and was sticking out of his hat so I grabbed it and hauled him up to his feet.

I dragged him back to the camp the whole way I rolled my eyes as he kept crying out in pain or yelling at me.

"Owwww! Stop pulling so hard! Where the hell are you taking me?" Was what he yelled as I dragged him into the clearing that surrounded our base.

I stopped abruptly. "What's you're problem? Just let me go!" he cried loudly his face still being forced to look down.

I had a clear look of irritation on my face as half of the camp stopped what they were doing to stare at me.

I spotted Rock immediately. He was holding a clipboard and had been checking off everyone who was ready before he turned around to stare at me and the boy. I marched over to him yanking the boy's hair to follow. I threw to boy to Rock's feet.

"Do something with this pesk!" I spat angrily.

Rock helped the boy up. "Where did he come from?" Rock asked staring at him.

"How should I know! Do you think I spent time getting to know him?" I asked exasperated.

Ahem! The boy coughed meaningfully. "I am right here you know!"

"He can talk?" Rock asked joking.

"Yeah, he wouldn't shut up the whole way here." I grumbled.

"You were pulling my hair!" The boy cried exasperated.

Rock laughed, "So, what are we going to do with you?" Rock asked sizing the boy up.

I stared at the boy with a strong feeling of loathing. "We could kill him." I said shrugging.

The boy laughed until I gave him a death glare. He realized I was serious and shut up.

"Oh, come on! Have a heart!" Rock said giving me a disapproving look. "Do you have a family of some sort we can contact?" Rock asked turning back towards the boy.

'Nope.' I thought to myself glumly.

"No," he mumbled, just as I suspected. "My parents sent me to a reformatory about a month ago, but my whole family was killed in a car crash a week ago so I'm an orphan now. I just ran away from the reformatory a few hours ago." He looked down as if ready to be taken back to the reformatory.

"Perfect!" Rock cried, I winced and the boy looked confused.

Rock shook the boy's hand firmly. "My name is Rock, and um, what's your name?"

The boy looked dazed. "D..Drew" he stuttered then straightened confidently "My name is Drew!" He smiled back at Rock.

"Right. Drew, this is my good friend..." he began motioning towards me.

"I'm not into formalities." I interjected forcing a smile. "Plus I wouldn't care for you to know my name." I eyed him with disgust.

"Great well now that you're officially a member of the gang! Li... I mean, my friend here will help take you to Pea." He turned to me. "Have her take it all off."

Pea had her hair station set up she waved Drew over so I didn't have to show him the way.

"What happened back there?" Rock asked as soon as Drew was out of ear shot, his voice sounding troubled.

"Nothing I couldn't have handled." I said stiffly, Rock acted way too much like a father sometimes.

"Listen, I know I may seem like I'm nagging but I get worried when you go into the woods alone."  He said gently

"I'll be more careful next time." I said giving him a small smile, then left to join Pea and Drew.

Since Rock was the leader of the gang he acted like a father to everyone. He was gentle but firm and had a likable sort of air about him.

Drew was already sitting in the chair ready for his hair cut.

"Hey Dragon! What do I get to do with all of this hair!" Pea laughed running her hands through Drew's hair, which now that his hat was gone I realized was way too long.

"Sorry, but Rock says to take it all off."

Pea pouted "Awww! That stinks! I wanted to give him a Mohawk!" she laughed and messed up his hair.

Drew laughed. "I doubt she was kidding." I said slightly smirking at the look on his face.

Pea left to grab some more hair supplies leaving me practically alone with Drew! ... the nerve.

"So are you really Dragon? As in THE Dragon? Leader of the fearless gang of orphans?" Drew asked staring at me with a sense of admiration.

I stared at him, questions seemed to flow like an endless river out of his mouth.

I closes my eyes lifted up a finger as if to say 'one second' then I held up three finger and began counting down with my fingers. 'Three....... Two...... One....... Zero'

As my hand closed into a fist on zero a voice called out. "Hey Lil' Dragon! The new kid's going to act as your 'boyfriend' while you are a decoy!" Rock barley looking up from his clipboard as he called it out.

I turned back to Drew, absolutely furious at Rock. "So you see I am not Dragon... but this is her gang."

"Where is Dragon then?" Drew asked confused.

"She quit. From what she's said in a letter I got once she lives in North Dakota with five kids and one on the way. But then again that was nine years ago. Things change, people change." I finished my last sentence quietly.

"Were you guys friends or something?" he asked staring at me with concern.

I shrugged "You could say that. She was my mentor. She taught me every thing I know, so don't you DARE try to cross me." I threatened darkly.

 Drew chuckled nervously.

I turned and walked towards Rock, I was still very mad at him.