The Runaways

Chapter 3

I didn't wake up until well into the night. I must've needed the sleep. Cory was passed out in an armchair, and judging by the amount of drool pooling around his chin, he’d been that way for a few hours. I got up, pulling my boots back on, then crawled off the mattress and walked groggily towards Cory’s very uncomfortable looking bed.

“Cory,” I whispered, leaning close, trying to shake him awake. He opened his eyes ever so slightly, little more than slits. His curly, longish brown hair was a mess, sticking out every which way, making him look like a startled bird. I could hardly contain a laugh.

“What?” he hissed, obviously annoyed that I had woken him up. I must’ve looked a sight as well, because before I knew it he had fallen out of the chair with laughter.

Now it was my turn to ask. “What?” I half-laughed. Laughter between one of us was highly contagious to the other. It had been that way since we had met when I first moved here.

“No offense, but you...look like you just crawled out of a hole,” he laughed. I started too, knowing that he looked just the same as I did, if not worse.

“C’mon,” I said, through my laughter.

“Where are we going?” he asked while putting his boots on.

“Just c'mon okay?” I said, pulling him up.

Once outside, I turned to him. “Look. Why do we trust this guy? We don’t know him. We don’t know of him. What possessed us to trust a guy we have never met before?”

Cory paused, pondering my questions. Finally, he had an answer. “Because I think he is telling the truth, something we have been denied of knowing or telling for so long. There is some truth to the fact that he saved us. I mean, I was doing fine and all, but I hadn’t pulled any tricks when the cops stopped following. He seems to be the most truthful person we have met in a long time. I think that’s why we trust him,” he concluded.

“Maybe, but that still doesn’t explain one thing,” I told him. “It still doesn’t explain why he helped us in the first place. I’m still a little...on edge about that.”

“Oh, c'mon Ally. Maybe he just wanted to see what our story was...give us a chance,” he suggested.

“Maybe,” I said.

“Let’s get some more sleep,” he suggested. “We could use it.”

“I’m fine. Will you bring me one of the lanterns that are inside, though?” I asked.

“Um, sure,” Cory said, confusion showing is his eyes. Still, he went inside and brought one out for me.

Cory went back inside, and I climbed up a hill that was behind Andrew’s house. I wanted to see the sunrise, something beautiful I hadn’t appreciated in years. I was lucky I started walking when I did because I only reached the top as the sun peeked over the horizon.

It was the most beautiful sight I had seen in a very, very long time. The horizon was tinged with red, orange, yellow, pink, blue, and purple. The sun itself was a beautiful orange color.

At the first sight of dawn, it seemed as if every bird in the whole forest was chirping. Owls hooted their goodbyes to the dark, woodpeckers pecking out a rhythm that seemed to keep the other birds together. It was as if they were an orchestra, and I was the lone audience member.

When the colors faded, and the sun had come up, I made the trek back down hill to Andrew’s house. He and Cory were waiting on the front porch, neither looking too happy with me as I sat down on the steps.

“Where have you been?” Cory demanded. Andrew snatched the lantern from my hand.

“I was up the mountain, watching the sunrise,” I explained.