Alone

Chapter Four

I give up.

I've been around this entire town so many times.

I give up. Let me go back to my home. Let me go back to the woods.

They won't keep me for more than a day, it's crushing me. I've been to every single home from trailer to mansion.

I can't do this anymore.

Every chance I get, I run. It seems I've been getting more chances lately. They want me to go back, but the policeman won't let me get away with leaving.

I can't do this. I was about to plan out my next move, what to do to rid myself of this stupid world, even though I've wanted to many times and could never even plan it, and heard a voice that I recognized as the policeman immediately.

"Remember Carter? You're gonna live with him for a while. Maybe permanently. At least, hopefully." His face was full of stress lines that weren't there until I came. He looked ten years older and tired as if he hasn't slept in a century. I ruin people's lives, just by being in them. Why do I deserve Carter? Why do I deserve that beautiful farm and patch of woods I miss so dearly? Simple, I don't. I'm to the point of desperation I dorm even care anymore. I need the few things I have left of my home, my family. I need that drawstring.

Ever since the woods I've impossibly grown skinnier. I barley get food anymore, they all assume the next house will feed me. Sometimes a family will give me a meal, and others will give me a snack. Nobody wants to, let alone needs to, waste there money on me.

I was forced into another seemingly endless car ride. As always, gazing out the window to the sunny day that surrounded me. Even though I depend on the sun, I hate it, always out and making everything happy, fake, even.

I've been dependent that the sun will always come, even on a rainy day it makes everything bright.

I arrive at Carters, to which both me and the policeman are clueless to why they couldn't send me here to begin with. The door was open for me by not other than, Carter.

"Paige..." He begins, shocked, and he said my name. I haven't heard my name in a while. He continues, "Where is your body? Your skinnier then I remember, how did you get so thin? Where did these bruises come from?"

I forgot about those. The ones that beat me far less, claiming they "Don't want to waste there energy".

After a few seconds of silence, Carter perked up. He was uncharacteristically happy. "Here, I can give you a good meal, with Oreos." He winked and grinned widely. He's even wearing brighter clothes, wearing a soft yellow and brown shirt instead of his usual blues and dark reds.

I sprinted out of the car and into the house the second I heard Oreo's. I was hungry, I can deal with emotional stuff later. I want food, now.

He walks after me laughing. Then I hear it, a woman's laugh. Is this why Carters happy now?

He walks in as I stood frozen in the house, and moves past me to make me some food. Yay!

He quickly prepares a "PB&J", what ever that is, and puts some sliced apples and a small stack of Oreos.

After a second, before giving me the plate, he looks at me suspiciously, "You... Aren't allergic to peanut butter, are you?" He questions, wanting to not kill me.

"I can eat nuts, but I've never had peanut butter. I guess we're gonna find out."

He gives me the plate and I dig in, eating slowly so I don't get sick. That would be a nightmare.