Chapter 1
{It was the middle of the War between (i have no idea yet, didnt want to say ww1 or 2 so im making up a war :D.} A cold day in the midst of July in an old oak cottage were Angel would come home happily everyday welcomed by her parents with a hot chocolate, mini marshmallows and fuzzy pink slippers, it was almost her 16th birthday she couldn’t wait, she was ecstatic but who knew that was quickly going to change.
She was sitting on her living room floor crying her eyes out everything trashed, photos on the floor, chairs upside down; the front door was ripped right out of its hinges and jewellery: bracelets, earrings (what was left of them) lying there dead on the floor. Every smile, happy memory and pretty picture abandoned her just like the birds in winter, every last one.
She was sitting there frozen thinking ‘what have I done’ gun in her hand looking straight at the guy she just shot, trying to hold back her tears. It wasn’t her fault it was either him or her. She stood up for herself, that’s more that you could say for her parents.
Suddenly she heard a noise a quiet clink clonk of big black boots, she lifts her gun again ready to fire. “WO wo, wo, hold on there in here to help, what the hell happened here?!” Struggling to believe him she stays still not moving her hand still aiming straight for him calming down her breathing, slowly standing up as he steps forward.
“D-don’t move, I’m not afraid to shoot, I-I shot him too” she sighs quietly but just loud enough that he hears he giggles a little under his breath. She takes some time to look him over, dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, light pink lips, black and white checked shirt, blue jeans those heavy black boots and a black leather jacket.
She stands there for a little while, too many things in her head, not sure what to do. “You ok?” he finally spoke “Uh..I…I” “what happened” “well he I mean I uh…” “Calm down I’m not gonna hurt you” he reassures her. She slowly lowers her gun, drops it on the floor, makes him flinch, drops herself to the ground and bursts into tears once more.
He steps forward slowly trying not to alarm her, she looks up face soaked with tears he looks at her sympathy written all over his face. She wipes her tears away when she hears another voice from upstairs “Hey Daren, it’s all clear up here” shock sprang to her face, he sees her expression and replies “Alright gather up everyone else” from all the shock she screams “WHAT THE HELL ARE PEOPLE DOING IN MY ROOM??!!” “Wow you know this house like the back of your hand ey?” “If you don’t tell me what’s going on the back of my hand will be on your face” he smiles and carries on “we heard some screams but obviously you can handle yourself?” She freezes from shock; he looks at her looking for some answers.
“My mum and dad they” “who took them, what did they look like?” raising his voice “talk!” “IM NOT A DOG, Stop shouting at me!” she pauses “I-I don’t remember it-it all happened too quickly” she starts to walk away when he puts his hand on her shoulder to stop her walking away; he searched for her eyes and finally found them. “I’m sorry” he sighed “come with me” he starts walking the opposite way. “NO” she says, he stops and swivels on his heels to face her. “I’m not going anywhere with you, why should I?” “Hmm well let’s see, have you anywhere else to go?” he pauses “well” he cuts her of “oh and whoever came here will most likely come back for you…with more people and as much as I respect that you” he looks over at the guy dead on the floor laughs a little “shot that guy” she stares blankly at him “you won’t be able to shoot more like oh I donno 15? At once unless you wonna stick around and see?” he raises his brows and opens his beautiful blue eyes wide “common, I’ll help you find your parents” he smiles a half smile “fine” she finally says. “Promise me?” “I promise” he reaches his strong arm out, she walks forward past his hand, next to him, she tries to smile and they walk out into the sun.
*****
Outside, just entering the forest Angel, Daren and all his hmm, well ‘mates’. Her face gave everything away, the sadness, the awkwardness but mostly the confusion. She had no idea where she was going, what was she doing? Everyone around her was carrying guns for Christ sake. She looks at Daren not sure what to do “just stick with me and you’ll be fine” he finally said. “Where are we going?” “You’ll see” he smiled, she looked a little worried. He laughed. “Don’t worry were not gonna rape you” everyone behind him started to laugh but she was only looking at him for some reason she trusted him. They walked a while he picked up a flower and places it in her hair a beautiful green one, he says nothing just smile, so she smiles back “Thanks” “Smiling suits you better than crying” she smiled yet again and they drifted into a comfortable silence.
It started getting darker and darker the deeper into the forest they walked. She could see something she just about made out a fire then a few people and horses! The horses they were beautiful majestic so elegant exactly the opposite of Claire.
THWUMP “Are you ok?” “DAMN” she tripped over a tree trunk “since when do trees grow sideways” she said trying to smile, he laughed and helped her up “you alright?” “Yeah I think” they smiled at each other.
“Wow, there beautiful” she starts to walk up to the horses, he grasps her wrists, she looks at him a little worried. “Not too quickly” he smiles. “They may be well trained but you can still scare them” he says whispering. He let’s go of one wrist and gently tugs the other towards one horse. A beautiful light brown one, thick fur, big and strong he pulls her closer by the hip. He gives her a reassuring look she tries to smile to let him know its ok but fails dramatically so he puts her hand down slowly on the horses’ strong neck and moves away. Angel looks back a bit, more than scared, he gestures for her to look back around and there it is the horse was looking straight at her its long dark brown hair so luscious and clean, its eyes, oh, big green and somehow happy. She moves her hand slowly up towards its back but it backs away and makes her flinch and then it bows his head to let her stroke it “wow” she whispers unable to think of anything else to say. She was speechless her parents would love to see that.
“Wonna ride?” “You’re kidding right?” “No, really you can ride Jessie” “Are you sure what if I fall?” “Hahaha” he starts laughing “you’re joking me right I’m not letting you go on your own you might get yourself killed heck you just about survived the tree trunk, remember?” Her face goes bright pink, she looks away but he just grabs her arm and pulls her away a little deeper into the forest, there she was, Jessie, big black graceful horse. Claire stops in her tracks, he stops and looks back at her but she takes no notice she couldn’t tare her eyes away from Jessie, he smiles. “You’ll be fine” she looks at him. “Common” he takes his hands out of his jeans, pulls her over playfully and grabs a step ladder puts it down next to Jessie, pats her on the head and whispers something into her ear. He looks at Claire, gestures for her to step up and helps her onto the saddle. He looks at her face, she looked petrified “hey you ok?” he smiles “huh?” she looks at him “oh-uh yeah” he laughs again.
“Your seriously gonna let her ride?” a voice came from behind a tree. A tall muscular guy stepped out from the shadows. “You know after the tree-” he cuts him off “she’ll be just fine” the tall guy looks at Claire and she gives him a blank look. “Ok, just look out for tree trunks will ya?” he walks of laughing. Daren looks at her “don’t pay any attention to him he thinks he’s funny” he smiles “ready?” “As ready as I’ll ever be” she sounded slightly, well, scared. “Ha-ha, ok” he moves the step ladder away and jumps on behind her. “Wait, what I’m siting at the front?” “Ha, really you think I’m gonna let you sit behind me, where I can’t see you?” “Uh yeah, good point” she blushes when he puts his hands around her to reach for the (strings (horses’ veils?) “YAH!” he screams “geez. Couldn’t have done that any louder?” she asks “sorry, now tell me something what do people like that want with a girl like you?” “A girl like me?” she asked “Huh, well” now he blushes. “You know innocent, smart has a great sense of humour” they laugh almost synchronised “uh- I was hoping you’d tell me” “ME?” he asked surprised “yeah well you seem to know a lot” “I SEEM to know a lot?” he says sarcastically. “you know what I mean” “well I’ll do my best” “Thanks” she says tipping her head back to see his face turn into a smile “you really smile a lot don’t you” “yeah well” he takes his eyes off of the path in front of him and looks down at her. “You could say I clearly see a lot to smile about”
