Escape

3

I feel guilty for not caring about Almus' wife. It's not like she ever cared about me, I mean I don't even really know that woman. Why am I even thinking about her? I jerk out of my thoughts, narrowly missing a collision with a tree.

I step back dazed, and looking around before I walk, and see an old shambly house. A house? Out here?

I walk toward the hut,and realize it has been abandoned for many years. I pull the door open a bit too harshly and look inside. Dust, leaves and dirt cover everything, but it otherwise it looks intact and safe. The roof looks waterproof and walls are sturdy.

Maybe I can stay here for a while, or even live here. If no one finds me.

I sit on an old chair at a equally old and dusty table and open my bag. Taking out a loaf of bread, a chunk of cheese, wrapped meat and my knife, I slice off 2 pieces of bread from the loaf, cut a slice of cheese from the chunk of it, take some meat from the wrapping, and make a sandwich.

I'm not too fond of venison, I don't know why I grabbed it. I bite into my sandwich, while looking around. Man this place is really dusty. Maybe I should find something to clean it out, and sweep it with. Maybe a leafy branch of something, like a fern, would do.

When I finish my sandwich, I get up and look around the house. Scuffing up dirt and dust with my shoes, I walk into each room, observing their contents and uncleanness.

In one room there was an old stand and dresser. In another I found an old bench and a a bed. There was also a small cellar, mostly bare with a few empty shelves.

Then I walk out of the house to hunt for a fern or a leafy branch. I find a both in few minutes and take them both. I walk back to the house with them and start to dust the house.

As I'm dusting, I hear the snap of a twig snap and the crunch of dry leaves outside. I open a window peek my head outside. I spot a boy about my age walking my way. I quickly duck inside as he notices me. I hear the pounding of footsteps and leaves and look for places to hide as I hear him say,"Hey you! What are you doing in here?"

"Why are you in the woods?" I shoot back.

"I'm in the woods because I can be. Now again, whatever your name is..."

"Serenity." I interrupt him. Why did I tell him my name? You idiot!

"Ok, Serenity, for the last time what are you doing in the woods a day from the nearest village?!"

"The same reason as you, whatever your name is."

"It's Asher, by the way, and the same reason as me is not a reason. The reason I'm out here is because I'm looking for something."

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"None of your business. That's what."

"Then why did you tell me, Asher if you didn't want me to know?" I shoot back at him. I really should end the conversation right now.

"You asked I answered, OK?" He said, more than a little irritated..

"'None of your business' is not an real answer." I thought I was going to end this conversation.

"It is an answer. It's one that shows that you should scram, OK?!?" Asher says, glaring at me.

"Now beat it!" he said.

"No, why should I, these woods aren't yours to control. I can do whatever I want to do, Asher.

"You know what then? I'll leave!" Asher yelled, stomping away.

Wow, you have serious anger issues. Why didn't you do that in the beginning then? What was he looking for though? I walk back into the house and slump down on a old chair. That was the first person I have seen ... well spoken to since I ran away. But will he reports seeing me in the forest? He knows my name now, has he seen any missing posters of me?

I continue dusting the rest of the of the house. I lug out and dispose of some of the more unusable furniture. I find a way to barricade the door and cover the window.

As soon as I finish this I hear the snap of a twig. Is that Asher? Maybe it's just an animal. Maybe it's someone new. I'm not going to stay here though

I slip out and quietly run through the woods when I suddenly stop and turn around to run back towards the house. I forgot my bow and quiver. Why did I unstrap them anyways? I dash through the door and grab my bow and quiver.

I run back outside I look back at the hut, but that was a bad choice, and I crash right into someone.