Searching for Paradise

Chapter Five

I watched as people bustled around. I had made it safely back in without anybody seeing me. I snuck back to my house knowing my parents would both be at work and Mallory would be at school. I opened the door quietly and went to my room. I pulled out a small pack from my closet and started shoving clothes into it along with a pair of shoes. When I was sure I had enough clothes I pulled on a sweatshirt, and went to the kitchen to stock up on food. I was putting canned foods in when I heard the door open. I panicked dropping the can.

"Hello?" A voice called out and I instantly recognized it. Reeve. I sighed with relief that it wasnt my parents and picked up the can. Reeve rounded the corner into the kitchen. "What are you doing." He asked leaning against the doorway. "None of your business." I said putting another can in my pack. "You going somewhere?" He asked watching me. "Look Reeve I dont have time for this." I exclaimed exasperated. "What do you want." I shoved half a loaf of bread into my bag along with a jar of peanut butter. "I was wondering why you werent in School today." He said picking up a shoe that had fallen from my bag. He examined it for a minute. "Are you running away?" He looked at me surprised as I snatched my shoe back. "What if I am. You gonna tell on me. Like you did last time." I snapped at him filling my voice with venom. A look of sadness spread across his face. "I said I was sorry for that." He said softly. I got in his face. "Tell that to the reminders I have to look at everyday." I said lifting my shirt showing him the old scars across my stomach. He took a step back his face filling with regret. "They did that to you." He said reaching out to touch them. I smacked his hand away. "I dont care if you tell them. Ill be gone before they find me." I said shoving him out of my way. "Let me come with you." Reeve exclaimed. "Why in the hell would I let you come with me." I said but Reeve wasnt paying attention, instead staring behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. While me and Reeve had been arguing, Collin had let himself into my house. He grinned. "So where are we going?" He said. "You guys are not coming with me." I threw up my hands. "Well hes not thats for sure." Reeve said stepping between me and Collin. "Whatre you gonna do about it pretty boy." Collin said stepping up to Reeve. "Look guys seriously I dont have time for this!" I exclaimed. I looked at the clock. I had an hour before curfew was in effect. "I need to go." I said shoving past both of them. "Seriously," Reeve said side stepping me. "I want to go with you." I looked at him. "Why." I asked. "Id follow you anywhere Gabi." He said using the nickname he had given me. I felt a twang of sadness. "And why do you want to come." I turned to Collin. He grinned a lopsided grin. "Im always up for a little adventure." I cracked a smile. "Im telling you right now this is no adventure." I looked at the door. "Im joining the rebellion." I whispered. Collins grin faded and Reeves face contorted into a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Well now Im definitley coming." They both said at the same time. I sighed. "You have a half hour to pack supplies. Meet me at the back of the Rec Center." I said. "If your not there on time, Im leaving. With or without you." I looked at both of them before  they headed out the door. I shut the door behind them and went to do one last thing.

I made my way around the Rec Center to the back and sat down, laying my head against the cooling stone of the building. I looked at my watch, seeing there was only fifteen minutes of time for Collin and Reeve to show up. I sighed closing my eyes. "Glad to see you didnt leave without me." A voice said. My eyes shot open to see Collins face staring down at me. He looked around. "Pretty boy aint here yet." He said grinning. "No, hes not. And hes not a pretty boy." I said standing up. We stood in silence for a few minutes, before footsteps echoed around the building. Reeve came around the corner in full sprint. He slowed down breathing heavily. "Im here." He panted. I hiked up my pack. "Well lets go then. We only have a half hour before curfew." I said. "How are we getting out." Collin asked and I looked at Reeve. "Your joking right. You realize that its probably closed off." Reeve exclaimed. I shook my head. "No its not. Ive been using it to sneak out." I said. Collin looked at us both confused. I sighed. "A long time ago me and Reeve were playing next to the wall and we found an old passage leading through the wall and out." I shot Reeve a glare. He looked sick. "Lets go." I said looking around making sure nobody was around before walking down an ally that led to the portion of the wall. Collin and Reeve fell into step beside me as we crept up to the wall. I kneeled down trying to pull the grate from the wall. "It wont budge." I said panic sweeping through me. "Here." Collin said reaching down. He grabbed the grate and with one giant tug he pulled it clean off the wall. He examined it. "Someone knew someones been using this. It was welded shut. Not strongly enough though." He said setting it down. I crawled through the space and out the other side. I took in a deep breath. I looked over to see the sun setting behind the hills. "Come on." I said. "We need to hurry." Reeve crawled out followed by Collin. "Did you replace the grate?" I asked him and he nodded standing up. "Lets go." I said and started running in the direction of the cabin Cade said hed wait for me in. We ran for about ten minutes before the cabin came into view. "Wait here." I said to them as I walked up to the cabin. I swung the door open revealing.. Nothing. All signs of Cade were gone. "What?!" I screamed storming into the cabin. I almost cried. Reeve and Collin entered the cabin behind me. "He wasnt supposed to leave!" I yelled. "Whats this?" Collin said moving aside a curtain to reveal scribbling. "Goldilocks," Collin started reading. "I had to move. Soldiers were everywhere. Look for me here. Cade." He finished reading. "Looks like he drew a map." Collin commented tracing the pattern Cade had drawn. I looked at the makeshift map he had given me trying to find the symbol he had drawn. When I found a match I realized it was quite a ways away. "Thats where we need to go?" Reeve asked looking over my shoulder at the map. I nodded. "Is it far?" Collin asked still looking at the note Cade scribbled on the wall. "Its not close thats for sure. Going to take us at least an hours walk." I said shoving the map into my pack. "Lets go." I said walking out of the cabin. "This way." I said starting off in the direction the map said. The boys followed in tow. I shook my head.

"Were almost there." I thought to myself.