Run

Chapter 1

"Ruby, honey, please. Those socks are too short, and you'll get caught showing your ankles," Annie says. My navy blue collared shirt rubs against my dry, pale skin and I stare at her with my cold green eyes.

"Don't tell me what to do Annie, you're not my mom! I miss my home. I miss my parents. I loved my life before I came here!" I scream with hot tears pouring down my red face. Annie flinches at my sudden angry voice as it echoes and bounces against the glass walls. I try to fight the urge to walk out the door and to Mr. Jacob's office and give him a bruise.

"Sweetie, out there is a world full of Soul Snatchers. You're 14 years old already, please act like one and stop whining! It may not seem like it, but we're safer here and Mr. Jacob is just trying to protect us," she whispers trying to hush me up.

Out the window is a line of police marching down the concrete road. They march in unison each foot moving in sync with another. Their guns are slinged over their broad shoulders, and they look ready to kill.

"Don't call me sweetie," I yell, not even lowering my voice a notch. "Only my mom can call me that, well my real biological mom anyways. And protecting us doesn't mean we're forced to wear a uniform, speak certain words, and required to stay inside our homes after curfew! Why do we get punished for stupid things?" I scream yet once again.

Annie is tall and slender, with flawless young skin. She justs looks at me with her deep hazel eyes and twirls her chocolate brown hair. Many say I'm cursed, since I have red hair and green eyes while everyone else has brown hair with cocoa eyes. Well what can I say? I don't belong here anyways.

The gust sweeps the gray skies, and policemen shove innocent people to the ground. The civilians have a look of terror on their faces, with red blood dripping across their skin. I long to smell the old aromas lingering my previous house, and wake up to a fresh breakfast.

"Order up!" Mom would say. " Fresh and hot eggs are ready for Ruby!"

8 years earlier

"Swenetie, you have to leave. Now," Mom said pushing me towards the door.

"But Mommy, I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave you and Daddy!"

She shakes her head, with her red hair whipping everytime she shakes her head. She directs me to the door. An eerie, dark wisp in the distance slowly sweeps across the gras

"But where do I go? Who is after me?" I asked suddenly frightened, but yet concerned.

"Trust me Ruby. You have to run North, and don't stop. Run through the forest along the river, and there should be many people there to protect you. Remember if you see any people say, 'Hello my name is Ruby. I'm 6 years old and I'm looking for a home.' The monsters are after us, and you just have to leave. You're in danger!" Mom says, peering outside the window.

There's a loud boom a mile from our house, and I jumped at the ear-piercing sound. A black flame ignites in the distance, and I my mind spins faster than a carousel. All my memories, all my good times, they just seem to fly across my mind. And then I do it. I fling open the back door and I run.

"I love you, Ruby!" I hear from my mom behind me.

I run. Sweat pouring down my delicate skin. My each step slamming into the dewy grass, and my heart pounds like a drum against my chest. The luscious green trees draping over the forest into the cloudy skies. Black smoke tickles my skin, and I hear trees fall over behind me. They're after me and I don't look back, not even for a split second.