Find My Heart (boyxboy)

8. Run!

Cole

A 'Sold' sign had appeared outside Highfield Hall less than a week after I had nearly been caught trespassing, and then just a couple of weeks later it became alive with a swarm of activity.

There were diggers and bulldozers, cranes and cement mixers, and lots of other machinery that I didn't even know the name of.

It broke my heart a little to see my peaceful haven being so disrupted.

I peered daily over the wall, to see what they were doing, but I never ventured inside.

As time passed, the warning my dad gave me seemed to diminish in significance, as many threats from parents do, but I knew I would have to have a death wish to go into the grounds while there was so much work going on.

Two months later, and most of the external work on the Hall had been completed, and they were now working on the inside.

The heavy machinery had gone, and in its place was a renovated building that had been brought back to life, back to its former glory.

As much as I resented the intrusion, I could see that they had done an amazing job.

I was itching to go and explore the grounds. From what I could tell, it looked like they had only done work to the Hall itself, and some improvements to the immediate garden and driveway. The woodlands, much to my relief, remained untouched.

College had broken up for the summer, and I was bored. And the pull of my favourite place was calling.

I stole a glance through the iron gate as I walked slowly passed.

It was midday, but there wasn't any movement around the Hall. There were a couple of cars parked outside, but they were there all the time.

I carried on walking until I reached the broken wall. I knew it was only a matter of time until they fixed it, so soon I would need to look for another way in.

I quickly glanced around, to make sure no one was nearby, and on seeing it was clear, quickly hopped over and into the grounds.

Keeping low, I scurried over to some bushes, which thankfully were now in full leaf, so provided better cover than when I was last here.

With one last glance at the Hall, I quickly ran into the woodlands. I ran for a good couple of minutes, to make sure I was far enough away, before collapsing to the ground to rest my aching legs and take in big lungfuls of oxygen. God, I was so unfit!

Summer was in full show, and I walked to each of my favourite spots to see which flowers had done well this year, and which had yet to make an appearance.

I was so lost in my own world that I failed to notice a slight rustling nearby until it was too late.

I froze like a deer in headlights as a little girl appeared not 5 meters in front of me.

"Shit!" I said, clutching my hand to my chest in fright.

That made the little girl giggle uncontrollably.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, anxiously looking round for an adult supervising her.

"I was watching you," she said, with her head tipped to one side.

If she didn't look so adorable, with her blonde hair tied in little bunchies with pink ribbons, I would be quite freaked out.

"Okaaaay," I said warily. "And where are your parents?"

She couldn't have been older than 6 or 7.

"Inside," she said gesturing behind her.

"You mean in Highfield Hall?" I asked.