Feather

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Shraya knew a 14-year-old girl was not going to keep Cole Brown away very long. He wanted her horse, and he wanted her bad. She was going to have to run away tonight and not come back for quite a while. She would need to stay close to the stream. There she had water. And if she stayed along it she wouldn't get lost and could find her way home easily. There would probably be berry bushes near the stream too, because there they always had water. It was not easy to get enough water for a horse for it to be healthy. But by the stream they would be fine.

Back at the barn, Shraya checked on her stuff to make sure it was there and it was hidden. If her mom or dad would find it, they would know and find out some scheme to keep her at home.

When Shraya went to bed that night, she started getting impatient, waiting for her parents to stop talking and fall asleep. It was already 11:00, and she needed time to get away. While she was waiting, she got out a pen and paper, a little dim flash-light, and wrote a note to her parents.

Hey mom and dad. I'm going to be gone for a little while.

Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just need some time alone.

I love you both, Bye.

Shraya

Shraya held the note in her hand, then realized that if and when her parents did find it, it wouldn't give them much comfort anyway. They would probably feel worse sense after all, her own father betrayed her and her mom didn't help her out much either. So, she crumpled it up and threw it into the garbage Besides, they didn't need to feel comfort. She remembered the words, how much? and I'll pick her up without Shraya knowing so she won't try to stop us. How could Cole, a guy her parents didn't even know, make them turn their backs on her? How? She couldn't believe how much she hated this Cole Brown. How much.

Soon after the talking stopped, Shraya heard her mom's heavy breathing and her dad snoring. Alright. Shraya got on some clothes and walked quietly over to the mirror. She opened up the drawer beneath it and pulled out a bandana that her great grandmother used to wear. This was long before her time though. She folded the old piece of cloth up until it was only 2 inches wide. She wrapped it around her head tightly and tied it there. Now her long, dark hair would be out of her way. Well, she knew she had no time to stand and look in the mirror, so she walk over to the window and climbed out. When her feet touched the ground, she broke out in a run. Feather was already sleeping when she got there, but as soon as she heard Shraya's voice she was wide awake. Shraya unburied the things she needed and remembered the box. Should I take it, should I not? Should I take it, should I not? she was thinking. Finally she decided to take it partway then leave it in the bush.

"All right girl. You don't want to be taken away from here just as much as I do. That's why you gotta run as fast as you can girl, as fast as you bloody can."

With that Shraya jumped up on Feather, grabbed a fist full of mane, made sure she had everything, and off she went. When she was about 500 feet into the bush Shraya jumped down off of Feather and shoved the bridle box into a clump of bushes. She took a very tiny piece of string and tied it to the shrubs. Even though it was roughly 12:30 Shraya could easily see due to an almost full moon. "Besides," she thought out loud, "Feather, all horses actually, can see quite well in the dark." Soon Shraya could hear the little stream trickling down the rocks. She had never followed the stream more that maybe 2 miles from home. So, she had no idea what was coming up a head.