1 Chapter one

                  Adria age fourteen.

Chapter 1

"This is a bad idea," Lee whispers next to me, I roll my eyes at how dramatic my best friend is. We both were in the woods playing when we heard a loud bang, It was so loud I jumped and lee let out a yelp. Even the birds in the trees screamed before flying away. It was only the one bang and most likely nothing but, me being the free spirit I am wanted to get closer, but Lee thought it was a bad idea and didn't want to go and see. I told him I was going so he could either come with me or stay There and be a scary cat. He wasn't happy but he finally agreed to come and look Although, all he's done is complain the whole way.

We both live in these woods, I mean I know it sounds bad but it's not really. My Mum died on heroin and I run away after I found her. I was three days sleeping on the streets before I found lee and we both became best friends instantly and have never left one another since. About three years ago it was dark and we both stopped one day and watched tv through the store window, and this man was talking about how he built his home in the forest and the story fascinated me. Straight away I knew it was meant for me and him, so the next day lee and I went into these woods and after walking miles we happened to come across an old abandon house. It was barely standing all the concrete smashed and hanging off, there was no roof left everything just… broken. However, we walked about a mile behind the house when we happened

To come across an old steel trap. After an hour we got it open and seen they where stairs going all the way down. We we reached the bottom and walked along the hallway there was one steel door that was ajar. Opening it we entered walked into what I know know was a bomb shelter. There we found cans of food they where in date dryer milk,

Past and right then and there I knew it was for us.

It needed some work there was no electricity heating, but it did have a bed and blankets so that night me and lee lay in a bed, cuddled up and had the best sleep We had for months. since then we have been building our home. It's not easy having no money, but me and lee learned very young that sometimes you need, to do things you don't like to get what you want. We have both learned to steal and pickpocket and I know It isn't something to brag about but we both are very good.

Haven't been caught yet.

I edge closer past the trees being careful to stay silent, I Don't think there's anyone here and I haven't seen or heard anything but, you can't be too careful.

It isn't until we are standing at the top of the forest where the ground has a slight dip we hear another noise. The directions it came from is in front of us at the drop, Me and lee freeze both our eyes going wide, we both know these woods and all the places to avoid. This being one of them, the dip is steep, and if you tripped you wouldn't be able to get back up yourself.

We stay quiet and listing for another sound, when nothing happens I Very slowly make my way towards the dip.

"Adria, what the hell are you doing." lee hisses to me.

"Shhh, " I hiss back at him and keep creeping forward, my feet quiet against the forest floor. The only sound right now is the chipping from the birds and the sound of the river in the distance.

When I'm close enough I peek over and look down the dip, I look around roughly checking for the source of the noise but there's nothing there.

I huff out a disappointed sigh before turning back to lee who's just behind me.

"There's nothing there," I tell him my irritation showing. He opens his mouth to talk but a noise behind me makes us both jump, I spin around quickly and look back down the dip. I still don't see anything, but the noise defiantly comes from there. I look harder and that's when I see it, Or should I say him.

Blending into the leaf and dirt I can make out a man lying there.

"Lee, look, over there" I point to where he is and Lee's eyes grow wide when he sees him.

"How did he get down there?" he mutters.

I shake my head, " I Don't know, fell maybe?" to a he's very far down and barely visible.

"We need to help him." I turn to look at my best friend. "We can't just leave him there,"

Surprisingly lee nods his head, "Yeah, he needs help, no one is near us if we left him he could die."

I look back at the man and he still hasn't moved. I bite my lip thinking of the best way to help him.

"You go and get that big rope out the den, and I'll go down and help him." I point down to the man.

"No way, he could be like a serial killer, I'm not leaving you here. You go and get the rope and I'll help him."

I think for a moment before shaking my head, "No, I won't have the strength to pull you, " I just look at my best friend.

"I will go and help him it's the best decision and you know it, " lee looks torn but he knows I'm right. "Just go and hurry up you won't even be ten minutes I'll be fine, "

Lee doesn't look sure but eventually, he agrees, " Okay. but be careful Adria, " he warns me. With one final glance, he turns and takes off into the forest running towards the den, When I can longer see him, I let out the breath I was holding.

I can do this I chant to myself.

I turn around and begin slowly descending the dip. I've done this once before but, it was me and lee and we had the rope to get back up. Grabbing the tree branch I hold on to it before putting my feet forward between the old dirty rock. Lifting the other I place it further in front of my other foot getting myself steady, when I get my balance I let go of the tree. I'm steady as I bend lower and crawl on my feet slowly climbing down. I continue this until I'm over halfway, Grabbing the tree for balance, then walk, Tree balance walk. It's all going smoothly until all of a sudden I slip and lose my footing, A yelp leaves me when I start falling and can't control it, My feet skid and I try throwing myself back instead of going forward, it doesn't go to plan though and crash right on my bum. I start to skid down and I  think I'm not going to stop until I manage to grab hold of one of the vines on the ground. It's enough, I'm able to use my feet to catch the lines and rocks coming to a stop.

When I know I'm not going to fall and I'm secure enough,  I lay back on the ground and breath, that was a close-on.

When my heart calms down and I get my breathing steady I sit back up, I look towards the man and notice I'm not that far now. With a gentle push, I get myself up and grab hold of the branch. Taken even slower steps, I move lower and luckily there are enough branches and rocks  I'm able to descend carefully. When I reach the bottom I let out a heavy shaky breath, glad to be off the dip. I look down at my hands and noticed that they're bleeding from the fall I took. Rubbing them on my jeans I look over to where the man is lying now. He still hasn't moved so. I quickly walk over towards him, he's mostly covered by leaves and sticks, his legs are visible and arms but that's pretty much it.

I bend down until I'm on my knees, I remove aand the dirt from his face, and when I see him I gasp in shock. Blood and dirt cover most of his features that I can't take him out, there's an open cut above his eyebrow and I cringe at how bad it is.

I lift my two fingers and very slowly press Them into his neck looking for a pulse.

He's covered in tattoos so I don't know if I'm getting the right bit, so when I can't feel one I put my finger under his nose to see if he's breathing.

I mean he did make the noise so he obviously must be alive, right?

He is so still though I'm sure that he is dead until I eventually feel his breath hit my skin.

"Oh, thank God," I say out loud to myself. Now I know he's alive I look over him to see if I can see any wounds. For the past two years, I've been watching doctor shows, and I remember them holding a bleeding man's stomach closed. I pay attention to that kind of stuff in case something ever happens to me or lee, can't ever be too careful.

I move my eyes all over the man looking for any injuries, I don't see any so I clear another section of the leaf's off his stomach, Lucky for him I Don't see any bad bleeding.

Satisfied that he's okay, I move back up to look at his face.

A shiver runs through me when I look at him, I've never seen someone look that bad, his face looks damaged. I lift my hand very slowly and reach out intending to wake him up, he's so still that I have to keep reminding myself that he's alive.

I gently touch his shoulder and shake him.

"Hey mister, "  He doesn't respond and I have no other idea how to make him up.

"Hey, look you need to wake up, " when he doesn't answer me after my third attempt, I use both my hands to shake him hard.

"Excuse me, " I don't know why that comes out but I shake him and finally a groan leaves his chest.

"Excuse me mister, but you need to wake up."

He moves his head slightly and moans of pain leaving him when he does.

"It's okay, I think you have had a bad fall, and your hurt so just take it easy, "slowly turning his head to face me, he tries opening his eyes but must be finding it hard, because every time he tries they close back over.

"Don't try too hard, if you can take a breath then let it out, mister, "

I breathe in and out trying to show him what to do. 

"That's it, in and out, " I tell him the same thing lee tells me when I take a panic attack, he's in pain, and I know it helps.

"Do you have a phone?" I ask him moving my eyes rapidly around to see if I can see one.

"If you have one I can call an ambulance-"

His, hand shoots out startling me, and grabs my wrist.

"No, doctors, " he barely manages to get the words out but I hear them.

"Mister, I don't think you realize how bad you are," I mumble to him. His eyes crack open and he looks up at me. Deep blue eyes gaze at mine, his face is bad to make it his age but his eyes don't look old. When I saw him I guessed a man older but I Don't think he's that much older than me.

"Who-are-you?" his voice is a horse but his words are more clear than a minute ago.

"I'm Adria, I heard you shouting so Me and my friend came to check and I saw you down here, " I look up at the top but I can't see lee yet, so I turn my head around to look back at the man who is looking up and watching me carefully.

"My friend should be back soon and we will help you, okay?"

He blinks slowly and I see him try and wet his lips. "Where-did-you-come-from, " the words sound pained but better. I point up to the top of the dip.

"Up, there" when I look back at him a tiny smile is on his lips. "Smartass," The words pass his lips no more before he starts to cough.

The coughing is what makes him let go of my wrist and put his hand on his chest.

"You okay, "

"Yeah, just peachy kid," he coughs a couple of more times before it stops.

He's breathing header now and his eyes are fully open, he groans in pain when he tries to move.

"Not so fast, " I try to tell him but he waves me away. "I'm fine,"

"I'm trying to help you, " I narrow my eyes at him,

"And I'm not a kid, " I mutter.

He ignores me and pushes himself up until he's upright, he wipes his hand over his face and the dirt just spreads.

"Yeah, you Don't look so good, " I say honestly cringing at him. He doesn't answer instead he tries to stand up, so I quickly get up and put my arms on his shoulders.

"Jesus mister you shouldn't be trying to stand,"

I help him but he's finding it difficult and the stubborn man won't just sit down,

"You being very annoying," I scold letting him use my body for balance.

Finally, he straightens and I'm able to let him go, I take a few steps back from him but not too far in case he falls again. He groans and his hand goes to his shoulder and he starts to rub it, his eyes dart around the woods and I'm guessing he has no idea where he is.

"Your miles out from the town mister, " His eyes snap to mine and I see the looks angry, I instantly step back from him and flick my eyes back up looking for lee. Seeing that he's still not there I carefully look back at the man who has now stepped back and his eyes have softened.

"Sorry kid I didn't mean to scare you I'm just-"

He sighs before continuing, "I'm just confused, what's your name kid?"

Still not fully trusting him I Don't try to get closer,

"Jane" I lie not wanting to give my real name.

His lips twitch indicating he knows that's not my name but he doesn't call me out instead he offers up his.

"Well then jane, I'm John," he holds out his hand to me but I eye it wearily, figuring he couldn't catch me if I made a run for it with the state that he is in, I step forward and put my palm into his.

His hand tightens softly on mine and straight away tingles erupt in my hand shooting up my arm, I pull my hand away like he was on fire and rub it against my jeans.

His eyebrows furrow looking down at his hand but he just takes his back and runs it through his hair.

"Where am I?" he turns around and looks behind him but it's only trees for miles.

"You are about 4miles from anyone here, when we get back to the top I can show you the way if you want." he doesn't answer so I ask him the question I've been wondering since I saw him down here.

"What happened?"

He turns back and looks at me, "what happened did you fall?"

He's quiet for a moment before he bobs his head,

"Yeah something like that, " he goes to say something but my eyes widen.

"Ooh, I forgot hold on," bending on one knee I swing open my backpack and pull out a bottle of water, getting up I thrust it at him. "Here, you must be thirsty I'm sorry I forgot."

He catches the bottle and looks at me through his lashes, " thank you."

Twisting the cap he opens the bottom end gulps down every last drop, when he's done he looks back at me.

"How old you, kid?"

I go to lie but decided against it, if he is a serial killer then maybe he wouldn't kill me because I'm young, I clear my throat before answering him,

"Fourteen, how old are you?" he nods his head to himself and I'm guessing that's how old he thought I was.

"Twenty," he looks up the dip and squint's before pointing. "That your friend you were talking about?"

I turn around to see lee at the top holding up the rope, "I got it, he good?" he nods towards John.

"Yeah, throw it down, " I yell and turn back to look at John.

"You think you will be able to climb it, mister?" I ask him. He's looking up at lee before his eyes flick back to me and I see a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Yeah, I'll be fine kid,"

I smile small back and Leave him standing there I head over to the bottom tree and shout up at lee who's tieing the rope to the tree.

"He can go first and I will climb up after him"

Lee lifts a finger letting me know he understood and throws the rest of the rope down, it doesn't come all the way stops a few feet up. I look and wave over John

"We can go, are you ready?" I ask when him when he reaches me.

The only thing I can make out is his eyes and I'm not sure why but I can't seem to look away from them.

"I'm ready, " it's not until he talks that I pull myself away.

"Yeah, on you go I'll be right behind you."

Putting his hand on the tree branch he slowly lifts himself hissing through his teeth, using his other he grabs the rock and hurls himself up.

When he does it a few more times I grab the same branch and lift myself, like I said I've done this a few times.

I take the same route he does, but purposely take my time so I'm not too close in case he falls, when I see him managing to grab the rope I let out a breath of relief.

In minutes Lee pulls and with John(who I believe has given me the wrong name) hoist himself up to the top, I'm right behind so when he makes it over I go faster and lee bends back over the dip and grabs my hand.

He pulls me up and I wobble but he holds me until I get steady, when I'm good he lets me go and stands in front of me a little staring at the man we just helped.

John looks around but again it's nothing but trees and dirt no matter where he looks, he turns back to me and lee regarding us.

"Thank you both for today, " his eyes linger on mine a little bit longer than lee's before he puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out a phone.

"How far to a road?" he asks.

"A few miles that way." I tell him pointing behind me, "but hardly anyone goes that road mister you're better walking to the town, we could show you, " I say gesturing between me and lee.

Lee nudges my side and I turn to glare at him.

"What, " I hiss at him.

"You Don't know the guy, Don't offer to help someone you Don't know,"

We both glare at one another but eventually I cave and nod my head looking down at the ground. I Don't want lee upset with me, maybe he's right I shouldn't have put me and him in that position.

"Your right boy, you shouldn't help a stranger but I wouldn't hurt her."

I peek up and he might have been talking to lee but his gaze is on me, he lifts the phone to his ear not breaking eye contact.

Someone must answer because he starts rapid talking.

"I need help, I'm in the woods a few miles out of town track my phone, and come and get me."

He hangs up without saying goodbye still not taking his eyes off mine.

"Where do you both live?"

"Up at maverick lane," I tell him automatically, it's the same thing We say to everyone.

A small smile pulls at his lips and he tilts his head observing me.

"Your good at a lot of things kid, but lying ain't one of them."

Heat hits my cheeks at how easily he could read me, no one has called me or lee out for lying before.

Lee nudges my arm and I reluctantly pull my eyes away to look at him.

"You go home I'll show him to the road,"

Disappointment fills me and I open my mouth.

"Oh come on please-"

He lifts his hand preventing me from saying any more, "No go home, now."

I close my mouth and nod my head at him. I don't argue I just turn around and head for the den, I don't look back I just ignore the feeling of him staring at me as I leave him and lee standing in the woods.