The Trials of Panic

Chapter 3. Avery's help

This game of chase was going to be challenging. Trying to catch someone who plays in the Trials was going to be hard, but Ramona had an advantage. She knew Avery. They rushed through the streets making people look over at them. Ramona was fast, but Avery had more stamina. The gap between them started to grow longer as she started to slow and soon Avery was out of sight. She allowed her to stop and catch her breath for just a moment before she ran down an alley and through the back streets.

She reached the place she was looking for faster then she thought it would take, but wasted no time in finding a place to hide. The big alleyway was in between two abandoned buildings, one an old warehouse and the other so old no one really knew what it used to be. The alley was full of trash, boxes, and old dead cars. She found a good pile of very big boxes and climbing onto the one in the back she crouched down to wait for her prey. Avery would think that the shelter would be the first place she would look so he would come here to his quiet place. Avery told her about this place years ago, but she doubted that he remembered as it was never brought up again.

The place was eerily quiet. There wasn't a hint of human life to be seen or heard. She hoped she was in the right place; she never actually came here before, Avery only told her where it was. Maybe seeing that he lost her he slowed down and was taking his time getting here. She leaned up against the box in a more comfortable position. The boxes blocked the sun from reaching her so she hugged herself as her body started to get a little cold. She wondered how long until she would give up on this. Maybe she should just go to the shelter, he would come back eventually, but she didn't want to return home late so was all this really worth it? She got the vice principal off her back for now. She decided to stay for a little while and just confront him the next time they crossed paths.

It had been about ten minutes or maybe just five, she couldn't tell. Her body was starting to feel cramped, but just as she wondered if it was time to go home she heard footsteps. Someone was entering the alley. She slowly and quietly raised her head to hear better. The person was walking through and once they passed her hiding place she peeked up and sure enough she saw the back of Avery.

Quiet and cat-like she emerged from her hiding place and started creeping up behind him. Avery had just placed his ratty school bag on a box when she decided to make herself known.

"Avery." She said in a low, but stern voice.

Avery jumped letting out a yell of shock before spinning around face to face with her. For a moment they just stood there as Avery's shock wore off.

"Where did you come from?" He asked, his voice shaking a little.

"Why did you run?" She shot back.

He didn't know how to answer.

"It was you, you told the vice principal about my dad!"

Avery looked down like he was just caught stealing something.

"I was just worried, ok? I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"I know you're trying to help, but you need to stay out of my business."

All the emotions she felt after escaping the vice principal's office rushed back to her all at once.

"You can't stay like this though." He said very quietly. "Something needs to change."

"Stop talking like you know exactly what is going on! We can get by fine; just two more years and we can leave without a problem."

Her voice was shaking now as well. The composure she had suddenly left her.

"A lot can happen in two years." Said Avery. "He could really hurt you or Aiko."

Hearing Aiko's name sent a wave of hurt through her. The conversation had just started, but she was ready to retreat. She wasn't ready to talk about anything to do with Aiko and her dad. After all that trouble finding him she suddenly wanted to back out.