Expired

Chapter 6

I open my eyes to remember I'm in the trunk of a tree. I hear leaves crunching under feet. I get up and walk out of the trunk to see nobody. "Ben?" I call out. I start to panic where's Ben? I just heard leaves crunching like footsteps. "Ben?" I call out again. I hear the crunching noise again but it's coming from behind me I turn around fast since it actually startled me.

Behind me is nothing. I swear I heard leaves crunching like footsteps. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! I look to my right. Nothing is there. I hear it again. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! I look to my left. Nothing is there. The same thing happens in every direction. I look around and spin in circles. Ugghhhhh I feel so nauseous. I go back to the trunk of the tree and sit down. Ok maybe they're just animals running around. I think in my head. Wait what about Ben?

He probably just went to go get food or twigs and rocks to start another fire. Right? He wouldn't leave me alone in the middle of the woods with nothing. I don't even have great clothes I've been in this hospital gown for two days now and it doesn't have the best cloth or anything. It's tearing in a lot of spots, it has dirt all over, it smells like mud. Back to Ben now. Okay I can't panic I think to myself. What should I do? Oh maybe I could just take a feel deep breathes and meditate. I cross my legs Indian style and make the "okay" sign with my fingers and start to make the little hum sound.

I clear my mind of everything in it. I just take deep breathes and hum. Hooooooooaaaaaaammm hooooooaaaaaaamm hoooooaaaaaaam. But then I hear it again. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! I stand up and run out of the trunk. "Ben?" I ask. There is a person there but it is not Ben. It's Danielle.

"Danielle?" I ask curiously. "Oh Skylar." She says and run up to me and wraps her arms around my body to give me a warm hug. "Danielle...w..what are you doing here?" I ask. "I came to warn to you" she says releasing me from the hug. "Warn me?" "About what?" I ask. "Skylar it's about your mother." She says with a frown. "My mother?" "What about her?" "Is she alright?" I ask and start to panic. "She's very sick." "She needs your help." She says.

"But what about the fire?" I ask. "Oh she escaped just in time, in fact I ran off with her." She says. "So you guys escaped the fire?" I ask and start to show a little smile. "Yes we did." "But you must listen to me child." She says. "I'm sorry I'm listening." "Your mother is very sick, and I've tried to take care of her but I'm no nurse......you are. She needs your care and your nursing skills to help." She says. "Alright I'm coming to help." "Wait why aren't you with her now and where is she?" I ask. "We're at your home." She says. "No you're not, your right in front of me." I say. "No this is a dream Hun." She says.

"You better run, they're coming for you!" She says in a panic. "What who's coming for me?" I ask. "You're expired they're coming for you they're going to take you away!" She says. "Skylar wake up!" "Skylar wake up!" She says.

Ahhhh! I scream and sit up. I start to breathe in heavy breathes. It was just a dream.....but it meant something. Maybe it wasn't just a dream it was a vision! I hurry and rush to my feet. I walk out of the trunk and run over the the place where we made the fire. I run over to Ben who's laying on the floor asleep. "Ben wake up." I say shaking his body. He doesn't wake up. "Ben wake up!" I say a little louder shaking him again. "Ben wake up!" I practically shout but this time he actually wakes up. He panics and sits up. "What? What is it?" He says in a panic. "We need to go now." I tell him looking into his eyes. "Why?" He asks. "They're coming for me." I say. That's when I hear leaves crunching from a distance.

I assume he hears it too because he rushes to his feet and grabs my hand. "Common this way." He says starting to sprint in a direction in front of us. I run with him but I look back to see if anyone is following us. There's a woman on a horse and she's coming toward us. It isn't just any woman. It's the evil nurse. "Run!" I yell at him. "We already are!" He yells back at me. "I mean faster!" She's coming!" I yell toward him. He looks back and sees her on the horse. Automatically he looks ahead and picks up amazing speed. We run under a bunch of tall trees casting us into the shadows.

Why is it so dark? I think to myself. I squint my eyes and look even closer. I see a bunch of light. The way out of the woods. "We're almost out!" I yell to Ben. "I know just keep running I'm getting a little tired." He yells back. "We can't stop now!" "Common just a little further we can make it!" I yell to him. He just nods and runs a little faster. We finally get out and we're all of a sudden in a town. Riverland!

"We're so close just run to that big grey office building!" I yell. After a second we eventually get there and collapse to the ground. I sit up and see she's lost us. "Are you okay?" I ask. "Yeah I'm fine I just need a min......minute to b breathe." He says huffing and puffing. "Okay, you can rest for a moment." I say softly. He nods his head and closes his eyes.

After about five minutes I wake him up from his little nap and we get back on our feet. "Just this way." I say grabbing his hand and walking in the direction of my house. I'm so close! Don't give up on me mother! I'm coming.