Love Bites

G is for gone

1

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In a dark forest somewhere in the middle of the night a girl was running for her life. Her feet, bare in an effort to move faster were cut up from the debris on the ground. She didn't dare turn around to see if he was following her, she just knew she had to get away.

Just as suddenly as she had sprinted off, he was standing in front of her, blocking her path. She nearly ran head first into him but managed to stop letting out a scream in terror.

The man sported a cocky grin, 'I can't believe you thought you could out run me. I let you go because it was amusing but I'm bored and hungry now.'

The girl held her breath feeling the defeat wash over her. She didn't know why, but she knew she had to get away from this man. She turned and ran down the hill wincing as a thorn lodged into her foot.

He appeared in front of her again looking annoyed now, 'Enough.' He spoke with authority. Suddenly his eyes turned an intense shade of green and he licked his lips, 'You're bleeding.'

She looked down at her foot, the blood trickling out of the cut.

'Let me help you out with that.'

~

'Ruby Kensington?'

Ruby's head snapped up from the magazine she was pretending to read. She looked at the case worker with interest. 'Yes?'

'Honey there is no news I'm afraid. No one has heard from your parents in three days, the police are widening the search and they've been put onto the Missing Person's database. But for now we are going to have to adapt.'

Ruby wasn't too worried, much to the social workers concern, her parents were what you could call flaky. They had been known to disappear for a day or two and return as though nothing had happened. She usually didn't report it, it was unfortunate someone from school had overheard her telling her friends and told the principal.

She flicked her fair hair over her shoulder and shrugged at the case worker, 'I can just wait at home for them. I'm sure I've just slipped their mind.'

The case worker smiled in pity at the petite blonde in front of her, she was definitely acting very calm for this kind of situation. 'I'm sorry honey, you're going to have to live with a guardian we can't let you go home alone as you're underage.'

'But I'm eighteen in three months?' Ruby protested.

'Yes and until then you will have to stay with someone else.' Why wasn't this young girl more worried about her parents disappearance?

She rolled her eyes frustrated, 'My neighbor again? She is so weird. Last time I stayed with her she had me bathe all her cats. I'm still trying to hide the scratches!'

'No,' the case worker glanced down at her clipboard. 'Your parents have listed family friends as your guardians in case of this type of situation. Your God Father and his family.'

Ruby frowned, 'Who? I don't have a God Father.'

'Mr. Miles Vanderbilt? Have you not heard of him before now?' The caseworker didn't look too happy about that. In fact she made a tisking sound with her mouth as she glanced at her beloved clipboard again.

Ruby meanwhile racked her brains trying to think of anyone her parents hung out with. They didn't exactly have a lot of friends. 'Um, no I don't think I've ever heard of him.'

'Well I've made contact with Mr. Vanderbilt and he is on his way to collect you.'

Ruby sighed as the worker headed back into her office. Just perfect, she'd have to go and live with some random family until her stupid parents decided to make an appearance again. God they were so selfish sometimes. So involved in their own world, imagine disappearing like this weeks before her final exams? They had no idea how stupid their actions were and how it would effect her.