He heard an ambulance come around the corner and he put his head low to the seat. He looked back at the sirens and remembered the government's sirens when they arrived to take his family away. He kept driving for a long period. The radio didn't work. The AC didn't work. Nothing worked. He popped open the holder on the right and all sorts of documents were laid inside. He looks threw them. Then one file caught his eye. The Roche project. That was his last name. He drove to the side of the muddy road and read the documents. In a big red stamp that filled the messy papers were TERMINATED He couldn't believe it were his parents dead?? Can't be. Or could it? In the background he saw many lights go off. They were after him. He had to get off the path. He started the car up. He couldn't get it to start so he knew he had at least an hour before they came. He went to the forest, found a couple of branches and skinned some reeds. He tied them together and found some clothes in ythe trunk. He dressed up his fake mannequin and searched the car for anything else. He managed to find a granola bar and some trail mix. He then found honey and sugar cargo. Was it his?? No, can't be.... He stuffed this all in a basket he made out of leftover twigs. He got his parents document and headed out to the forest. He saw another fire and went for it looking for answers. No one was near the fire but he saw a squirrel over on it. He crept over to it and stood alert. It smelled so good though.... He couldn't take it. It was someone else's food....not his. He heard a dog barking. Then, "What is it, boy?" Ahh! Hide! He ducked into the woods. He left the squirrel and ducked quietly over an old log. "Yup, looks like dinner's ready." He propped down about 10 fat squirrels on the ground. He then got out a cloth and covered the squirrels with some rope over it. He must be part of the game. The woods are the game. The dirt path is the answer. "Its okay you can stop hiding now boy." The man said. Nathan got up slowly and walked to him. "How did you know I was there?"
"Son, I've been in these woods for 16 years. I know this place back and forth."
"You've been in the woods for 16 years!" He's been in the game 16 years and still haven't found the dirt path!
"When did you get here? I haven't seen one soul for miles."
"I just got in here." He lied.
"Well. I'll tell you my story. I was near your age. I got stung by this thorn bee and awoke in the woods. Then 10 years later I found old rover here. He was the only thing I had." How could nathan be in the game if he never got out? "I found this dirt path 5 years after and tried to walk on it but it seemed to go away after every time I went back. It gradually started to go away."
"Were you able to walk on it?"
"No. For some reason my conscious led me away from it. I knew it wasn't safe." They must have sent him a dog for company. Or a target? To track him? "He always follows me. Its like I'm all he has." Yup, dude. You're being tracked. "You?"
"Oh, well, you see...umm...."
"Kid, don't sweat it. Want a squirrel?"
"No I have a granola bar and some trail mix."
"You have a granola bar?" He seemed so thrilled to see real food and not squirrels.
"You know I kind of get tired of eating squirrels all the time. I get 100's of them a day." I guess they keep sending him squirrels so he wouldn't starve. He needs to stay alive. They need answers from him.