Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental.

I only own the character of Lucy.


Every child in the factory was gawping at the young boy and I was one of them - he'd just killed Traz. The crimson blood dripped from his hands as he stood worriedly and tried to stop his legs from shaking, looking from the dead boy to Traz anxiously. Traz had killed another child who was close with the boy so he had killed Traz and all of the children were gobsmacked.

Suddenly, one of the girls cried out, "murderer!" and the rest followed, pointing at him as he trembled. The room was alive with screams and shouts of piercing death and the helpless boy didn't know which way to turn to escape the howls and cries.

"Stop!" I screamed above them all, halting their shouts as all eyes turned to me. Standing in the centre of the room, I looked around at them disgustedly and focused on the orange haired boy, "If that was a brother of yours would you not of done the same?" I pleaded and they stared and me bewildered. I felt a hundred eyes rest on me uneasily and none of them saw my way, I knew they were scared to admit the truth even if the factory owner was dead. Turning my gaze to the child, he turned his heels and ran as far away as he could and the shouts of murder rose in the room again.

"Don't go!" I shouted and ran after him, feeling his pain and knowing that he would never be able to look at himself in the same way again. The boy was a murderer and it was true what they shouted but it hurt to know it and I understood that. He ran swiftly but I kept up with him until he came to a forest and slowed his pace to a walk.

"What do you want with me?! You should be with the others, shouting cursed names!" He scowled but I held my ground and placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him but the boy shrugged it away and turned his back against me.

"I know what you did was wrong, anyone would but it's okay because I'm on your side with this one." I spoke softly to see if he would talk to me in a civilised way.

"Why are you sticking with me? I don't even know you, yet you're convinced that it doesn't matter if I just killed a man!" He muttered agitatedly.

"Of course it matters, I'm just saying that the boy who died was like a brother to you. I saw you come in with each other everyday to the factory and the way you used to be with each other was like a brotherly relationship. I know what it's like to lose someone who is that close to you and the fact that he was murdered meant you wanted to let out your anger." I explained and he looked at me suspiciously.

"You speak the truth but how do I know I can trust you and that you won't take me to the head of the factory?"

"Well I guess that would just have to be your choice in judging me." I held out a hand for him to shake it and he looked at it strangely for a while before taking it. "The name's Lucy." I smiled and he smiled back.

"Larten, and my cousin was called Vur."

"Cousin? I'm sorry, I lost a sister I was close to from a disease a while ago." Larten nodded apologetically and let go of my hand behind walking into the forest. Again, I followed him and he looked back at me, confused with why I was still sticking with him.

"I'm running away from the town, shouldn't you be getting back? I'm never returning." He stopped and blinked at me.

"I don't have much to go back to, trust me. I wouldn't mind leaving, I've always wanted to see a bit more of the world." I smiled and he continued to pace again, realising I would be following him for a while.

"You and me both then. I made a promise to Vur that we'd travel every corner of the world." He whispered, thinking of his lost cousin.

"I'll be the shadow in your footsteps, I'm not leaving you to face the world alone." After that moment, I knew Larten and I would stick together till the end, I could sense it in the way he acted towards me, the way he seemed to trust me. "So where are you planning on going?" I asked him as we paced side by side through the lavish green trees.

"I don't know, but what I do know is that I'm never returning. I don't think I can return." He sighed.

"I guess we just go wherever our feet carry us." I smiled weakly and he smiled back. Something about Larten made me warm to him quickly despite the fact he was blood stained and murder was on his name. I knew this boy would be strong - I could sense it.