Another week, another chapter. This chapter will contain some action, but it will only last for a few paragraphs. I really need more votes on my poll. I only had 5 people vote! There is a tie between updating this story and Muse Series Book 1. Please vote or at least review

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IForgotMyName2Day (Both Reviews): O.O Do you know me in person? I love Angels by Owl City and David Tennant (10) is my favorite doctor. I modeled Tawny after myself, so apparently I've just met my double. Count the Shadows and Turn Left -TerraPrime


Chapter 4

Leaving...Finally


A little over 2 years later...

"Happy Birthday, Tawny." David said sadly as I glared at him. I can't believe that I'm still here after more than two years. I hadn't seen mom or Jack in 2 years! He would be 12-years-old by now. I wondered if they even lived in Jasper anymore.

David saw my glare as a sign to leave and left the present on my bed.

The moment he left I went to the computer. I powered it up and opened Instant Messaging. Over the two years I had been here, David and I had established a system. When he went out he would lock my door and I.M. me to say how long he would be gone. He would also ask if I wanted him to get anything for me. At first I said no or didn't respond at all. Now I take each opportunity to get supplies for when I go home.

My brilliant plan was to slowly gather the supplies I needed, run into the forest, search for a road, and then hitchhike back to Nevada. I know it's not the safest plan or the smartest, but it was all I had. Plan C was to find the nearest police station and Plan B was still a work-in-progress. As stupid as it sounds, I don't really want David to go to jail. He's been really kind to me and I think the only thing keeping him from taking me home is his fear of going to jail. I just couldn't let him get arrested.

I sent him a quick IM:

On the roof, don't bug me for the next hour-Tawny.

He had insisted I tell him whenever I went out on the roof or if I just didn't want him to bug me. He didn't want to panic and break down the door again. In reality, over half the time I was 'on the roof' I was really out jogging in the woods. I had completed a full map of the woods, including all the landmarks and various hiding places I had found over the years. I had built up a habit of going into the woods every day, running to the fence, climbing it, running to the small gorge, climbing down and back up, then running back to the house. I had done that over and over, every day for the past... two years and five months.

I was an incredibly fast runner and my endurance had improved since I had started my daily exercises. I never wore my shoes and my feet were tough and I barely even noticed the rocks under my feet. I had estimated the distance to the gorge at about 2 and a half miles and my best time for getting there including climbing the fence and climbing down was 16 minutes! I quickly stuck my head out the window, and saw that it was raining. I smiled as the rain poured against my face. I would have a little trouble climbing down, but if I was careful it wouldn't matter.

I ran across the room and dug into my closet until I found my backpack. I heaved it out the window and onto the roof. It slid down until it hit the gutter and stopped. I slipped out the window and grabbed my bag, hooked it onto the tree branch, and climbed down, moving the bag from branch to branch. When I got to the last branch I dropped it and it landed with a solid THUMP. Every time I did this I was worried that David might hear, but he never did.

I swung down to the ground. I glanced at my arms and smiled. Another thing that I had improved on was my upper-body strength. I was no body builder, but I was still proud of myself. I slipped on my pack. Recently, I had realized that if I were to leave, I would have to carry all my things with me and that would slow me down significantly. I had filled my bag with 10 pounds worth of rocks and ran my usual route. It had slowed my time by 10 freaking minutes! Since then I had started to run with my pack filled with rocks.

It still hindered me, but now I was getting used to the weight and I had turned the extra 10 minutes into 5. I planned to leave in the next 3 weeks. I had said that I was leaving before, but had chickened out when I got to the creek. I ran into the woods, loving the feeling of the ground against my bare, calloused feet (Ever since my first run, I had found I was more comfortable without my shoes on.)

I saw the fence and increased my speed, my feet hammering the ground. I felt the mud that caked on them, but I kept going. I reached the fence and leapt, catching the top of the fence and heaving myself up, quickly jumping off the top and over to the other side. I kept running letting the rain soak through my hair and run down my face.

I reached the creek and set my bag down. Then, I began to climb down. I reached down for a foothold and... slipped off the wet, mossy rock and fell into the freezing water.

I hit the bottom and felt my arm drag along the rocks at the edge. I gasped as a sharp pain filled my arm, and inhaled the chilled water, along with the silt I had kicked up. I tried to kick my way up and my leg hit a jagged rock. I quickly pulled my head above the running water and gasped for air. I stood up and found that the water only went to about my waist. I saw a small swirl of blood billowing from around my leg and running down the creek. I shivered as I made my way to the other side of the creek.

I scrambled up the wall and made sure to avoid any of the slippery rocks. I collapsed on the ground and shivered. Man, how could water get so cold?!

I emptied the rocks from my bag and slung it over my shoulder. The wind blew and went right through my soaked clothes. I started running, but quickly stopped because of the pain in the back of my left leg and arm. I inspected the gashes and winced. My leg looked like shredded meat and had blood oozing out.

As I limped home I realized that I wouldn't be able to leave if I couldn't even walk straight. I couldn't climb the tree either. I would have to knock and then David would know I've been outside. I guess I could tell him I fell off the roof, but then he would forbid me from going on the roof again and I wouldn't have any time where I could be alone without him bugging me.

When I reached the fence I had to walk along until I found a hole and climbed under. When the house came into view I winced. I walked up the door and knocked quietly. I waited, but no one came to the door. Finally, I knocked again louder and then rang the doorbell...nothing. He wasn't home.

I limped around the house until I got to the back window. I yanked it open and climbed inside, grimacing as my leg hit the window sill. I searched the house and found no sign of David. I went into the bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet and began to clean my wounds. I can't believe how stupid I had been, I could have drowned. I wondered where he had gone. The longest he had ever been gone was a few hours. I didn't understand how he had enough money to have a house like this if he never left for work.

I cleaned my leg and wrapped it in a bandage, then headed to bed. I couldn't sleep for the longest time, and I checked my IM's no new ones from David. I fell asleep slowly, wondering if he would be back in the morning.


He wasn't there when I woke up, or the next day, or the next week. Every day I waited in my room for him to come back. After two weeks the food was kind of running low and I finally accepted that he wasn't coming back. First my dad left my mom, then he left me here, now David was gone to.

I was laying in my bed and staring at the blank ceiling when I finally realized this. I shot up out of bed and dashed to my closet. I grabbed a bag and began to stuff it with everything I would need. Things like clothes, food, water, jacket, blanket, flashlight, water bottles, crackers, soup, lighter, and many other items that I felt like I might need during my trek through the woods. I wasn't sure how far I would have to go to find a road. I ran downstairs and grabbed David's tent that I had found in the closet once.

I continued to pack until the only thing left was the picture of my family, my kindle, and the present that David had left me. I hadn't opened it yet and I didn't plan on bringing it with me. I carefully packed my picture in the center of my bag, cushioned by my clothes. I zipped up my bag and set it down on my bed. I picked up the small box, and wasting no time, I tore through the wrapping and opened the small box.

I reached in and picked up the small object. It was a necklace, with a silver chain and a locket. The locket depicted a dragon with his tail curling around a heart, with a small clasp on the side. I pressed my finger on the clasp and with a small click, it opened. Inside there was a picture of me on my father's shoulders, laughing and smiling at the camera. I felt the tears build behind my eyes and I looked away. I placed the necklace on the table and grabbed the envelope in the box.

I tore it open and dumped the contents on the bed. A bundle of money fell onto the bed along with two other envelopes. I picked up the envelope that had writing on it: Open Me First was scrawled on the front. I ripped it open and pulled out the letter:

Dearest Tawny,

I've never been good with letters. Or talking to people for that matter. The locket was left by your father for you. He said that he was sorry he had to leave and that he loves you. He never explained why he had to leave or if he would ever come back. I haven't read the letter that came with it. I'm going to leave too. I don't want you to worry, even if you didn't really care. I can't tell you where I'm going and I know that this probably sounds like the stupidest letter ever written, but it's true.

I want you to know that I loved you almost as much as your father and that I hated him when he left you here. I have only the best wishes for you and your future. I left you some money.

Forgive me,

David

Dad loved me? Right, because taking your child away from her family and leaving her with an uncle that she's never met really shows you love them. I grabbed the other letter. It was typed up, not hand written:

Tawny,

I want you to know that I will always love you. Even if I'm not always there for you. I will love you more than you will ever know and care more deeply then you could ever dream.

I didn't want to leave you behind. I can't even remember a day that I haven't regretted the decision that I've made. I know that you've grown up a lot since I've last seen you. I can only hope that you've forgiven me, even if what I did was unforgivable. I hope that David has been kind to you and that you've adjusted well to the environment. I always loved it here, with the rain and cold. Jasper was very hot and didn't have enough plants for me.

I'm getting off track, aren't I? What I want to say is that I only wanted the best for you. I wish I could explain to you why I did it, why I left your mother. I would be lying if I said that I didn't regret leaving your mother and brother. You would have been in danger if you had stayed. I can't even begin to explain, I just hope that you're happy and safe.

I love you,

Dad

I wasn't sure when it happened, but my despair and confusion at the letter turned to anger. How could you leave your child and then tell them that you love them?! Did he think that after over two years away from my family I could just forgive him? What kind of person does that? I began to beat my pillow and my anger lessened. Maybe he left for a reason. If he didn't want to leave mom, then why did he? Why would he take me instead of just leaving me with mom and Jack? What danger? I felt like one of the characters in my books, confused and alone. In fact, my situation could be a book. If it was then I would be the heroine and have a power or something that made me special. I would have a happily ever after and get back to my family. But this wasn't a book, this was real life. I might die or get lost, maybe hurt along the way. Even if I made it to Jasper, mom might not even live there anymore.

I put on the locket and placed the letters in the box. I picked up the bundle and was shocked to see that they were all hundreds. This was more money than I had ever held in my entire life. I counted the bills out carefully. It was a total of three thousand dollars. Okay, so enough money to buy something to eat along the way or get on a train.

I put it in my bag, along with the box. I grabbed my shoes and tried to slip my feet in. They were too small to fit. Figures, since I haven't worn them in two years. I threw them down and ran out the door and into the woods. I never looked back.


I'm sorry if the chapter isn't the best. I've got jet lag and its Christmas. Merry Christmas to all you people.

Next Chapter: Tawny meets the 'Cons.

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