I curled up into a tighter ball, being December, it was freezing and I only had a few sweaters, my coat, and no blankets, and needless to say, no heat in this small abandoned shack in the woods where I decided to stay.

Running away had been successful, but so far it sucked. I was stuck in this freezing hut with danger of the police catching me at any time. The shack only had two rooms, a bathroom containing a toilet with greenish water in the bowl, a shower with some tiles missing, and a sink with a grayish bar of soap next to it and the room I was curled up in. The room I was in seemed to be for every type of non-bathroom related activity. A small, black, old fashioned stove sat in the corner. There was firewood in it, but I didn't have any matches. There was a bed with a thin green sheet and a pillow that that I didn't dare touch.

I already missed Near. I know I didn't miss him nearly as much as I was sure he missed me, but I couldn't help it. Running away was an impulsive choice and right now I did sort of wish I could go back, but it would be humiliating to once again show my face at Whammy's house...and to see Matt...ugh no i would be disgusted with myself.

I had to do it. I had to beat him. Fudging "doormatt" as I liked to call him, was despicable in every way. He. Wore the same clothes, always a striped shirt and jeans, for multiple days in a row. He didn't wash his hair enough so it was always disheveled, unlike mine. He had an unhealthy addiction video games, and I had caught him smoking in the woods behind the orphanage on several occasions. But what I hated most about him was that he never even had to try. Everything was effortless for him. I had never seen him study. He always wasted his time playing video games. And his was still first at Whammy's. L's best successor. No matter how hard I tried he's always ahead. No matter how much effort I put in, I was always, always second. That was about to change. Or so I thought.

I let out a sigh and once again tried to fall asleep I was aware that anyone who came in here could find me and hurt me or kill me or kidnap me...but I knew I would be useless in catching Kira if I did not get enough sleep.

I slowly nodded off wondering what kind of fate awaited me tomorrow...

My eyes blinked open as I heard the first noises of the day. Metal against metal, and footsteps on the rotting wood floor.

"Ngghhh..." I blinked in the bright yellow light that streamed in from the cracked windows.

I saw a figure sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, cooking something on the stove.

He glanced over to me.

"Hello Mihael." He greeted cheerfully.