I can't believe the amount of reviews I've got for this story! It's amazing! I did my English exam not long ago and I hope it was enough for a pass at least. My friend Rosa was texting me yesterday, panicking about her exam. It was the same but she was sitting a higher level than me but I think she did OK.

I'm so bored right now so I've decided to work on this while watching Spirited Away for the hundredth time! Oh yeah, I forgot to say thanks for reviewing!

A Life not worth living

Chapter 11 – You're as cold as ice

Night had taken over and everyone was in bed, except for one person. Kai was sitting in the living room, thinking. He just couldn't sleep knowing that Max could be somewhere nearby. What if was in great pain, what if he was half dead, what if…no, no more thinking negative. That wasn't going to bring him back. Yet, he still though of all this as his doing. He felt he caused this because he couldn't save him at the hospital. He gripped the sliver chain and closed his eyes, hoping they would find him soon.

He looked at the clock as it read 2.30am. He hadn't even fallen asleep at all while everyone else zonked out as soon as their heads hit the pillow. How they could sleep through Tyson's snoring was beyond him but he decided why try to sleep when you have so much on your mind? He was deep in thought when he was startled by a noise in the doorway. He looked up and saw Beth standing in her nightgown, Simba under her arm. She looked at him with a sad face. "I can't sleep"

He smiled and opened his arms. Beth walked over and sat on his lap, leaning in to him for warmth. "Did something scare you?"

"No. I always wake up in the dark so I come down here to sleep. Can you not sleep as well?"

"No. I'm worried about my friend"

"What's his name?"

"Max"

"That's a nice name. How old is he?"

"16. You ask a lot of questions don't you?"

"So?" He just smirked at her as she yawned and cuddled her toy. "I wanna play a game!"

"You've been playing games all night"

"But I'm bored!"

"Then go to sleep"

"But I can't" He rolled his eyes at her. Kids…kids…Max wanted kids. Why did everything have to remind him of Max? He would probably get along well with Beth; he always knew how to keep kids happy. It was like a gift. "Hello!"

"Isn't it past your bed time?" Beth just yawned again and shook her head. She leaned into him again and closed her eyes. After about 5 minutes she fell asleep. He smiled and carried her back up to her room, placing her in her own bed. He sat on the edge and watched her sleep but it only made him think about his missing friend. Looking up at the window he saw it was a full moon. At least there was some light shining out from the dark. A small tear fell down his cheek…

Great, I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere in the dark, thought Max. He had been walking for about 5 hours; at least that's what it felt like. Time was still a blur to him as was the day of the week. He gave up and leant against a tree, sliding down it to sit comfortably on the ground. He held up the weapon that was still in his hand and then placed it on the ground, not wanting to touch it anymore. God, what he'd give for a nice warm shower and a cosy bed. He hadn't been given much to eat either and he did feel thinner. His breathing was slow and shallow and he closed his tired eyes, the blue orbs no longer shining with happiness like they used to.

He felt a bit sick and rubbed his stomach lightly, not sure whether it was being caused by lack of food or from being crushed by his Uncle's weight. He suddenly winced in pain as a horrible, painful feeling swept though his side. His stab wound was playing up again. He lifted up his T-shirt and looked at the permanent scar on his body; it was surrounded by a small and red rash. Must have happened from being pressed too much, he thought. He looked up at the sky and at the full moon as it shone back down on him. It was no use trying to go any further tonight in his condition so he might as well try to sleep for a couple of hours at least.

He lay down on the grass and closed his eyes. At least he could go somewhere else for a while, away from pain and his Uncle…that sounded real good…

As dawn broke Ray was the first to wake. He sat up and then looked at the second bed to see that Kai was still asleep. He yawned and climbed out of bed, pulling on his top. He went downstairs and looked at the clock to see it was only 6.30am. He wasn't hungry and the rest of them might not wake until gone nine for all he knew, so he decided to take a walk to freshen up and explore.

He quietly shut the front door behind and walked down the path onto the street. He looked at the other houses that were sharing the area and he saw they were all pretty similar to Beth's. As he reached the end he noticed a small corner shop that was open so he went in to have a look. "Good morning" He was greeted by a young looking man behind the counter. He looked to be about in his mid twenties and he had short lavender hair with eyes to match. "Didn't expect any customers for another couple of hours" The man had a Scottish accent on him.

"I woke early so I decided to come for a walk"

"I'll be one quick walk then! This place is smaller than a bread box!" he joked. Ray walked up to the counter.

"I've never been here before. It's a lovely place"

"Aye, it is. That's one of its charms"

"You're not from here are you?" The man laughed at him and shook his head.

"No, what was your first clue? I came here from Scotland to visit my gran and I just ended staying here. I've been here for about three years now"

"Cool, listen, I was wondering if you would be able to help me with something."

"Aye?"

"I'm looking for a man…and a boy about my age. The man is, about in his 30's. The boy is my age and he has blonde hair and blue eyes, he's slightly smaller than me" The man thought for a moment and then to Ray's disappointment shook his head.

"Sorry laddie, I haven't. Are they family members or something?"

"The boy is my friend, the man is his Uncle" He wasn't about to say anything else in case the man thought otherwise. But still, it seemed he hadn't seen them at all.

"I take it they're missing" Ray nodded. "How long have they been missing?"

"About four days. My friend, Max, was taken from the hospital by a kidnapper and his Uncle went to rescue him but we haven't heard from them since" It felt so horrible to lie like that but he didn't want to the man to know the real thing. The man smiled at him.

"I'm sure you'll find. If you ever need me to help you in anyway then just ask" Ray smiled back and headed for the door. He pushed it open and then stopped.

"What's your name?"

"Just call me PK. And you?"

"Ray" He gave him one last look and left. He took a turning down a dirt track and entered a small woodland. The sun was peering up over the trees letting streaks of orange, red and yellow light fly across the land below. Everything around him so beautiful so he sat on the grass and let the rays hit him. It was so warm and comforting, like all his troubles were being taken away. It lasted for about ten minutes before he heard a faint coughing. He looked down from the sky and at the surrounding woods. Nothing. Then he heard it again, coughing, but it sounded like speech as well. He stood up and looked around. "Hello?"

Silence once more. Was he hearing things? He walked a bit further out into the clearing, still looking around in circles. Then he heard it, his name, but it was very faint. Like someone was struggling to say it. "HELLO?" It remained quiet once again and he was starting to get a little freaked out by it. Suddenly something hit him on the head. "Ouch!" He saw a stone lying on the ground and rubbed his head. He looked to the right and that's when everything changed.

"You're…supposed to have…good hearing"

"MAX!" Max was holding himself up by clinging onto a large tree trunk. As Ray ran over to him he suddenly fell forward but was caught by his friend. He was freezing cold and in a worse looking condition than he'd ever seen him in. "Max! Max, what happened?"

"He took me to a…cabin and…and…"

"Actually, don't talk. I'll take you back, don't worry. Everyone's been worried sick about you"

"I'm so…loved" He could help but smile at his friend's humour. But that soon disappeared when he saw what was in the teen's hand.

"Where'd you get that gun?"

"He had it" Ray took it and threw it back into the woods.

"We don't need it and anyway, it's dangerous. Come on, you're safe now" He picked him up bridal style and he felt that Max was seriously light, that wasn't normal for a boy his age. He looked at him to find he'd closed his eyes and that his face was deathly pale. He ran back down the dirt track and into the village. He continued to run until he reached Beth's house, kicking the door open seen as he couldn't use his hands. He lay him on the living room floor and saw no one was up. The clock read 7.45am, he hadn't realised he'd been out for that long. He found a pillow on the couch and used it to rest the blonde's head on. He left him and ran upstairs to his room where he dove on Kai's bed and shook him with all his might. "KAI WAKE UP!"

"What? And stop shouting like that, you're hurting my ears"

"I found Max!" He looked at the Chinese boy with a shocked face.

"You WHAT!"

"He's in a bad way. I put him in the living room, come on!" He followed him downstairs and stopped dead when he saw his best friend on the floor. He ran over to him and took him in arms.

"Max! Max, wake up! It's me!" His eyes slowly opened and looked at the person who was holding him.

"Hey Kai"

"I'm gonna get some blankets to warm him up" Ray ran off and shortly after the rest of the household came down after hearing the other two.

"Max!" Tyson ran to the other side of him and knelt down so he was level with the other two. Beth's mum picked her up and sat her on a chair.

"Don't move sweet heart. I'm gonna get help for this boy OK?" Beth nodded and watched her mum run into the kitchen and pick up the phone. She stared at the injured teen on the floor while tightly holding her Simba toy. Ray came back in with two blankets and placed them over his cold body, rubbing his arms and legs to try and warm him up. Beth got off the chair and walked slowly over to Kai, tapping him on the shoulder.

"Is that your friend Max?" She saw a few tears in his eyes.

"Yeah, this is him" He gave her a small smile and stared back down at the small boy in his arms. Glen came back into the room and asked Tyson to move so she could check him. She felt his forehead and then placed a hand on his cheek.

"He's absolutely freezing. We need to place him in warm water; the ambulance won't be here for another half hour"

"WHAT!" They all yelled.

"The nearest hospital is 5 miles away. Now, please, take him up to the bathroom so we can warm his body up"

"How do you know all this?" asked Kenny.

"When you're a mum you have to be prepared for anything that might happen to a child" Kai carried him upstairs while Glen ran the bath. They took off the teen's ripped T-shirt and dirty shoes and socks and placed him in the warm liquid, still keeping him in the blankets' embrace. Kai held his head up and placed a small cloth on his forehead. All they could do now was wait for the ambulance to arrive.

Why do I get the feeling you're all cheering because Max has been found? I thought I was give you a nice chapter to end your suffering on waiting to see if he was going to be found or caught. Anyway, I've done enough typing so I'm going to go read some fics! Remember to review!

By the way, I'm still remembering about the newspaper numbering and I'm still going to make one of them a cutter so expect more excitement, or sadness, whichever way you see it. See ya all l8r!