Chapter 3

Debbie has been watching TV all morning long when her favorite rock start none other than Des Bro Dein shows up on the screen making her go ecstatic. "Oh my gosh!" she shouted as she jumped off of the couch and fell to her knees as she watched him go on and off screen. Sophie came running into the room thinking something awful has happened. "Debbie what's wrong? Did you fall?" she asked worried. "N…no," she spat out as she explained what she had just seen. Sophie just gave her a look of disbelief and just shook her head like Debbie is crazy. "Well when is it?" she asked helping Debbie up from the floor. "Not sure but soon for sure," Debbie said eyes glued to the screen. "Well I guess if it's before you go home then ok," Sophie said as she walked out of the room. "Yes!" Debbie screeched as she kissed the television screen one last time before he disappeared.

Back in the forest Eliza tried to outrun the bear but she tripped on a piece of wood sticking out of the snow. She fell hard as she reached for her leg that was now throbbing in pain that she couldn't get back up. She looked up to find the bear staring right into her eyes. "Ow," she yelped trembling in pain. Darwin ran up to her ignoring the bear's glare. Just when she thought it was going to swipe at them it ran off in the opposite direction. "What happened Eliza?" Darwin said as she started crying out in pain. "I…I think I broke my leg!" she cried. "Get grandma," she said trying to stay calm. Just them this boy about her age came up to her. "What happened?" he asked. "I heard you screaming and then I heard a bear," he said. "Help me home I think I broke my leg," she cried out. The boy is about 14 and so strong that he can lift her so easily. He has dark brown hair, green eyes. She just laid her heard on his chest trying to forget about her leg. "How did you find me?" she asked. "Well I was outside doing some yard work when I heard you. I live right over there," he said pointing across the brush. " I live right over there," Eliza said pointing to the house a few hundred feet away. Thanks for getting me I didn't know how I was getting home," she said. "My name is Ashton by the way," he said cheering her up. "Nice name mines Eliza," she said as she smiled at him. He carried her to the front so she wouldn't have tar to walk.

"Well will I see you again?" she asked. "Of course," he said as she limped inside. "Grandma!" she yelled. "Oh my goodness Eliza what happened?" she questioned. " I think I broke my leg I fell over a piece of wood sticking out of the snow," she said, as the pain got worse in her leg. She went to the doctor's office thankfully she just sprained it enough to stay off of it for a day or two. Over the next couple of days her leg improved drastically as she snuck out of the house around 2 in the morning. "Come on Dar," she to her best friends as she shook him awake. "What!" he said a bit annoyed being jolted awake so early in the morning. It is to early to be sneaking outside," Darwin said as she threw on warm clothing and got her crutches. "Ya well I'm going to find the bear," she said as she headed to the front door. "What! Are you crazy? That bear is the one who tried to hurt you," Darwin said a bit to loud and saw some lights come on from the house. "Come on!" she said as they quickly ran out in to the below freezing temperatures. The both rustled through trees to a clearing half a mile into the forest. She saw they were overlooking the city as they came to a cliff. "Wow Dar look at that," Eliza said with a glow in her eyes. A light snow started to fall as they looked out as she started to get dizzy. "Darwin?" Eliza started out but he was nowhere to be found as she looked back she heard an awful roar. He was on top of her as she screamed out as loud as she could for Darwin but he was nowhere to be seen. She was too far out for anyone to hear her. The very next thing she knew she was being plunged towards the earth, she managed to look up and see the bear mocking her as she fell.

Later that morning Debbie was somewhat awake talking with some friends from Russia on the phone when Donnie decided to pull out the phone cable and he ran around laughing. "Donnie!" Debbie yelled at her little brother. She grabbed him by his shorts and was going to slap him just as Frank walked in to stop the craziness. "Debbie! What is going on in here/ and put him down, now!" he said as Donnie quickly tried to make his ever so famous escape between the legs routine but Frank was on to him and grabbed him by his shorts. "He hung up on my friend," Debbie said glaring at Donnie who tries to look as innocent as possible. "Is it true Donnie?" he asked holding the boy to eye level. He shook his head no as he gave Frank the "puppy eyes". He made Donnie sit with Debbie as she continued to glare at him while she called her friend back watching him ever so closely.

Eliza woke up later with a jolt and sweating. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she slowly opened her eyes up for the second time. She finally realized that it was all a dream and that she was still in her room. She's begging her hardest for her grandmother to let her go back outside after a couple of days. "Grandma, please I'll be careful. My leg needs the exercise anyways," she said begging to go outside. "Eliza you got hurt and it is freezing out," Sophie said not giving in. "I have my phone and I will call if anything happens," she said still begging. After what seemed like forever Sophie finally gave in and let Eliza go out.

As Eliza and Darwin made their way out they had to make sure they were bundled up. The temperatures were still below freezing and some new snow has fallen overnight. As she looked out into the woods she saw a familiar face, it was Ashton! "Ashton!" she called out to him from a few feet behind. He spun around Eliza approached him. "Hi Eliza!" he called out as she made her way to him," How is you foot?" he asked. As they walked through the forest. "Better" she said as they made their way down a small trail leading into town. "So do you want to go into town?" he said as they made their way to the train tracks. "Of course I do, but what is their to do?" she asked him. Ashton just chuckled as he led her into town. He decided to take her down to the mall and just hand out for the day. "So you're visiting here?" he asked out of the blue "Yes actually I'm staying with my grandparents through Christmas " she said. "Wow," he began with a big smile.

"Where do you live?" he questioned some more as they walked around the mall. "Well everywhere actually my family travels and I live with my brother and sister its just so much fun, " she said as he just looked at her in awe. "Wow you are so cool Eliza," he said just having so many questions flooding his mind. Eliza's phone interrupted the moment and she heard an urgent voice on the other end. "Eliza you have to get back home immediately," Sophie said getting so worried. "What? What 's going on?" she said getting really nervous. "No time to explain just get home quickly," Sophie said getting choked up. Alright grandma we are getting back now," Eliza said hanging up.

To be continued…