I sat on a tree stump for a while. Thinking about everything.

I tried not to. Think about Elizabeth, I mean. But she kept coming into my head without warning.

I would be looking at some branches, and it would remind me of her fragile arms. I would see a leaf, and it would remind me of her green bedspread.

So I closed my eyes.

And then the weirdest thing came in my head.

Beck is your brother.

I shook my head. "No." I said out loud. "He was just a deadweight in my plan."

But it wouldn't go away. Beck cared so much for you. He's chasing you right now. Your own father wouldn't do that for you. But Beck would travel the corners of the world just to make sure you are safe.

"Beck!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "Beck!!"

But he didn't answer. I tried to get to the edge of the forest to find him. But I just got more stuck.

I held my head in my hands. "Straight." I whispered to myself. "Just go straight."

I was walking for hours. I knew I must have been heading backwards. But I needed to get out before dark, and there was no heading back now.

Beck

I tripped on Travis' heel. I didn't fall because he slapped me, whatever he may think.

But the important part is that he got away. He's gone.

In the forest somewhere.

I sat in the grass, trying to steady my breath. I felt sorry for the poor guy.

I felt sympathy.

I felt sadness.

No, no… I couldn't feel sad just because Travis ran away. He was just using me anyways.

I blocked out anymore thoughts of Travis and walked home. "You're on your own, buddy!!" I yelled out to the forest. "I hope you know your way around the forest as well as you did in Brazil!!"

I threw my hands in the air and started walking back to the gas station.

What a stupid, stupid boy.

Travis

Sweat and blood dripped in my eyes. I had multiple cuts all over my body from the thorns. But I could see an ending… From this hell-hole, this mosquito hangout, this whole goddamn place. So I sprinted, with all the energy left, to the opening.

The sun was just setting. I had been walking through the forest all day.

I shuddered at the thought, but at least it got my mind off Eli-

Shit.

I looked around. I was in a complete different town. It was…

It was the ghetto.

Like where I grew up.

There was a little trashed up diner, a bowling rink, and a bunch of messed up houses.

I walked cautiously up to the tiny town. I looked at the sign.

FERIN

"Ferin?" I wondered aloud.

A little girl walked out of the diner. She was wearing a little yellow sundress, and her hair was perfectly curled so her brown hair swept along her dress.

"Hello." I said.

She looked up at me strangely. "Who are you?" She whispered. I noticed there was a dark scar across her perfect face.

I paused. "My name is Travis."

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." She whispered. "But I really like you. Do you want to be friends?"

I gave her a tiny smile. I rubbed my head.

"Please?" She asked again.

"Of course." I said. I was feeling kind of dizzy.

"I've never had a real friend before." She said softly. It broke my heart.

She reached for my cut up hand. "Will you please hold my hand?"

I nodded. "Okay." She grabbed my dirty, bloody hand, which stained her perfectly white satin gloves. I winced a little, but I forgot about it because the satin covering my cuts felt so good…

"You aren't wearing your church clothes." She said softly. "But don't worry. Father Eric always lets everyone in." She squeezed my hand a bit. "Look, there it is." She pointed to a beat up church. "Come on."

She ran ahead of me and into the swinging doors. I walked up behind her.

I was worried that there would be so many dressed up people there, and they would all ignore me because of my attire.

But when I walked inside… there was no one there but me and that girl.

"Sit next to me, Travis." She whispered, patting a seat next to her.

I walked over gingerly, sitting beside her.

"What time does the service start?" I whispered to her.

"In a couple of minutes." She whispered back. I looked around. There was nobody there. "My name is Melody, by the way. I'm not supposed to be here. I ran away from home."

I sat up. "Why?" I said sternly.

"Shh. Don't sound so mad."

"Why did you run away?" I asked a little more calm.

She looked at the ground, and then looked back up at me. "Because of this." She pointed to her scar. "My daddy tried to kill me."

I didn't know what to say. My stomach crumpled together. "What?" I asked, my voice sqeaking.

"I never told anyone that before." She whispered. "No one. Not even Father Eric. But since me and you are friends…" She saw my expression.

"You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?" She whispered, scared. "Daddy made me swear not to tell anyone, otherwise they might take me away from him."

I held her hand. "But Melody… he tried to kill you." I said under my breath.

Tears gathered in her eyes. "I know." She said, her voice shaky from crying. "But I love him so much."

She dug her head into my shoulder. She sobbed there for a long time.

And service didn't start.

Not for the three hours we were there.

Beck

I walked into the kitchen. The bloody frying pan was lying on the counter still.

"Bastard." I whispered. I picked it up and rinsed it in the sink.

I opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of orange juice. I had a sudden flashback of Travis ripping the milk carton and guzzling down the remains. I laughed a little, and then got all serious again.

You cant think about him that way anymore.

I poured a glass. The house was quiet.

I took a long sip. The cold liquid poured down my throat.

Travis is your brother. Popped in my head.

It caused me to spit my orange juice all over the counter.

I looked at the mess, and then grabbed a towel to clean it up.

Travis cares for you. You're his father, his protector. Without you, Travis will fall apart. He needs you.

I shook it off. "Travis dosent give a shit." I whispered to myself.

He hides because he is afraid. Without you, he will always be afraid.

I shrugged. "Whatever you say." I said sarcasticly to myself, and then saw someone in the door that made me collapse on the ground.