~Andrew~

It was dark. Night even.

It was wet and cold.

And I was too exhausted to be hungry.

Through the slow-motion of my eye-opening, despite the fuzzy painted picture in front of me, I could see my surroundings. My eyes were full of water while I scanned the forest around me. Taking in the blurry details of the trees being engulfed by the cries of the clouds above. 

The trees reminded me of myself. Even in a shitty situation, I refused to leave because it was safer to hold on. Hold on to what? I have no idea. But it felt like there had to be something. Otherwise, I wasted my whole time staying. Holding on. And just merely hoping.

~~~

Burning.

I woke up to the smell of burning next to me.

I was weak and nauseous with acid bubbling in the back of my throat, not having eaten a single thing for the past 3 days since the incident. If this forest was on fire when I opened my eyes then so be it. I would have to thank the gods for the blessing.

Instead, what I found was a man.

Or a teen. Maybe he was my age but whatever. I was a town over from where I should be so no one would recognize me here, nor me them. He was dragging a cloud of toxins out of his cigarette, filling his lungs with the tar-laced drug. I watched as his broad chest grew and collapsed, the smell of burning exiting his airline.

"Why are you out here?" He asked with an emotionless face giving me the indication that he didn't care but felt it would be immoral if he didn't ask. I didn't care myself since, to be honest, it wasn't his business, and I'm not stupid enough to trust a stranger.

"I like nature." I retorted with a strained raspy voice.

In truth, I hated it. It was dirty all the time. Wet. And gave no room for comfort as proven by the animals that had instincts telling them every day that they would die if they didn't run or hide, feed themselves by killing another thing, or stay close to some source of water.

I could never live like that. Being caged by my own instincts. It was awful the first 16 years I was doing it so I believe it's time to do what I want. Even if it means sleeping in the woods and lying to someone who could potentially help me.

The young man shook his head at the short answer probably knowing well I had to be lying. Either the short answer gave me away or the way my body was shaking from the cold with my face red and eyes puffy from the past 3 nights I've been crying myself to sleep despite the aching pain coming from everywhere.

His dark green orbs rested on my hazel ones with a second of concern before contorting back to the former 'well maybe you should go the fuck home-' look as if that wouldn't be obvious enough had I been able to go back.

"How long have you been here?" His voice was deep with a speck of country accent in its flare but nothing more and could easily pass for being without.

"I just got here," Another lie.

"Well considering you're shaking and wet, I'd say you've at least been here since last night." He looked around the forest after eyeing my current health crises up and down. Irritation at my inability to be honest with him, growing on his face and pinching his brows. He took an even longer drag than before from the cigarette, flicking his thumb to shake the ashes.

"I tripped in a puddle on the way here," I retorted with another lie. I shrugged my shoulders, feeling satisfied with that good of an excuse.

"This is the side of a hill," He stated very matter-of-factly as if that was supposed to be a bomb to the face but I had no idea where the hell he was going with that. His brows were up creasing lines on his forehead.

We stared at each other a moment longer before he signed, taking another drag of his rolled cancer stick.

"There can't be puddles when the water runs downhill." He finished.

Oh shit. I looked at my feet. My left sneaker had a hole opening from my pinky toe to my heel, showing off my barefoot. Around me was an open forest in shades of yellow looking like a thunderstorm hit it, leaving not a single puddle in sight.

Fuck. 

Well, maybe I can-

"You can stop lying to me and ask for help,"

What- Can a man not like nature in peace anymore?

I don't want his help. No one has ever done anything for me but put me through a complete hell. 

"There's nothing wrong with asking for help ya know." He threw his cig behind him and scratched his head, placing his hand in his pocket after a moment of thought. I watched his eyes stare directly into mine for any sign of some retaliation in the conversation but I wasn't really up for it. 

My teeth started chewing out the skin inside my cheek, my breathing becoming shaky. 

His arm suddenly ascended from his side out towards me, holding out a hand expectantly, his eyes looking past me. His hand looked welcoming as he most likely thought I would take it since this was a gesture of kindness.

But I just stared.

I didn't want to be used again much less touched. I didn't want to get myself into another hell hole just so I could anchor myself down and endure more of the normality my life has become as if I haven't endured enough.

And with that memory fresh in mind, I wobbled up and faced my back towards him beginning my hike for another spot to sleep. The pain in my feet spiked but I quickly composed my tattered body and stepped in the opposite direction of the boy.

Away from people. Away from greed. Away from hostility. That's always safe.

I could hear his body shift behind me with what I could guess was a confused look on his face. The sound of leaves crunching under my feet reached my ears as I walked away, slowly finding myself hearing another pair of crunching behind me.

In seconds his palm was grabbing my arm and pulling me back towards him, the pain in my arm flaring at the contact. His hand slipped from me as my body instantly jerked back, my foot sliding out from underneath me putting me back down on the floor, the breathtaking pain in my ass burning with the sudden fall.  

I yelped at the hasty rough contact, my eyes beginning to burn from the physical flashbacks of the previous life that I thought I had escaped but instead found myself treading into a new one.

Looking up at the angered green orbs now darker than before I flinched, whimpering as he moved his hand down to grab me again.

My arm instinctively rushed to shelter my face from the impact I expected to come, as the tears started falling out in small whimpers. I could barely hear myself as all I felt was a searing pain in my head from the failed replay of memories that overtook my body. My heart was racing painfully in my fragile chest, now looking closer to skin and bones I presume. 

My teeth ate away at the flesh on my cheek as my body shook, the air getting caught in my throat as I started to feel the sweat pool from my body. It felt disgusting. I am disgusting. I choked in a breath of air and tried to count to 4. In for 4, out for 4. 

I silently sniveled in fear as I taught myself to be quiet when crying because they will always come back if you're heard, and more ruthless than before. 

But after a long silence I realized, nothing came. 

No impact. Just fear.

I opened my eyes to see my arm sheltering my face with a pair of legs right on the other side. Was he mad? What did I do? So what if I didn't want his help? I'm sure he was hoping that would be the case so why the reaction?

Slowly my arm came down to face the gap-faced boy, looking down at me in shock at my reaction. And something else. I couldn't tell at the moment but there was something else.

Fear? Pity?

Or maybe. No. I hope not.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before holding his hand out again, a little farther this time. "I'm sorry," he breathed in a shaky breath again. My body still shook and my heart still strained inside my chest leaving me with a tight feeling.

"I'm not leaving you here alone because you're cold, looking hungry, and clearly need somewhere to sleep." He shook his hand again giving me a look in his eyes that said 'give me your fucking hand.'

Fuck it. In for 4, out for 4. 

Flinching at my own thought, I slowly and cautiously reached for his hand as the sudden warmth immersed into my own hand. My other hand quickly grabbed the same hand that was trying to pull me up, my own noticeably shaking. He chuckled at my reaction to his hand, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a sack of something.

I have no idea what it was but he opened my hands while keeping a steady hold on me due to my weak body, and placed the sun in my hands. I was, at least to say, shocked at the warming device he has. I almost wanted to ask him where he bought it. But I don't in case I bother him instead. It's not like I have money anyway.

My fingers played and squished the sack feeling the weird grains inside as it got hotter in my palm. I mumbled a thank you to the guy who just put heaven in my hands before allowing him to touch me. His hands held most of my body weight up as he started guiding me.

We wobbled for about 2 miles before coming across a home. It felt like I walked for days.

Right as I catch sight of our destination, the boy, with one arm around my waist and the other holding my hand around his shoulder, looked down to meet my eyes.

"What's your name?" He helped me balance my body, giving me the freedom to put my body weight onto him if necessary. I huffed out and stopped to catch my breath, our bodies swaying for a moment.

It's cold as shit out here. 

"My name? Andrew." I looked up at him and back down at my feet. The earth turned to small pools of water under my feet, soaking my shoes. 

"Well Andrew, welcome home." He jousted his head in the direction of said house. 

A modestly big house that could probably hold a family of 6. He dangled his keys for a moment before finding the right key.

At this moment I was scared. My heart rate kicked up again but I did my exercise and calmed myself before losing my shit. I am scared as fuck right now. Scared he or the people inside were not trustworthy. I was scared they might sell me off. They could send me to bad people to do bad things. Scared that they wouldn't like me and toss me out after giving me false hope that I could belong somewhere. 

But with my past still leaving my mental health questionable I mentally groaned and said fuck it. I mean, I woke up this morning and thought the forest might be on fire and that was chill. 

One shaky step at a time we reached the doors to this boy's house. 

He pushed open a door, and out came a gush of warmth and comfort pulling me inside without the courtesy of even waiting for an invite from its owner. I mean, the guy did drag me all the way here, so me coming inside was kind of the point, wasn't it? 

I just hope there's food.