Chapter 2
Jessie walked and jogged for 4 hours in the direction of her old, country town (she hoped she took a shortcut) before the mist turned into a downpour of rain. Jessie groaned. "Why, WHY didn't I think about bringing an umbrella?" She scanned the open field of tall grass and barely spotted the tops of trees, about a good run away, through the blinding rain. "It's so typical of me." Jessie huffed as she ran to the forest, her heavy backpack thumping her back in a painful rhythm. Her tall rain boots slipped on the thickening mud several times, splattering herself relentlessly.
"Finally....there...." Jessie panted, trying to catch her breath at the edge of the forest. She looked through the dense woods, trying to find a good hiking path. I guess I'll start my own. Jessie thought, still searching the forest. She realized that it was still pouring and jogged into the dark, forest.
Finally shaded from most of the rain, Jessie started trying to find somewhere to lie down for the night. She pulled out her tactical flashlight (as it was getting darker by the minute) and spotted three huge trees bent together that could work for a makeshift shelter. Shining the flashlight, she could see that there was a smooth dirt floor and a long branch that could work as a chair, inside the little alcove. Jessie set her flashlight on the ground to make a makeshift lantern. Then, she set her pack down and changed into her extra set of clothes. Jessie hung her muddy, wet clothes on a branch outside the shelter to dry. She sighed as she wrapped up in her towel and fell asleep.
Jessie was riding a horse. Was it Goliath?
She felt so free! Riding over the lush, green grass.
The blue sky. The sun warming her back.
Everything was peaceful...and perfect...too perfect.
Jessie woke up shivering and starving, not having eaten last night. The sun's rays were beaming down upon the forest warming her numb fingers and toes, while she ate one of the seven granola bars she packed. She would buy more when she found a town. Now that Jessie could see better, she studied the small shelter. Everything was neat for an alcove in the forest. She was getting skeptical. Was someone here before me? Then she noticed it. A small maroon journal. Someone was here! And he or she is going to be back to get their journal! Jessie grabbed the journal and flipped to the last page that someone wrote on.
Day 12
Nothing much happening here. I'm going to escape soon.
Jessie checked the date on her watch. It read; October 13 9:26am. "That means he or she would have to have started this October 2nd if they've been here yesterday!" She whispered to herself, hoping that wasn't the case. She gasped as she flipped open the first page.
Day 1
October 2
Jessie skimmed through the page, picking out the important stuff.
My parents want me to get the business degree they couldn't achieve. I don't. I want to get noticed. Be a hero maybe... that sounds stupid. I have to work with my dad cutting down trees for new lots. I found an alcove in the forest that I'm working in. I'm going to go there everyday and figure out a way to escape. To go on an adventure. To change my boring life directed by my parents...not by me. -Nicholas (A.K.A Nick) Greyson
Jessie's mouth hung open, still holding the open notebook in her hand. Nick was just in here YESTERDAY! We must have just crossed paths. I need to go before he gets here! Jessie flipped the pages until what she was looking for fell out...a map. She grabbed the map and unfolded it. A forest area on the map was circled in bright red ink. "That's probably where I am." Jessie whispered. Her finger traced where she was, all the way to where her old, country town was located at. I knew I was close! The girl thought delightfully. All she had to do was follow a road that was near the forest. Jessie dug in her backpack for a pencil. Instead she pulled out a purple, broken crayon. Really? She thought, rolling her eyes. She traced her path on the map with the crayon and then packed all her stuff.
She was quickly walking out while studying the map when, "BAM!" Jessie fell to the ground with a thud. Someone ran right into her. "Uugh." She moaned standing up while brushing herself off. Her heart leaped into her throat when she saw...him. She quickly hid the map behind her back, while thinking of something to say.
"Erm...hi...I didn't know someone else occupied this..." Nick rubbed his head where he hit the ground.
"I didn't know you were coming so soon..." The girl mumbled. "I mean, hi. I was just staying for the night, then moving on. What's the rush anyways? You nearly stampeded me!" The girl asked, but her green eye's read differently... like she knew already. Nick was getting the hint that she read his journal he left in the alcove last night.
"First of all, my name is Nick. Second of all, where are you going?" Nick asked, avoiding her question.
"I know, I mean, my name is Jessie." She stepped over Nick's fallen backpack, avoiding his question now, and started walking out.
Please stop talking and let me out... Jessie thought, hopefully, but Nick didn't catch the hint.
"How do you know my name."
Jessie smirked with her back turned to him and then turned around saying casually, "Oh, it's a long story, but basically, I can guess the name of a person by their appearance." Jessie had to stop herself from laughing at the joke. Nick wasn't smiling though.
"You read my journal, didn't you?" He sighed as he reached over to where Jessie left the journal open on the ground.
"Well, you shouldn't leave your journal out in the woods like that... just sayin'." She shrugged, trying to look innocent.
"How much did you read." Nick asked, flipping the pages of his journal. "And where's my map!" He clenched his jaw and his brown eyes showed that he was tired of the jokes.
Jessie sighed. "All I read were the first and last page...and...I have the map...but wait!" Nick was trying to grab it out of her hand she was waving. "I really need it for my adven-, trip, I mean." Jessica said correcting herself. She knew he would want to come along if she said she was going on an adventure to escape her old life...just like him. "If you found this map, you can get another one right?" She hoped.
"No, because I drew that." He took the map from her hand. "And you drew on it...nice." He sarcastically said. "Well, I need to go on my adventure. Good-bye." He picked up his backpack and nudged her aside.
Ouch. Something tells me he's tired of me. Jessie thought sadly, missing the company already. It was her first time actually having an almost friend-like conversation with someone her own age. Oooh no. I need that map to get out of here! Jessie saw him walking in the distance. Maybe I should ask if he wants to accompany me to the town and then he can leave, since he has the map. But then he might want to come along and that will ruin your solitude from society! Jessie's inside battle raged for only a few seconds. She knew what she wanted to do.
Jessie ran up to Nick. She heard him groan softly, which hurt her a little. "Um, please, please, will you walk with me..just to the town? I don't have a map and I really need to get there!"
"What for."
"I need to get my horse." She knew she had to tell the truth to make him come. "I'm going on an adventure too. Away from....my mom...and society, I guess."
Nick's face hinted a smile. "Only if you do something."
"Anything..well..not any-"
"Let me join you on your adventure." He cut in.
Jessie smiled, but her eye's showed more excitement. "Yeah, sure!"
"Oh, by the way, is this you?" Nick held out a sheet of paper saying:
"Erm...hi...I didn't know someone else occupied this..." Nick rubbed his head where he hit the ground.
"I didn't know you were coming so soon..." The girl mumbled. "I mean, hi. I was just staying for the night, then moving on. What's the rush anyways? You nearly stampeded me!" The girl asked, but her green eye's read differently... like she knew already. Nick was getting the hint that she read his journal he left in the alcove last night.
"First of all, my name is Nick. Second of all, where are you going?" Nick asked, avoiding her question.
"I know, I mean, my name is Jessie." She stepped over Nick's fallen backpack, avoiding his question now, and started walking out.
Please stop talking and let me out... Jessie thought, hopefully, but Nick didn't catch the hint.
"How do you know my name."
Jessie smirked with her back turned to him and then turned around saying casually, "Oh, it's a long story, but basically, I can guess the name of a person by their appearance." Jessie had to stop herself from laughing at the joke. Nick wasn't smiling though.
"You read my journal, didn't you?" He sighed as he reached over to where Jessie left the journal open on the ground.
"Well, you shouldn't leave your journal out in the woods like that... just sayin'." She shrugged, trying to look innocent.
"How much did you read." Nick asked, flipping the pages of his journal. "And where's my map!" He clenched his jaw and his brown eyes showed that he was tired of the jokes.
Jessie sighed. "All I read were the first and last page...and...I have the map...but wait!" Nick was trying to grab it out of her hand she was waving. "I really need it for my adven-, trip, I mean." Jessica said correcting herself. She knew he would want to come along if she said she was going on an adventure to escape her old life...just like him. "If you found this map, you can get another one right?" She hoped.
"No, because I drew that." He took the map from her hand. "And you drew on it...nice." He sarcastically said. "Well, I need to go on my adventure. Good-bye." He picked up his backpack and nudged her aside.
Ouch. Something tells me he's tired of me. Jessie thought sadly, missing the company already. It was her first time actually having an almost friend-like conversation with someone her own age. Oooh no. I need that map to get out of here! Jessie saw him walking in the distance. Maybe I should ask if he wants to accompany me to the town and then he can leave, since he has the map. But then he might want to come along and that will ruin your solitude from society! Jessie's inside battle raged for only a few seconds. She knew what she wanted to do.
Jessie ran up to Nick. She heard him groan softly, which hurt her a little. "Um, please, please, will you walk with me..just to the town? I don't have a map and I really need to get there!"
"What for."
"I need to get my horse." She knew she had to tell the truth to make him come. "I'm going on an adventure too. Away from....my mom...and society, I guess."
Nick's face hinted a smile. "Only if you do something."
"Anything..well..not any-"
"Let me join you on your adventure." He cut in.
Jessie smiled, but her eye's showed more excitement. "Yeah, sure!"
"Oh, by the way, is this you?" Nick held out a sheet of paper saying:
Missing!
Jessie Reese. 16 years of age.
Dark blonde hair. Green eyes.
Approximately 5'6"
Might be trying to find her horse, Goliath.
 |
| A forest area on the map was circled in bright red ink. |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thanks for reading! Sorry it's long, but I didn't know when to end it! Haha!
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